“It is estimated that more than 2.5 million puppies are born in puppy mills each year in this country.” from Puppy Mill Project
It is sad to know that puppy mills still exist. It was in the news last week that many puppies purchased from a pet store got very ill and died. There are about 40 U.S. cities that have taken the stand against puppy mill dogs at a pet store. One of those cities is Chicago, with 49 to 1 vote banned the sale of retail pets. Banning puppy mill dogs is a big win for many animal shelters. Nowadays, many pet stores offer shelter pets for adoption, with a charge fee that goes 100% to the rescue organization.
EDUCATE yourself about Puppy Mills
5 Things To Know About Puppy Mill Dogs
1. Puppy mills have been around since the early 1960s.
2. 99% of puppies sold in pet stores come from puppy mills. Most of these puppies are unhealthy.
3. Dogs in puppy mills spend most of their lives in cramped, dirty cages, with no room to play or exercise.
4. Females dogs are often bred, with little time to recover between litters. Once physically burned out, these female dogs are often killed.
5. Puppy mills main focus is for profit and don’t care for the welfare of the dogs.
Here’s a video from Steve Dale: Puppy Mills Dark Practices
1. Spread the word out about puppy mills
2. Don’t Support the Puppy Mill Industry- Take a Pledge at ASPCA “I pledge that if a pet store sells puppies, I won’t buy anything there
3. Speak up for dogs and contact your legislators
4. Adopt a puppy mill dog – many rescue organization re-home and rehab puppy mill dogs that are available for adoption
5. Support organizations that eradicate puppy mills
The Puppy Mill Project
In 2009, Cari Meyers founded The Puppy Mill Project with a goal to put an end to puppy mill cruelty. Puppy Mill Project is an Illinois-based organization and a great educational resource about puppy mills. A page is dedicated to The Mothers living in the Puppy Mills; where you will see unsightly photos on how they live and their condition. On May 9th, I plan to attend and support The Puppy Mill Project’s annual fundraising event.
Most cities have a local puppy mill awareness organization. Find some time to visit and support the organization and beware of puppy mill dogs.
Beware Of #PuppyMillDogs #EndPuppyMills https://t.co/6pWAog5sLV Support @PuppyMillProj that eradicate #puppymills pic.twitter.com/A96Vn02UJi
— GoldenWoofs (@SugarTheGoldenR) May 3, 2015
thanks for this post. I gave my costumer card back as I saw the ad of our petstore for the “christmas puppies” …even this words make me shiver… and I was glad as I saw that this store is closed since january 2015… there are still too much of this stores around… but I rather order via internet than to buy there… it breaks my hearts to see this poor animals …
Glad to hear that the store shut down. Also, beware of internet dogs “for sale” ; most of it are puppy mill dogs too.
Great post, Rosalyn. I tell people all the time to never buy from a pet store. I love that there is the beginning of a movement for pet stores to work with local shelters offering their dogs for adoption in the stores. Imagine if every pet store in the country and world did this? What a powerful statement to send to the mill operators and the public. Thanks so much for sharing this. I’m going to check out the Puppy Mill Project.
Golden Thanks. Yes and so glad to know that our(IL) local pet store coordinates adoption with several rescue groups. There are several FL puppy mill organization, check i out.
THERE IS A PRECIOUS LITTLE MINI LADY DACHSHUND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SHE IS QUITE A BIT SMALLER THAN SHE SHOULD BE DUE TO HAVING PUPPIES BEFORE SHE WAS FULL GROWN. SOME HOW MY NEIGHBORS FOUND OUT ABOUT HER THROUGH A DACHSHUND RESCUE. SHE DID IN FACT NEVER TOUCH LEAVE THE CAGE, PLAY OR WALK ON GRASS UNTIL THEY ADOPTED HER. NOW SHE IS QUEEN OF ALL HER SURROUNDINGS. IT WAS AMAZING HOW QUICKLY SHE ADJUSTED TO BEING A CHERISHED FAMILY MEMBER. LOVE IS POWERFUL
HUGS MADI YOUR BFFF
Such a HAPPY ending. Golden Thanks for sharing.
I have been trying to get puppy mills and back yard breeders closed down for years. I can’t count the number of petitions and support groups I’ve joined. It just tears my heart out when I hear more people going to pet shops thinking they are getting healthy pups. There is one in particular here in NoVA that is way too popular, and their website is deceiving. I (my family as well) will continue to take each step (as you posted above) and continue our fight for our precious furbabies.
Thank you for posting this….. may I share your blog site on my blog?
Yes, please share it. Golden Thanks and make sure to check out The Puppy Mill Project.
I read your posts via e-mail, but decided I would reply to this post. I met a dog last week that was “rescued” from a puppy mill. She, Sunny, was a lovely 10 year old girl and she and I were fast friends. The owner, who is my brother’s new landlord, kept looking at me as I talked to her and she wagged her tail and gave me her paw. It was only after he and my brother were done with their “business” that he told me that Sunny doesn’t really like a lot of people, and is very nervous and shy because of her past life in a puppy mill. He told me her story, and I was honored to be one of those people that she felt she could trust. When I was more involved in rescue, puppy mill rescues were one of my passions, it still is. I hope that if this post and others like it can change the mind of one person, it will have made a difference for beautiful pups like Sunny who don’t get the chance she did to have the life they deserve.
Kim, Sunny senses your kind heart for rescue dogs. I just shared a Golden for adoption and she was a “breeder release.” Her story was so sad … but according to her foster parents she’s adjusting to being part of a family. Hope she finds her forever home soon like Sunny. Sending you and the Golden Pines Gang lots of Golden LOVE
Thanks so much for participating in Puppy Mill Action Week! Love the drawing, who did that? Love Dolly
I think we can do more to help people to understand the difference between a responsible breeder and a puppy mill. There will always be a market for pure bred dogs and finding a responsible breeder makes a huge difference in the health and well being of the dogs. I’ve seen people “think” they were avoiding the puppy mills but, still fell into the trap of not finding someone who was a quality breeder. Truthfully it costs more, but there is a price involved with breeding healthy dogs.
If everyone read your post, what a shift there would be. Thanks for getting this info. out there!
Harley was a puppy mill puppy – I hate those places. Hoorah for this post. Will definitely share this post with others.
Getting a dog at a pet store is boring anyway – when you get a dog from a shelter, or rescue it, you end up with a dog with a story.
I would say even going to a professional breeder is better than going to a pet shop, because they usually breed in their homes, and their dogs are very comfortable. And, if you need a hypoallergenic dog or a specific breed, a reputable breeder is okay.