Puppy Mill Horror

[Brenda]

While I am absolutely sickened by this obvious slap on the wrist, what's done is done. Hopefully, the incident will encourage people to press for putting a stop to puppy mills for once and for all in our county and statewide. What really needs to happen is for people to be proactive about seeking out and reporting these places (like responding to one or two of those "no Sunday calls" ads). People need to stop buying puppies from puppy mills! People who think that they're saving a dog by buying from a pet store or one of these places directly, are in fact only supporting them. Responsible breeders would NEVER sell to a pet store.

[Matt]

well, what needs to happen is people stop buying dogs as fashion accessories and because they just want a toy to cuddle with. Stop the ignorant demand, and that'll put the mills out of business. I swear, most people need to take a class before they are allowed to buy a dog.

[Brenda]

Many reputable breeders I know of at the very least strongly suggest that people take their new puppy to puppy class. It's really more for the owners than it is for the puppy!

[Brenda]

While today's incident didn't occur in the Finger Lakes, the puppies involved could well have come from here knowing that many of the area puppy mills ship puppies downstate. I was so angry about this initially that I couldn't even finish reading the morning newspaper (one of my favorite morning rituals), and my fingers shook as I posted my rant on Facebook. I have always been a big fan of Good Morning America, but after this morning I'm not sure that I'll ever watch again.

They aired a segment on designer dog breeds this morning and they featured a number of puppies from one of the area pet stores. First, let me start by saying that no responsible breeder would ever dream of selling puppies to a pet store! Responsible breeders take great care in making sure that their babies are going to good homes. That said, the puppies that you see in pet stores are only coming from puppy mills. By purchasing a puppy from a pet store you are NOT rescuing a puppy from a puppy mill; you are only supporting them and making room for one more. Until people get that, and start taking a hard line against pet stores that sell puppies...

Secondly, the segment touted the "fact" that designer breeds are bred to combine desirable qualities from both breeds. Well, the FACT of the matter is that it's a crap shoot. Only a portion of any given litter are going to carry the desirable traits from both breeds. What happens to the rest of them? They are either disposed of, or given to shelters that are already overcrowded. Sadly, it's more often the former fate but that's difficult to prove because puppy mills are pretty secretive. The last thing that they want you to see are the tiny cages that their breeding stock spend their entire viable lives in. They live in total squalor, with little or no human interaction.

I am both angered and extremely saddened that GMA would inadvertently support puppy mills. Shame on them for not taking the time to think about, and investigate where those puppies came from. I would encourage people to view the segment on GMA and post your thoughts on their Shout Out Board. It is inconceivable to me that in these days and times there aren't laws in place to stop puppy mills from operating, and pet stores from profiting from them. Okay, I'm getting down from my soapbox now...

[Matt]

wait... what incident?

[Brenda]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be unclear. The incident that I was referring to was the segment itself. Good Morning America has yet to even acknowledge the public outcry about how inappropriate/irresponsible producing and airing the segment was. There was not one single comment on their Shout Out Board that was positive about the piece (and there were many comments). In the initial post on this thread where the puppies were gassed, the puppy mill owner was selling puppies to pet stores downstate. That's where the money is. It really doesn't matter where the puppies came from in the GMA piece. They undoubtedly came from puppy mills somewhere.

[Brenda]

Here are a couple of guys who "get it."

First, the state vegetable debate, now the state dog
5:47 PM, Apr. 21, 2011
Written by
Joseph Spector

Albany - The state has plenty of watchdogs, but no state dog.

That may soon change.

Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Greece, Monroe County, and Assemblyman Micah Kellner, D-Manhattan, announced legislation Thursday to make the rescue dog -- referring to dogs that have been adopted from shelters --New York's official dog.

It's the latest attempt to name a new state symbol. The debate is still raging over whether to name the onion or sweet corn as the state's vegetable. (An unscientific poll on Facebook by the state FarmBureau this month found corn as the overwhelming favorite.)

But Kellner and Robach said their bill is more than just bark. Naming the state dog as the rescue dog would raise awareness on the importance of adopting stray animals and keeping the pet population under control.

"I think this would just promote adoptions, the importance of spaying and neutering, and humane education," said Robach, who said he has two dogs that he got through a rescue organization.

With Robach, a Republican, and Kellner, a Democrat, the lawmakers said they are hopeful the bipartisan support will help make the bill into law.

While some states have state dogs -- Massachusetts has the Boston Terrier, for example -- New York would be the first to designate a whole class of dogs, Kellner said.

"Other states have done breeds, but what we're trying to do is encourage people if they want to get a dog, don't go to a pet store. Go to your local rescue group, go to your local shelter," Kellner said. "There is a perfect dog there for you."

Read more here: http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pb ... 1104210365

[Matt]

I'm very against these designer dogs and puppy mills, and pets for pleasure purposes.
So many people are buying pets, because "they are cute" and they "want to hug and kiss it" and they have no idea where this breed comes from and how in-bread these animals can get. They don't have the means, understanding or money to care for the pet if it gets sick, and all they want is a form of living entertainment.
If you want to do good for an animal, rescue one that some jerk already hurt and do it for companionship and out of the kindness of your heart, not because it is a living teddy bear! That's what's wrong with these young pet people nowadays... and I'm saying this because I met someone that dyed their pet's hair like a panda!