Answer: One grinds up logs; the other grinds up dogs.
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There was another puppy mill bust in the news late last week in Hillsville, Virginia. Nearly 1,000 dogs and puppies had to be removed from their chicken-wire cages in this bleak warehouse, according to the Associated Press. If only every puppy mill in America would get busted! Many of them are located in remote areas of the Midwest and will never be inspected or investigated. It seems that greed will drive people to do any unspeakable thing, including keeping dogs in cages for their entire lives.
I have strong personal feelings about puppy mills since my last five foster dogs all came from one. It was located in North Carolina and held 100 mostly small dogs captive in hideous wood-and-chicken-wire cages. The best you could say about it was that it was worthy of being shut down, and thanks to a determined, courageous local animal control officer with a heart of gold, it was. She didn't rest until every one of those dogs was safe and had received veterinary care. All the dogs got farmed out to various animal protection groups and shelters, and PETA got a batch too.
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Without exception, these dogs were bad off psychologically. All were terrified of humans. Some were so scared that they would lose bladder and bowel control if you just looked their way. Well, my little Sophia, one of the older ones, still cringes when I look directly at her sometimes, and it's been more than 18 months. What kind of evil mind would inflict so much psychological damage on an innocent living being?
Well, I'm happy to report that after receiving an abundance of tender loving care, many of these dogs have completely recovered. One of the biggest success stories is Dottie, a Boston terrier who was so scared initially that for at least two weeks after her arrival, she refused to go back in the house from the back yard on her own. Today, Dottie is brimming with self-confidence as she attempts to rule over her four canine siblings and her mom, Mary Beth. I just love happy endings!
Comments ( 4 )
It really makes me want to cry just to know that such places exist. If only people could understand that is better to adopt than to buy. I live in Mexico city and here some people pay so much money for a dog when there are so many(millions) wondering in the streets. But for some people pure breed is more important than anything else. It's sad ALL dogs are so GREAT pure breed or not.
Posted by Laura T | November 14, 2007 8:53 PM
Posted on November 14, 2007 20:53
One of my neighbors has a beautiful collie named Gypsy who was abandoned by a puppy mill when she was no longer considered "useful," at the ripe old age of 4.
By the time Gypsy was rescued by the local animal shelter, she had been shot with a pellet gun and was suffering from heartworms, among other life-threatening ailments.
People who operate puppy mills are heartless fiends, who see dogs as commodities, not companions. They will only be shut down when people stop buying puppies from pet stores and classified ads.
Posted by Bobbie M. | November 16, 2007 12:39 PM
Posted on November 16, 2007 12:39
I WISH THIS WASENT HAPPENING EVRY TIME I C THIS I CRY ITS JUT NOT FAIR
Posted by Anonymous | November 17, 2007 2:53 PM
Posted on November 17, 2007 14:53
Why can't the amazing financial backing support that Peta provides spend more time fighting Back Yard Breeders and helping local animal controls to find and arrest these people that use up and throw away precious animals? All I hear about Peta is picketing AKC and Dog Shows and Letting show dogs out to fend for themselfs potentially to never be found or know a warm home again. That is sad and unnerving, are these people Peta or just saying they do this in the name of Peta? So what's with that?? Please work on the BYB'ers that are wasting precious lives and producing what is filling the shelters and rescues!
>>>KP's Response:
Hi!
Thanks for your question. Look at the front page of PETA.org right now and you will see PETA's brand-new ABC (animal birth control) campaign, which is targeting all breeders, both backyard and professional. We don't believe that anyone should be breeding dogs and cats when there are not enough homes for all of them.
And as for that story about letting dogs out of their kennels at AKC dog shows, that's just a ridiculous urban legend. I've never seen any proof that it ever happened even once. I wonder who started that myth? Hmmmm.
KP
Posted by anonymous | December 2, 2007 12:38 PM
Posted on December 2, 2007 12:38