Family Facing $4 Million in Fines for Selling Bunnies

Well, they should actually be standing still, digging in their heals, and refusing to pay a penny, and refusing to leave their property. I would make sure the world understood the issues, and that no one would be sleeping well at night with all the bullhorns out at the offices and private homes and cop shops, just so they don't left out unitl the nazi's leave office and the psuedo corporate navy laws that are actually crimes are repealed, and all the signatures on these crimes are arrested.

Never give in to evil or corruption. Never.

reply to post by ArMaP


Its corruption by any other name. Pure and simple, and no doubt this happens time and again.

Even small farmers who have licenses lose when pitted against the pet giants such as
Monsanto and Bayer.

Taken before a judge, the judge rules in the favor of Monsanto, when clearly its Monsanto
that should be fined for contaminating the little guys crops.

See....its just as you said its a game designed to benefit the corporate whores and their pimps
in Washington D.C.

And when Government has become a means of corruption rather than a Government by and for the
people, its time for an end to Government.

This same sort of thing happened to me last year. Even if you comply with the law, have all your proper paperwork, there is some clown that feels free to stop on by and tell you that the smallest detail has been overlooked - something as inane as the position of screws from the edge of a board - or some nitwit neighbor that just feels like ruining your life.

Monsanto doesn't have any neighbors that sic the inspectors on them. They are the neighbors.

What a hair raising tale!!!

reply to post by pianopraze




Soon, The Ministry of Truth well censor storys like this...
You just know its coming!

Im sorry to say, but if they were not ready and or willing to stand against the Government and their ridiculous regulations regarding the sale of organic food stuffs or farming in general for that matter then they should have never sold a single rabbit.

This is a good example of the way society operates, well our little society at least. These type of situations have also been happening with some regularity. I have heard of several organic farm shutdowns by the FDA, several restrictions over the past couple of years regarding what you can and "can't" sell and how much you can and "can't" sell. This is something they should have expected, no matter how minimal it may have been the government is either black or white. There are no shades of gray when enforcing their ass backwards policies, unless you have the money of course to make them see those shades of gray.

If this family wasn't prepared to stand up against this kind of government hostility then they were extremely naive.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
.

I am also pretty certain that the rule they cite must have other caveats, because there are commercial breeders that sell a lot more than $500 worth of rabbits, so the line quoted can't be the entire rule.

Well, in NC it depends on how much you raise. if you raise more than the limit for a small farm, you have to pay different fees and file different paperwork. Not sure how it works in Ohio (is that where this was?) but I suspect these people knew they were breaking the law.

Paper work and rules are annoying, but not knowing where you stand and being fined for your ignorance is even worse. Know the ag. laws in your state if you are going to participate in that business.

As I have said here, if people were more self sufficient, many of the cases like this would be Ruby Ridge all over again.

People need to start standing up against this. So many don't get it, we have already lost America as a nation of free people. At this point, people don't even want to fight back. Sure, they can't really 'fight' back, but enough resistance and forcing the Feds to call out their FBI, SWAT, DHS teams over some rabbits or milk might get enough of the other drones out there riled up enough to do something other than grumble on the internet.

reply to post by burntheships

Well said!
Four Million in fines, that is ridiculous way more than they would even owe, in a fair situation(USDA is blown at or proportion with fining). Families as such breed bunnies for farm purposes(some of them) and not only for show to improve the breeds of rabbits, but also to educate children.

This family is unfairly being singled out and picked on.
Perhaps USDA should better manage laboratories and factory farms that play a huge part in animal cruelty, instead of going after small family farms and projects. It's stated that family had a good reputation, wasn't even reported of cruelty. What's next USDA License for 8 year olds (parents helping the project)who have 4 H bunnies and sell the kits sometimes at rabbit shows?

Seems they are trying to cramp down so hard on farms, that people can't deal with it. Farmers have enough local rules to deal with and such.

This hits close to home(being associated with rabbit farmers), as I am a rabbit owner, my main Veterinary focus being the lagomorph, and I've shown and helped improve rabbit breeds(governed by the American Rabbit Breeders Association).

reply to post by dreamingawake


Thanks for weghing in with your opinion, and for your comments!

I agree, they have been singled out for special treatment, only its the kind of
treatment that the real wrong doers deserve!

I hope you can get the word out, as it sounds like your fairly connected in the
bunny breeding world. At least if folks know that they are tageted for unfair treament,
hopefully they can divert it.

Originally posted by ArMaP
Did they have a licence to sell the rabbits?

A quick search returned this:

(3) The following persons are exempt from the licensing requirements under section 2 or section 3 of the Act: (i) Retail pet stores which sell nondangerous, pet-type animals, such as dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, gophers, domestic ferrets, chinchilla, rats, and mice, for pets, at retail only: Provided, That, Anyone wholesaling any animals, selling any animals for research or exhibition, or selling any wild, exotic, or nonpet animals retail, must have a license; (ii) Any person who sells or negotiates the sale or purchase of any animal except wild or exotic animals, dogs, or cats, and who derives no more than $500 gross income from the sale of such animals to a research facility, an exhibitor, a dealer, or a pet store during any calendar year and is not otherwise required to obtain a license;

Source

It looks like the problem is that they were selling more than 500$ worth of rabbits per year without a licence that would have costed them 10$.

The fact that they don't say a thing about licences on the article makes me think that this was the case.

Exactly. There are known laws on the book, but they chose to ignore them. Now this article is sensationalizing the information to cater to the anti-government crowd.

IF you dont want a speeding ticket, dont speed. If you want to sell animals, follow the rules. Simple.

Originally posted by billxam
This same sort of thing happened to me last year. Even if you comply with the law, have all your proper paperwork, there is some clown that feels free to stop on by and tell you that the smallest detail has been overlooked - something as inane as the position of screws from the edge of a board - or some nitwit neighbor that just feels like ruining your life.

Monsanto doesn't have any neighbors that sic the inspectors on them. They are the neighbors.

Yes, and they basically own the inspectors...Tom Vilsack!

reply to post by Unity_99


Funny thing, these bunnies were only sold as pets!

This is not even an issue as far as food is concerned....well it shouldnt be anyways!

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


Two aspects worth considering here.

First, does the Federal government need to be as involved and in so many areas as they are, such as this one? The state obviously didn't see the need to have such regulations, and all sales were done inside the state.

Second, even though they may be in the wrong legally, does the punishment fit the crime? Clearly not. Should the punishment for speeding be a fine that is multiples of the value of the car in violation? Hardly. This would be a minor issue if they had just said pay a $100 fine and the cost of the license.

Quite simply, this shows how fat and diseased our federal government has become.

Originally posted by Wolf321
reply to post by incrediblelousminds

 

Two aspects worth considering here.

First, does the Federal government need to be as involved and in so many areas as they are, such as this one? The state obviously didn't see the need to have such regulations, and all sales were done inside the state.

Perhaps. But the fact of the matter is these people knowingly ignored the rules, and now are whining about it. The argument you are making against Federal Regulation doesnt exactly relate tot he specifics off the case.

Quite simply, this shows how fat and diseased our federal government has become.

Indeed. But to feign ignorance of the law is not a defense of the crime. The fine seems excessive, but why did they ignore the rules? They could have avoided all this with a few moments paperwork. They intentionally ignored the rules and now are whining about it.

I've raised chickens and rabbits commercially in NC. The rules are incredibly explicit, and anyone who ignores them likely deserves to be caught.

BTW, how is no one concerned that these people were essentially running a bunny mill?

reply to post by burntheships


Looks like all those bunnies who were sold off to become someones dinner are going to have the last laugh. Anyone who ever watched Loony Tunes knows the scenario:

1. Bugs Bunny is minding his own business, not bothering anyone

2. Along comes someone who gets in Bugs face until "I've taken all I can take and I can't takes no more!"

3. Bugs unleashes his wrath upon the fool who messed with him, and they learn the error of their ways.

Some folks learn quick, some folks the lesson is harder. Never mess with a bunny!

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


I disagree with the premise that they ignored the law. They were unaware of it. Ignorance of the law is not a defense, but in a case like this, the ignorance of the law speaks volumes for the law. Most laws are or should be based on common sense. This was hardly a business, anymore than a kid cashing in cans is.

My family has rabbits, and has sold them. Caught them wild, bred the tame ones and sold the bunnies. We know many who do the same. No one does it as a business. I guarantee no one here has heard of this law. The Feds would have a full schedule trying to run this scheme around here.

but failur to comply with a 10 dollar license cannot be accumulated in to a 4 m dollar fee , its just absurd
and beyond logic ,

id understand if they where put on a blacklist and banned from selling rabbits for a year or something like donating 100 rabbits to a local university or something ,

next thing you know you may not own a bicycle if you dont own a helmet licence, .

Originally posted by Wolf321
reply to post by incrediblelousminds

 

I disagree with the premise that they ignored the law. They were unaware of it.

On what do you base that claim?

Regardless, when one enters into a business, one should make themselves familiar with the rules regulating it.

This was hardly a business, anymore than a kid cashing in cans is.

Hardly a business? How so?

from the article:

“We started becoming the go-to people” for rabbits in the Springfield area, John said. “If you wanted a rabbit, you’d go to Dollarvalue Rabbitry.” He added that the family even made the local television news just before Easter in 2008 for a report about the care and feeding of “Easter bunnies.” Initially, the Dollarhites sold the large, white, pink-eyed variety of rabbits. Eventually, however, they switched to selling a couple of different varieties of miniature rabbits, the mating pairs of which were purchased from breeders across the state. Not only did their “show-quality” miniatures reproduce well, but they ate less and seemed to be more popular with theme park visitors and retail buyers.

During the summer of 2009, the Dollarhites bought the rabbitry from their son who had grown tired of managing it. They paid him what he asked for it, $200.

Things kept growing, however, and the Dollarhite’s landed a pair of big accounts in 2009. A well-known Branson theme park, Silver Dollar City, asked the Dollarhites to have them provide four-week-old bunnies per week to their petting zoo May through September. When the bunnies turned six weeks old, they were sold to park visitors.

The Springfield location of a national pet store chain, Petland, purchased rabbits from the Dollarhites as well. In the fall of 2009, the theme park deliveries ended for the year and the Dollarhites scaled back their operation. At about the same time, the folks at Petland asked the Dollarhites to raise guinea pigs that the store would purchase from them. No big deal.

That sounds A LOT like a business. To compare ti to a kid with a lemonaid stand is disingenuous. Kids with lemonade stands dont make thousands a year in revenue with 'big contracts' with large business.

My family has rabbits, and has sold them. Caught them wild, bred the tame ones and sold the bunnies. We know many who do the same. No one does it as a business. I guarantee no one here has heard of this law.

IF they are selling them ,it's a business. IF they are unaware of the regulations around their business, they are at fault.

Is the fine 'excessive? Sure. But they have no one to blame but themselves.

What kind of bunnies?

Oh, never mind.

Yep, corporatism sure is great ain't it?

I guess this means if I sell my extra few chicken eggs a week I will get a huge fine? I'll just give them away then, at least I will know others are getting healthy foods, at least until I am not allowed to give my food away.

Harm None
Peace