Chapter 16: They want blood
Two weeks after the barn was evacuated, Kaybri received a visitor.
Kaybri had heard all about Teri McGee and her organization Helping Every Dog (HED) from Frank, who had banned Teri from the clinic. It wasn’t that Frank disagreed with her. He had a distaste for her organization’s practices and found the woman moralistic, didactic, and self-righteous. When Teri called Kaybri, she said she had been glad to learn that Frank had retired and wanted to meet his replacement.
Kaybri rose from her desk chair to greet the middle-aged woman who strode in confidently wearing a tie-dyed dress and a denim jacket. Not knowing what else to say, she offered her a cup of coffee.
“Is it fair trade coffee?” Teri asked.
“I don’t know. Would you prefer something else? Tea, maybe?”
“Only if it is organically grown.”
“How about a nice glass of water?”
“From the sink? I don’t think so. Lancaster County has been fluoridating the water for decades.”
“We have bottled water.”
“No way. The ocean is clogged with plastic, and it’s killing the turtles and whales.”
Kaybri ceased her hospitality-based questions with a sigh. “How can I help you?”
“My organization, Helping Every Dog, is committed to the elimination of puppy mills. It is an immoral practice that must be stopped at any cost.”
“How do you do that?” Kaybri asked while inviting her to have a seat across from her.
“Helping Every Dog has filed forty-two suits against Amish farmers and a dozen against veterinarians suspected of caring for mistreated dogs and not reporting the breeders to the state. You may not know, since you’re from California, that in 2008, Pennsylvania enacted the Dog Law, which established stricter regulations and licensing requirements for commercial kennels, including standards for housing, vet care, and exercise. It also increased penalties for violations and provided funding for enforcement. We have the law on our side.”
“I completely agree that puppy mills are a horror.”
“Then you’ll help us.”
“Not at any cost.”
Kaybri would have been more receptive to Teri’s cause if she didn’t have the image of Eva’s scarred face fresh in her memory. The organization had gone so far as to sue families for purchasing dogs that they believed were from Amish farms. The cases were dismissed, but the setbacks seemed to have fueled Teri’s desire to punish the Amish and anyone who didn’t agree with her. Those who knew how righteous at any cost HED was, referred to them as Hurting Everyone Deeply.
Teri continued, “This is a serious problem. Have you seen the conditions of the mills? The degradation the dogs are enduring?”
Kaybri could see that Teri wasn’t looking for just an ally. She was looking for a warrior who wanted Amish blood. “I have, recently.”
“Then you know why this is so important.”
“I do. I also saw a section of an Amish barn that had to be rebuilt because it was torched. I saw the face of a little girl who will be permanently scarred because of that fire.”
“You aren’t suggesting that my organization caused the fire?”
“Then you know about it.”
“What I read in the newspaper. I have no idea who started the fire.” Teri looked down and seemed uncomfortable all of a sudden.
“Neither do I. I do know that whoever did it had no regard for the innocent dogs trapped in their pens or for the welfare of the people living on the farm.”
Teri’s friendly demeanor was now gone. “I understand you are boarding dogs that were used for breeding.”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss the health or disposition of any of the dogs in our care.”
“The dogs in your kennel are evidence. They are the proof we need to prosecute the Amish farmers and close their operations.”
“And if I don’t give them to you, I suspect you will take legal action against this clinic.”
Teri’s silence and irritated look told Kaybri that her suspicions were correct.
Teri broke the silence. “You’re going to regret your position. I am not someone you want to have as an enemy.”
“I think it’s time you left. I agreed to this meeting. Now you’re trespassing.”
Teri stomped to the door and then turned around wearing a smile that was more disturbing to Kaybri than her anger. “You said that you recently saw the conditions at a puppy mill. You were there?”
“Yes.”
“I need to know where that farm is.”
“You don’t remember where that farm is or you don’t want people to know that you’ve been there before,” Kaybri said snidely.
The slam of Kaybri’s office door marked the end of their meeting.
Kaybri paged Noah to her office. “We need to make the clinic more secure. I think HED is going to try to take some of the Stoltzfus dogs as evidence of what is”—Kaybri paused for a moment as she happily realized she could use the past tense now—“what was going on at your father’s farm.”
“Isn’t breaking into this facility illegal?” Noah asked.
“I don’t think HED cares about what’s legal. We’re going to have to be more careful. They don’t want to just shut the puppy mills down. They want blood.”