Nov 16th - 22nd is Stop Puppy Mill Week

This is the bulletin I posted on my MySpace:

DON'T PURCHASE YOUR DOG FROM A PET STORE! These dogs come from Puppy Mills. Searching breeders on the internet as well can also lead to purchasing a dog from a puppy mill. A reputable breeder will never just put their puppy on a plane, no questions asked.
Information on where and how to find a reputable breeder can be found at www. americankennelclub. com

For those who do not know - a puppy mill is an over crowded breeding facility where the conditions are AWFUL. Life is bad for "breeding stock," dogs who live their entire lives in cages and are continually bred for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever becoming part of a family. These dogs receive little or no veterinary care and never see a bed, a treat or a toy. Once the dogs are too old to breed , they are deemed useless and killed. Puppies coming from the mills can have diseases or can be inbred.


Here are some facts from the Humane Society website
http://www. hsus. org/press_and_publications/press_releases/puppy_mill_action_week_110608. html
Facts

Approximately one-third of the nation's 9,000 independent pet stores sell puppies.

The HSUS estimates that 2 to 4 million puppy mill puppies are sold each year in the U.S.

Puppy mill puppies often have health problems, genetic defects and behavioral issues.

Documented puppy mill conditions include over-breeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor food and shelter, crowded cages and lack of socialization.

Dogs kept for breeding in puppy mills suffer for years in continual confinement. They are bred as often as possible and then destroyed or discarded once they can no longer produce puppies.

Pet stores and puppy mills use attractive websites to hide the truth and to dupe the public into thinking that they are dealing with a reputable breeder.

Reputable breeders never sell puppies over the Internet or through a pet store and will insist on meeting the family who will be purchasing the dog.

Puppy mills contribute to the pet overpopulation problem which results in millions of unwanted dogs euthanized at shelters every year

If you made it this far - thank you! This is a very important topic for me and I hope , one day, the laws will change and there will be no more puppy mills! Remember - purchase your puppy from a reputable breeder. Reccomendations can be found on the American Kennel Club website.

Re: Nov 16th - 22nd is Stop Puppy Mill Week

Definitely a good message to pass on!