The following article is part of an ongoing effort to help homeless dogs in and around Toronto/Hamilton area find suitable and loving homes. Sometimes, the need extends beyond that area. Currently, the need is great but the homes are few. Your help is desperately needed.
The Animal Guardian Society (TAGS) of Oshawa, Ontario would like you to meet little Lexie Leigh, a dear Shih Tzu/Terrier mix.
This young girl is described as “a real snuggle bunny.” She is a quiet dog and easy going as well. However, she tends to be somewhat shy when she first meets new people.
It is advised that Lexie Leigh go to a home with only older children. To learn more about this sweet girl, email tagsinfo@yahoo.ca and put ‘Pet Inquiry: Lexie Leigh PFId#24986248’ in the subject line. You can also call 905.263.8247.
The Animal Guardian Society is a non-profit organization that works in conjunction with local animal services and animal welfare groups to find dogs new and loving homes. A network of volunteers help to also find foster homes when needed. Dogs in their program are available to be adopted only by people living in Durham Region.
Did You Know?
The first public study to examine the connection between Internet puppy sales and dogs from puppy mills was recently conducted. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) found that folks purchasing puppies via the Internet are “duped into believing they are buying from reputable breeders,” said board of directors member Ben Stein.
“The cute puppy images shown on many seller websites hide the heartbreaking reality of the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in which the dogs are housed.”
The report entitle How Much is that Doggie in my Browser? The Truth Behind Online Puppy Sales, involved the collection of data from nine web sites: Animaroo, DogsNow, NextDayPets, PuppyFind, PuppyTrader, TerrificPets, Craigslist, eBayClassifieds and Oodle.
It was found that on just one day, there were “a total of 361,527 ads posted to sell puppies. It was estimated that 733,131 puppies were for sale that day. It was also determined whether the ads were through a proper seller or a puppy mill. The site with the most puppies coming from mills was Animaroo followed by PuppyTrader. It is difficult to find a way to protect these dogs due to a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act that allows sellers online to advertise.
“Most federal regulations designed to address the puppy trade predate the Internet and are insufficient in addressing the specific issues relating to online puppy sales,” said Tracy Coppola, IFAW Campaigns Officer. “We launched our investigation to determine the scope and scale of the trade in an effort to better inform decision-makers as they are currently considering new policies to eliminate loopholes allowing this practice to continue.”
The IFAW supports a USDA proposal to regulate online sellers. This does not include legitimate rescue organization. The IFAW is also urging Congress to increase funding for the inspection of licensed facilities as well as increase the number of inspectors to ensure all regulations are enforced.
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