Earlier this week, True Blood star and Wisconsin native Kristin Bauer van Straten sent a letter on PETA's behalf urging the chair of the Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Committee to shut down plans for a massive dog-breeding facility in Spring Green that would funnel dogs to laboratories for use in painful and invasive tests.
“I’m writing to ask you to reject a proposal to establish a large-scale dog-breeding operation in Spring Green, the purpose of which would be to sell dogs to laboratories for experimentation,” she wrote. "As a lifelong dog lover and someone who cares about the natural environment as well as the reputation of my home state of Wisconsin, I ask that you do the right thing by denying this proposal.
“I feel extremely fortunate to have grown up in such a beautiful place, where I could experience lush green landscapes, clear lakes, and communion with animals such as chickens and horses. And of course, dogs were then — and continue to be — an important part of my life.
“Large-scale breeding operations pollute the environment and cause considerable suffering to animals. Unlike companion dogs, these canines would be confined to cramped quarters and denied opportunities to engage in all the basic activities that make dogs happy, such as spending time with humans, running, and playing. Because of the stress of this confinement, they would experience higher rates of illness and infectious disease. Commercial dog-breeding facilities contaminate the surrounding environment with dog waste, including disease-carrying faeces. Frustrated, anxious dogs bark excessively, causing noise pollution, which not only affects nearby human residents but also can be disruptive to local wildlife. And sadly, for these dogs, there would be no reprieve — puppies produced by this facility wouldn’t get to go to loving homes but instead would be sold and subjected to painful, invasive, and traumatic experiments.
“I don’t want to see our beautiful state become a home for this scheme. I implore you to choose the path of integrity and compassion and preserve the natural splendor of Wisconsin by taking definitive action to reject this proposal. I would like to see my home state remain a wonderful place for children to grow up in, and commercial dog-breeding operations should have no place there.”
