A call to action is in order

After Oprah's show on January 1, 2006, there aren't too many people who can claim to know nothing about puppy mills.  Most people have at least a basic understanding.  The ASPCA and The Humane Society of the Unites States, as well as many organizations throughout the country, including our own Chicagoland-based group, The Puppy Mill Project, have tried time and time again to make the public aware or the harsh realities, and to try and convince people not to buy puppies from pet stores. Puppies in pet stores, and those sold over the internet as well, come from puppy mills.  This is a sad fact.  Puppy mills are not farms where the dogs run free, eat well, and live happy lives like in dog food commercials. Quite the contrary. They are horrible places, and the conditions in which the animals are kept are deplorable.  You wouldn't wish them on your worst enemy. 

What happens when a puppy mill dog is too ill or too old to continue to be bred? They are shot, drowned, gassed, electrocuted, abandoned, starved to death or bludgeoned.  This is the awful truth. 

Consider the recent example of Black Diamond Acres, a dog breeding facility located in New York State that is owned by Barbara and David Yoder.  In order to save money, and avoid fines when the inspector came to check on the status of some sick dogs, David Yoder euthanized approximately 78 dogs and 15 puppies through carbon monoxide poisoning.  This is not just an accusation.  David Yoder admitted doing so, and this link is to the actual USDA inspection report dated July 15, 2010.  The worst part about this story is that this is not at all unusual. The USDA does not properly enforce, nor do they have strict enough laws protecting the dogs in mills.  (The same is true for the animals used for the meat we eat, but that's another story altogether.) 

Consider also the recent example of the 15 puppy mill puppies purchased over the internet and shipped on American Airlines like products from Oklahoma through Chicago, 7 of which perished. The necropy report was "inconclusive," but the airlines has said that it "could have been" due to the heat.  The airlines will not discuss the reasons the puppies were being shipped, or who the shipper was due to privacy concerns, but Oklahoma law provides access to this information, and The Puppy Mill Project was able to find out more than enough to prove these were, indeed, puppy mill puppies.  They were not going to a store, but to to unsuspecting families.  Look for more information in coming weeks. It is sure to be in the TV news.

Why, then, do people still buy from pet stores?  We choose not to pay attention to the facts when it makes us feel uncomfortable. We like to think it is not our fault, and therefore not our problem or responsibility.  This is wrong. Get out of your chairs and up on your feet, people!  Its time we all stood up for our right.  What do I mean? We have a right to demand that breeding dogs are cared for with high standards of care, sanitation, quality of food, exercise, shelter and socialization.  Only responsible, ethical breeders, who strictly adhere to these standards should be allowed to breed dogs.  The fist step is to shut down all puppy mills by not buying any puppies from pet stores or over the internet.  Once there is no market for the puppies, they will have to shut down for economic reasons.  Money is all they care about anyway.  Then we need our legislators to support bills that set up quality care guidelines for all responsible breeders to follow.  Any breeders who already meet the standards (referred to as "responsible breeders,") should not be affected. The evil ones will have to shut down.

I am not an extremist, and neither will you be if you choose to join in the fight against puppy mills.  You don't have to protest, or even write your legislators, as we do.  The minimum actions that YOU are responsible for are to NEVER buy a puppy or kitten from a store. Never buy them on the internet.  Do not make rash, hurried decisions about pets.  Realize that they are not only cute and cuddly, fun and wonderful, they are also an addition to your family, a commitment to that pet for his or her lifetime.  Also, do not purchase anything or support stores that sell puppies.  Anything you need can be purchased at an ethically run store instead. Take your responsibility seriously.

The more you are willing to do to fight for these dogs, the faster we can accomplish the goal of eliminating these barbaric mills. Please do your part.