In a flier sent to about 60,000 Pennsylvania residents from its Los Angeles headquarters, LCA attacks the picturesque image Lancaster works so hard to promote.

"In most of the picturesque barns, thousands and thousands of dogs and puppies suffer in the most squalid, deplorable conditions," the flier states. "It is hard to believe that the seemingly gentle Amish and Mennonites can treat living creatures so cruelly, but they do."

Besides asking for donations to help fight the puppy mill industry, the flier urges people to raise awareness of the issue "by boycotting Amish Country. Do not buy any Amish goods. Let people know why you won't support the Amish."

LCA spokesman Devin Murphy said the organization is "really focusing on the Lancaster area. We're trying to raise awareness of the fact that Lancaster has the highest concentration of puppy mills in the United States."

This is not the agency's first attempt to draw attention to the issue. In July, LCA erected a billboard along Route 30, near the Chester County line, decrying puppy mill abuses, and in August the group sponsored an awareness rally featuring actress Linda Blair, among other celebrities.

"We're looking into the puppy mill issue nationwide," Murphy said. "But we're really focusing on Lancaster County. ... We've gotten quite a bit of national coverage specifically on the Lancaster issue."

Puppy mills are defined as dog-breeding facilities that produce purebred puppies in large numbers that are sold to the public, brokers or pet shops.

The Humane Society of the United States has documented numerous problems at puppy mills, including overbreeding, inbreeding, overcrowding, minimal veterinary care, poor-quality food and shelter, lack of socialization and the killing of unwanted animals.

Janet Wall, vice president of communications for Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the state Legislature, not Lancaster County, must step in to resolve the issue.

"We are working with a task force formed by the county commissioners to try to facilitate discussions that would put new regulations in place," she said. "But change will take place at the state level. It's a state issue."

Wall said there are local efforts to educate the public about puppy mill issues.

"The more informed the consumer, the better," she said.

"We certainly don't condone any sort of abuse for animals," Wall added. "Whether or not (the LCA campaign) will have an impact on tourism, I don't know. I certainly hope not. Tourism is very important to the economic health of the county.

"It's also important for people to remember ... that there are good kennels in the area."

James Cowhey, director of the county planning commission, agreed puppy mill concerns should be addressed in Harrisburg.

"It's really up to the state," he said. "That's a discussion we've had with several groups that have approached the county commissioners with this. The county commissioners have no legal authority to deal with something like this."

State Rep. Tom Creighton said campaigns such as LCA's new mailer often are counterproductive.

"They have found, since there has been this barrage of anti-puppy mill (publicity), that the sales of puppies have gone up," he said. "The whole thing has created a greater market for puppies. It's really working against them. Instead of eliminating puppy mills, it has enhanced them."

Creighton, who serves on the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee in Harrisburg, said he is working with Mary Bender, head of Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, to develop new regulations for animal breeding.

"We hope they can be imposed here within the next year or so," he said. "But we'll never please everybody."

As for the LCA campaign's impact on tourism, Creighton said, "I have no clue. I'm sure it will have some effect on tourism, but it's not going to be like a TMI, when we were devastated."