Puppy Mills - Closed Down For Good

I love dogs. I love them whether they are a stray, rescued from a shelter, a pure bred dog from a breeder, tiny, little, big, huge, friendly, timid, anxious, playful, abused, loved -- I think you get my point.

So, I'm not against any dog or the people who have them. I just want to bring more awareness to how much thought we give to how and where we get them. The media is doing a great job of bringing awareness to puppy mills and the outrageous treatment of our soon-to-be pets.

Puppy mills are places that keep their breeder dogs in small spaces and pregnant every heat cycle. The poor females are having far too many puppies. This is not only cruel and dangerous for the "Mom," but also contributes to her puppies either being sickly or having genetic issues that won't show up until you are madly in love with the innocent little creature. While you may be more than willing to pay any expense to "fix" your puppy, that's not the point. These dogs are innocent and are purposely being brought into the world weak and in pain in exchange for money.

The puppy is shipped to a store near you. These adorable little pups live in small pens or cages. They are so excited when they see you looking at them. You come home with your new companion. And, so it goes. That doesn't sound so bad, does it?

It's not bad, nor are you. What's bad is the how and why the pup was brought into the world. And, we have no idea how many puppies don't live long enough to make it out of their horrid conditions.

Considering the number of dogs euthanized every day, we can all be more responsible in our part in ending animal cruelty -- even if it means that there are fewer adorable, little dogs in stores for us to ogle over.

The ONLY way that puppy mills will be shut down is for us to STOP buying puppies from stores that are OBVIOUSLY buying and selling these dogs like they are a product rather than a life. No money, no dogs. That's how this cruelty will end. It won't be the end of where you'll find your next adorable little pup!

There are wonderful breeders! They are in every state and there are a lot of ways to hear about them and their reputation. If people are happy with their breeder, they will gladly tell you about them. Trust me, a responsible breeder will welcome your questions. You will meet at least one of the pup's parents, and they will also have a lot of questions about the home you will provide.

If you want a pure breed and willing to adopt an older pup, there are also rescue organizations for just about every breed.

Let's all do our part to spread the word and be responsible for ending the success of puppy mills. Just maybe that will be the next news worthy story -- PUPPY MILLS CLOSED DOWN FOR GOOD!

Gayle Cousineau,
Dog Training and Behavior Modification for Dogs and Their Humans

http://divadogtraining.com/blog/

Powerful Beliefs In The Bible