puppymills
It's not enough to see it. You have to smell it. You have to ride in a car full of mill dogs in the winter with the windows closed and smell them. - Lorrie
These are the words of a rescuer who has done many mill runs saving dogs from lives of misery and death. I wish I could make you smell it (the overwhelming stench of years of dried urine, feces, dead skin and infection), but I can't, so I'm going to show it to you. This is one time where a picture paints a thousand words. This a picture of suffering, abuse and hopelessness. Don't close your eyes. Look and feel her pain so you can understand what you're part of when you purchase dogs from backyard breeders, pet stores and brokers. Unfortunately she's not alone, there are too many like her.
This is Faith. She's dead now, but thanks to the love and dedication of rescue angels and a new family, she had one last year to experience profound love and gentle kisses to take with her over the Rainbow Bridge.
How does this picture make you feel? Do you every wonder where the puppy in the pet store come from? Was Faith it's mother? How old was it when it was taken away from it’s mother to be sold? Is it sick? Did it's mother have enough good food to nurse her pups? Will that puppy in the pet store face a lifetime of hereditary problems? How many times was Faith bred? Is Faith blind? How old is Faith? Did she ever have a bath? A kind word? A warm bed? Doesn't this make you wan't to reach out and hug her tell her she's going to be safe ?
Here are the sites that will show you in graphic pictorials the horrors and the politics and the greed of the commercial puppy industry. Please look and read so that you know the truth, and know where those puppies in the stores come from. Responsible breeders would never sell their dogs to pet stores or brokers, never. So ask yourself Where did that puppy in the pet store really come from?
CLICK HERE for a printable copy of Prisoners of Greed's puppymill brochure. Print it and spread the word.
After visiting these sites, and learning here what a Responsible Breeder is, how to read a pedigree, and what commercial breeders are all about, I hope that you won’t be the victim of a smooth sales pitch — and that you’ll be able to recognize a puppy that is the product of a puppy mill. And I pray that you make the choice of becoming part of the solution of animal abuse.
Before You Think About Breeding
I’ve added this section in the hope of discouraging you from even thinking about breeding your own dog now or ever. Breeding is best left to the dedicated specialty breeders who have made their dogs a lifetime effort.
It’s not enough for me to give the numbers of how many dogs are euthanized each year, how many are abused, abandoned, or suffering to argue against breeding your dog. There’s enough information on the Web, in the newspapers, on television and on this site to throw out at you to beg you not to add more unwanted dogs to the world.
What I do hope to accomplish is to provide you with the information you need to make an informed choice because your decision whether to bred or not will be affecting many lives — your life, your dog’s life, it’s mate’s life, their puppies’ lives, their owner’s lives, and friends, family, potentially your community, shelters, rescue groups and more. If you are intending to help create life, you are responsible for that life and all that stems from it. Are you up to this responsibility emotionally, educationally, and financially?
There is a great deal to know and consider before you breed. Please learn all you can. These sites and materials were put together through from the efforts of many experienced and knowledgeable dog people whose concern is the welfare of all dogs now and in the future — Do you intend to be a Responsible Breeder and Responsible Dog Guardian?
Before You Even Think of Breeding
Learn to Breed Dogs by Jane Anderson
Virtual Breeding, a site created to help give people an opportunity to experience the types of decisions that need to be made when breeding dogs.
The American Spaniel Club's Guidelines for Breeding
