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Attention Future Puppy Buyers!!

This page is here in hopes that by spreading the word, one day there will be no more puppy mills, and the need to euthanize unwanted pets will be a thing of the past.

Midi song playing is "Souvenier of China"

Composed by Jean-Michel Jarre

Puppy Mills, what are they?

What most of us don't know is that percentage wise most of the dogs that are sold in pet shops right here in the USA are victims of a Puppy Mill.

The number of puppies sold in pet shops that were born in a mill are said to be up to half a million a year. Most puppy mills are in the midwestern states of the USA. They are famous for the horrendous conditions the dogs are kept in. Owners of puppy mills are in it for the money alone, regardless of what inhumane conditions the animals that pay his or her way in life have to endure. The cages that these dogs are kept in are usually small wooden boxes with chicken wire as the floor. They stack them ontop of each other to accomodate more animals. You can imagine what the animals in the bottom cage get covered with. These cages are usually outdoors in the elements with no place for the animals to take refuge from the weather. They are often malnourished and sickly, quite often the carcass's of dead puppies or adult's are left to decay in a cage with other animals for days before the owner bothers to pull them out.

Female dogs are bred continuously without a resting period in between heat cycles. This wears their bodies out quickly and the dogs are usually destroyed at around six or seven years of age when they can no longer produce puppies. Sadly the puppies are taken from their mothers prematurely quite often. Anywhere between 4 to 8 weeks of age they are plucked from the cage and begin yet another miserable journey to the pet shop. Often these poor little guys are packed in crates and sold to a broker, who then in turn sells them to a pet shop. By the time these puppies have went from the puppy mill, to the broker, and finally to the pet shop, they could have covered hundreds of miles. They travel mostly in the back of pick up trucks, tractor trailer rigs, and by airplane. Usually without any food, water, or shelter from the elements. Since the animals get such horrendous treatment and live in such deplorable conditions while in the mill and during transport, approximately 50% of all puppies bred in puppy mills die before they even reach the pet store.

Sadly greedy people cutting costs by skimping on food, shelter, and certainly veterinary care, are responsible for the birth, suffering and untimely death of too many innocent animals. These dogs are frequently inbred with no concern to try and prevent any of the ailments that inbreeding can produce. Therefore genetic defects and personality disorders can be a ticking time bomb for the puppy and to the unwitting owner as the puppy grows. Hip Displasia is a common ailment with pet store puppies. Often an owner who paid high dollar for a "purebred" puppy ends up having to pay many more dollars to a vet. Unfortunately there are times when there is no cure, or the owner doesn't have the resources or the time to try and correct physical or personality flaws. The animal is then disposed of, and many times destroyed.

Interestingly enough most private breeders refuse to sell to pet shops because the treatment in there can be just as bad as in a mill. Animals who are left in small cages, starved and sitting in there own feces, or perhaps getting urinated and defecated on by the animal in the cage over him at the mill, don't turn out to be desirable pets. Even in pet stores many are isolated from human contact in their early months, kept in areas so small and cramped that stretching would be a luxury. This can lead to serious behavioural problems in the animal that won't manifest themselves until the new owners take their "cute little fur ball" home and he starts barking incessantly, constantly digs holes in the yard, destroys everything in sight, or displays anti-social behaviour. Millions of unwanted cats and dogs are destroyed in Animal Shelters across the nation every year. If you think all of these animals are "mutts" so to speak, think again. A good percentage of those animals are purebred.One day we can put a stop to this viscious cycle. In order to do this however we must stop lining the pockets of the guilty party's responsible for running these mills.

Please, if your looking for a companion won't you consider dropping by your local animal shelter or SPCA first? Also there are rescue groups for about every single breed of dog. If your interested in a particular breed they are a great place to start. Who know's? Maybe your next best friend is only one day away from euthanasia at the local shelter, waiting for you to save him.

"Bandit" my Chow \ Shepherd mix licking his chops.

He has his favorite treat, pig ears!

Rescued from the Modesto California SPCA in May of 1998 as an eight week old puppy.

If you'd like to find out more about how to stop puppy mills or would like to rescue an unwanted pet please visit one of the links below, or call your local SPCA or Animal Shelter.

This page is dedicated in loving memory to my best friend "Kamikaze" Shown below at one and a half weeks old with his father "Fred". "Kaz", as I fondly called him, was struck and killed by a car at the age of four years.

"Our time together was much to short. I will always love you Kaz."

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This No Cruelty To Animals site is owned by
Darlene.

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