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Show COMICS HBOeyeshorrorsat TAKE QUT THAT VIRAL ne MMANO-A-MMANO! Annie Bergman THE-ASSOCIATEDPRESS nanimal-rights activist working his first undercover job made his biggest mistakeby giving namesto the dogs at northern Arkansas's Martin Creek Kennel. That closeness with the animals leveled a heavy emotional tall as they gradually died from disease,injuries and gunshots. Pete,not his real name, spent six months at the kennel, cleaning cages for owner C.C. Baird while secretly videotaping the conditions there for Last Chance for Animals, a Los Angeles-based animal-rights group. His workdebuts this week on HBO as an “America GENERAL fi PRACTITIONER f THE BORN LOSER sue IMSS PREEN TOLD ME YOU THAT'S NOT EXACTLY SAID T WAS QUITE wit! HBO/Associated Press mail-fraud charges shows dogs dying from malnutrition while others are beaten orshot; their carcasses are after admitting they lied to researchfacilities about how they acquired some ofthe animals. at the kennel, which bought and raised dogsfor use in veterinary schools and research laboratories. “The undercoverfootage is very graphic,but it is what happened,” said Sarah Teale, an “America Undercover” veteran and 3” co-producerof “Dealing monsaid he wanted to research animal abuse and medical researchthat didn’t focus on one animal-rights group. But during their research, he and Teale discovered Last Chance for Animals'splans to go undercover at Martin Creek Kennel. The twoeventually met with Chris DeRose, founderand president of the animal-rights group. “Wherethese dogs were, they’re like concentration camps for animals. But we wantto changethe laws to make permanent changefor animals,” DeRose said. Pete was the fifth investigator hired to work at Martin Creek, DeRose said. To compile the video, he hid cameras beneath twopairsofjeans in his room so wires wouldn’t hang out and give him away,while microphones inside Pete’s flannel shirt pockets record workers voices, Five months intohis assignment,it was obvious the job was wearing on Pete. DeRose sits with him in a hoteland reassures him his workis important. “Wehadto constantly keep talking to him and‘No you gottastickit out, you gotta stick it out,’” DeRose said. “He was getting the bruntofit, but with his work we'd comeup on newinformation that was considered criminal.” Cummins said Pete’s video was critical in prosecuting Baird. “They did bring us somepretty tangible evidence that laws wereprobably being violated,” Cummins said. piled in eight-foot-deep trenches Pete had a favorite dog — a beagle he named Rebel. The dog died after receiving notreatmentfor tapeworms, and Pete said he knew he hadto divorce himself from his emotions. “That's whatreally whipped meinto shape,” said Pete, who worked at the kennelin 2001 and early 2002. “They brokehis spirit, they broke his body and he died. I had to stop naming the dogs andtried to think of themin a different way.” The filmmakers would not reveal Pete's identity, though part ofhis face is seen in the documentary. A U.S.attorney who received a copy of Pete’s video — and who sentPete back to the kennelin 2003 to gather more evidence for what was successful prosecution — vouched forPete but also wouldn't disclose his name. Martin Creek was oneof the nation’slargest kennels until U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins andfederal agencies shut it downlast year. Baird and his wife, Patsy, agreed to pay $267,000 in civil fines,the largest penalty ever under the federal Animal Welfare Act. They also gaveup their 700-acretract, valued at $1.1 million, and they each facejail x Chris DeRose,left, founder andpresident of Last Chance for Animals, and Pete, an undercoverinvestigator, discussing aspects of the case against C.C. Baird and Martin Creek Kennel. “Teavaoeray sen.time on for the squeamish. Videotape » e Daily Herald, Thursday, February 23, 2006 Fae Arkansas dog kennel WHAT D0 You Initially, co-producer Tom Si- SAU ARE TMINAENROLLED CLASS PREPARE? ° CALLED NON-STOP BLATHERING INCHES] WHAT KIND OF FLYING YOU DOING To WANT 0 Wi You Tee Wen Es A SPOR 1S COMMENTATOR A SURE, I CAN FLY -I JUST FLAP MY © J KY y Sup STs Fuse \ o vor THE, FLYING!) WINGS REAL Haro! pure ND. Ok. es GROUNDIF by : WAQVM rz foumene 2: ara z |