LI Puppy Mill Investigation Reveals 'Disturbing Conditions, Sick Puppies, Cockroaches': Report

MANORVILLE, NY — A new report was released recently accusing Sportsman's Kennels, located in Manorville, of "disturbing conditions, sick puppies, and cockroaches."

Humane World for Animals, formerly called the Humane Society of the United States, released its recent investigation into what they called "a high-volume puppy mill."

Helen Camlikades, owner of Sportman's Kennels, located on Schultz Road in Manorville, did not immediately return a request for comment by Patch.

According to Humane World for Animals, an investigator worked undercover at Sportsman’s Kennels in Long Island between September and October, documeting poor breeding conditions, "sick and matted dogs, and parts of the building crawling with cockroaches behind a popular storefront."

Sportsman’s Kennels, which reportedly had 277 dogs and puppies on-site as of November, said that it has been "breeding AKC pups since 1962."

"Unlike responsible breeders who typically specialize in one or two breeds, Sportsman’s Kennels advertises churning out a wide range of breeds, including beagles, Labrador retrievers, poodles, golden doodles, Rottweilers, shih tzus, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, and corgis," Humane World for Animal said.

"These loving dogs suffer in shameful and decrepit conditions that shock the senses," said Brian Shapiro, New York state director, Humane World for Animals. "Sportsman’s Kennels has mass produced animals for decades in Suffolk County and it’s past time for meaningful action by authorities. What we discovered here is heartbreaking and contradicts New York’s commitment to ending puppy mill cruelty."

According to Humane World for animals, findings indicated that in some kennels, "dogs were stepping in feces, leading to swollen and inflamed paws and matted, urine-soaked fur. A horrendous odor permeated the air from urine troughs in some areas, and the investigator noted a black, mold-like substance in some rooms."

Also, the report said, some of the puppies "were vomiting, coughing or wheezing. Many had congenital issues such as hernias and eye disorders. One puppy had a very noticeable, crusty rash that lasted for weeks, while others had ears filled with brownish wax or eye and nasal discharge."

And, the report accused: "One breeding dog was observed with bloodied fur. The investigator saw a mother dog who was missing a very noticeable amount of fur repeatedly scratching and unable to get comfortable while caring for a litter of small puppies. Others appeared underweight, and some had scabs, matted fur or feces stuck in their fur."

The report also said that parts of the kennel were "crawling with cockroaches. The investigator observed a staff member spraying roach-infested areas with cans of toxic insecticide in proximity to pregnant and nursing mother dogs and puppies."

Some puppies, the report said, "were living in small plastic enclosures with no toys or bedding other than shredded paper. Breeding and pregnant dogs were kept in bleak concrete runs or plastic bins with nothing soft to sit or sleep on other than shredded paper. Older dogs who were not currently breeding, and puppies who were considered unsellable, were kept in what some employees referred to as the 'forgotten' or 'neglected' dogs room, where they received minimal attention.

According to the report: "Sportsman’s Kennels failed nine state inspections between 2019 and early 2025. Shockingly, the facility has passed several state inspections this year, including one about a month before the undercover investigation and another a few weeks after the investigation concluded."

Sportsman’s Kennels is reportedly linked to the American Kennel Club; the AKC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, and the New York State Attorney General's Office, also did not return a request for comment.

According to Humane World for Animals: "While the recently implemented Puppy Mill Pipeline Act prohibits the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores in New York, breeding operations may sell animals they breed directly to the public, which is how Sportsman’s Kennels claims to operate."

Dog lovers, the organization said, can help prevent puppy mill cruelty by supporting the Puppy Protection Act and the Better CARE for Animals Act "and by encouraging fellow pet lovers to adopt from reputable animal shelters and rescues, or choose only local, quality breeders who keep small numbers of dogs."

In 2021, the formerly named Humane Society of the United States called out 100 problem puppy mills and puppy brokers in its annual “Horrible Hundred” list of problem breeders in New York and elsewhere across America.

The report, released every May, details the often-filthy, unhealthy conditions dogs and their offspring are kept in at high-volume breeding operations that sell puppies to pet stores or through their own websites — which means the puppies could end up anywhere.

The demand for puppies increased significantly during the coronavirus pandemic as homebound Americans sought canine companionship, yet inspection programs were put on hold, making 2021 “one of the most troubling in modern history,” the Humane Society said.

Deadly weather events put more puppies at risk, the Humane Society said in its 2021 Horrible Hundred report.

In New York, several puppy mills were cited, including Helen Camlakides/Sportsman’s Kennels: "State inspectors found the kennel to be “non-compliant critical” at three different inspections within a 12-month period. The AKC breeder’s facility was cited twice in the fall for a Labrador retriever with skin issues and prominent hair loss and unsafe conditions. The facility had more than 300 dogs," the report said.

Patch reached out via social media at the time to talk to the owners but requests for comment were not returned.

Animal advocates have been speaking out about the new report. Barbara Dennihy of the Companion Animal Protection Society said that CAPS "has investigated and filed complaints with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. This recent undercover investigation has found horrific conditions for breeding dogs and puppies," she said. "For at least a decade, the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets inspectors have found violations at Sportsman's Kennels, sometimes critical violations, where dogs were sick or kept in conditions that were unsanitary. With the passage of the New York State Puppy Mill bill, should this business fall under that regulation? What jurisdiction does this business fall under? Is New York State inspecting them? Is Suffok County inspecting them — or are they just operating business as usual with no oversight?Who's responsible for the safety and well-being of the dogs?"

John Di Leonardo, founder and executive director of Humane Long Island, said he rescued one of the Sportsman's Kennels dogs.

"Honey is safe now with Humane Long Island," Di Leonardo said. "She is in a loving home and finally experiencing the comfort and compassion every dog deserves. But Honey is only one dog. Countless others remain trapped in facilities just like this one — treated as inventory rather than living beings. Whenever animals are bred for profit, cruelty follows. Honey's rescue is a reminder that every dog in a pet store window has a mother suffering out of sight. The public has the power to end this cruelty by choosng adoption over buying animals bred in misery."