Puppy Mills

I'm tired so you're basically just getting link to an article I feel strongly about today.  Yesterday was National Puppy Day, I know, whatever, but in honor of NPD Evan sent me a link to an article about Puppy Mills.  If you don't know what a puppy mill is it's basically some @!$#@ overbreeding and/or inbreeding "purebred" dogs and keeping them in deplorable conditions to sell at high prices.  The fact that every dog I've ever owned has been a rescue should key you into how I feel about puppy mills, but in case you're still unclear--they enrage and disgust me.  My favorite rescue Save A Mom, told me that they got a few dogs from a puppy mill recently.  One, was kept in such a small cage that literally, all the dog could do was turn in circles, even after it was out of it's cage.  It was all it had ever know.  What is WRONG with these people?!?!  I doubt any of you think, "I don't see anything wrong with that!"  but the fact is, you may be supporting puppy mills, without even knowing it.  The article Evan sent me states that many puppy mills sell their dogs to the fewer and fewer (luckily!) pet stores that still sell dogs.  Even though these store claim that their dogs do NO come from puppy mills the Humane Society did a little research and found that in most cases (and for some chains ALL cases) the dogs did in fact, come from puppy mills.  This article is full of really great stats about puppy mill dogs and how not only are they kept in poor conditions, but also
that they're producing pups with health issues. (It's a really short read and don't worry, it's not sad and there aren't sad pictures.)

Pet stores are one problem, but there are also brokers and just plain ill-reputable  breeders out there doing the same things as the puppy mills.  SOOOOO many of my friends have told me the story of getting their purebred dog and not a single one of them sounds to me like a reputable breeder.  I remember listening to my uncle tell me about getting his West Highland White Terrier and then asking him if he reported the woman.  He said no, she was so old and a few other excuses, but come on!!!!  She was abusing dogs.  She's not on the same scale as Michael Vick, but still, she needs to be reported.

So, if you're like me, you don't want to support puppy mills.  If you're not buying a dog and you're penmanships not on par with painting protest signs, what can you do?  Don't shop at stores that sell puppies.  Vote with your dollars and shop somewhere that doesn't sell animals or, in the case of PetSmart, shows animals from various rescues.  If you ARE in the market for a dog, just get a rescue.  If you want a purebred check out some of the purebred rescue groups.  Most dogs that are at the pound or have found their way to a rescue are GOOD DOGS!  They're not there because of something they've done, it's usually some stupid human reason (we don't have time for her anymore, we're moving somewhere that doesn't allow dogs, we're getting divorced, she eats dental floss...).  With kids, I agree, it was a little scary going to the Humane Society and just picking a dog out of a kennel, but check out rescue groups (SAVEAMOMSAVEAMOMSAVEAMOMSAVEAMOM) that KNOW their dogs and can tell you which would fit your your family and your lifestyle.

OK, done ranting.  I'm going to have a little bit of tea (loose leaf, organic, of course) to try to perk me up a little so I can make it through the rest of the afternoon.