Breed rescues join forces to rescue auctioned Cavaliers Discussions

Malka · Nov 27, 2014

I do not know whether this should go under Discussions or General chat - and am posting it in full because I honestly do not know what to think about this story. I just think it should be known, due to the number of dogs concerned.

BREED enthusiasts in America – with the help of donations worldwide – joined forces to buy 98 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels who were being auctioned by a former breeder and exhibitor.

Terri Easterbrooks of Rock Cliff Farm, Alabama, closed her kennel – rumoured to have housed 160 dogs at one time – and put them up for sale on Saturday through South West Auction Service in Missouri.

It has been reported that offers to help Ms Easterbrooks had been rebuffed previously and that legal proceedings were exhausted.

They comprised 75 bitches and 23 dogs and many suffered from health problems, were deaf, partially sighted or blind or had hernias, and some were in whelp. They ranged in age from seven years to only a few months.

Some of the dogs – all Cavaliers apart from two Cocker Spaniels – were advertised as being champions or from international champion stock, ‘AKC registered and proven to have breeding ability’. The auctioneers’ advertisement claimed it was an opportunity to buy some of the best Cavaliers ‘in the nation’.

A few of the dogs are from British lines, two of them imported from the UK.

Some of the dogs were held back from auction because they were heavily in whelp, and there is to be another sale of the remainder of Ms Easterbrooks’ other dogs in January so that eventually all of them will be sold. More money is needed for this – an estimated $250,000 – and fundraising has now begun again, with one person alone already donating $25,000.

When news of the auction filtered through to the Cavalier community, breed and rescue groups sprang into action, raising in the region of $300,000 in two weeks through appeals on social media from donors throughout the US and elsewhere, including the UK. On Saturday three members of Cavalier Rescue USA and attorney Angie Ingram, with $140,000 with which to buy the dogs, made a ten-hour round trip to Wheaton, Missouri. Among the other groups helping were Cavalier Rescue Trust, Lucky Start Cavalier Rescue, Treasured Pals Rescue and Small Spaniel Rescue. Transport was provided by Greater Birmingham Humane Society.

The members of Cavalier rescue began buying the dogs but by lunchtime had exhausted funds. But after pleas for help through social media were made once again, more money came in, and they were able to begin bidding for the animals again. Two were bought by others but the representatives managed to buy them back, albeit it at elevated prices.

"We did not like the conditions the dogs were in in Alabama, but they were going to end up in a worse situation after the auction,” Ms Ingram told reporters. "We got all of them and left none behind.

"We ran out of money by noon and there were still three hours left to outbid others who also wanted the dogs. We were in communication with everyone here in Birmingham and they put out a plea for money. Within 30 minutes, I was back in bidding again and I had a minimum of $75,000 that had been dropped in to my PayPal account.”

Afterwards the dogs were vetted, assessed, vaccinated, bathed and will all be neutered, and they are now all in foster care or have been adopted.

ONE of the British-bred dogs sold at the auction was Maggie Dawson’s Pomelo Gideon whom she sold as a puppy to Terri Easterbrooks after getting references from other breeders who had supplied her with dogs.

"Although she had hoped to show him she never did but used him at stud,” Ms Dawson said. "She was most interested in health as I am myself so she was pleased his parents were health checked and both MRI scanned clear of the chiari malformation and syringomyelia.

"A friend of mine sent her a pup at the same time and Ms Easterbrooks did show this one. Unfortunately, that dog died very young and I don’t think we ever found out how or why. She has since sent her another one that was initially in the auction but for some reason was withdrawn. My friend has phoned and emailed but had no response from Terri so she has no idea where her girl is.

"When I found out about the auction about three weeks ago and saw Gideon was on it, now aged seven, I was horrified. I posted on Facebook my concern and boy did it snowball. I’m lucky that I have friends in America that are nothing to do with dogs, and they offered to drive from Kansas to Missouri to attend the auction on my behalf.

"I sent them £1,000 in the hope it was enough to secure him. Another friend in America sent $1,000 to get Gideon released. My friends travelled to Missouri on Friday night and stayed in an hotel so they could be at the auction early to see Gideon and spend time with him.

"They were there about 7.30am and once they had registered they went and spent time with Gideon. They were not allowed to take phones or cameras into the auction so news was sparse. She had to go out to contact me and she did when she had seen him. She was very upset.

"I think I and hundreds of others were sitting at our computers most of Saturday waiting for news. We knew that several rescue groups were there trying to get the Cavaliers so they wouldn’t end up in another puppy mill.

"Gideon, I believe, was in a lot of four and went for $5,000. My friend was so upset that she didn’t get him for me and we were both crying on the phone to each other. But we found out he had been bought by one of the rescue groups and was off to Alabama for vet check and fostering.

"I have been in touch with them and my friends who went to the auction are going to travel, by road, a journey of over 800 miles from Kansas to Alabama to collect him when he is ready. He will be neutered and if my friends, who have fallen in love with him, decide to keep him I know he will have a safe and wonderful home. If they decide not to I will arrange to have him flown home to me.”
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6JRT's · Nov 27, 2014

Saw this on Facebook its upsetting knowing that the breeder is just auctioning off her dogs as if they are just pieces of furniture.

CaroleC · Nov 27, 2014

Oh how sad. The breed is well rid of this woman, but Cavaliers are such gentle creatures, they must be traumatised. I hope they can all find the best possible homes and become truly cherished pets.

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