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Puppies Aren’t Products Campaign Heads to New York

April 14, 2009, 12:56PM MT

By Cheri Moon

If it can make it there…

If it can make it there…

By Cheri Moon, Best Friends Staff

Most fads in the United States seem to start on one coast or the other. Trends crisscross the nation and seem to last as long as ice cream in the desert.

Occasionally, however, a trend kick starts a movement—paving way for a new way of thought.

Enter the Puppies Aren’t Products campaign.

Movement Marching West to East
The campaign started in Los Angeles, CA during the summer of 2007. The campaign is a community-minded program intended to roll out nationally to end the sale of puppies through pet stores. Since its commencement, it has been able to raise awareness in the greater Los Angeles area about the connection between puppy mills and pet stores.

The campaign has also helped pet stores move to a humane business model by offering rescued dogs for adoption, rather than selling puppy mill dogs.

Woof Worx, which opened in February 2009, is dedicated to “selling” only animals from shelters and 501(c)3 rescue organizations. It replaces Pets of Bel Air, which closed in December 2008 when it was heavily protested after the store was exposed for selling dogs it received from puppy mills.

NY Volunteers Help Make The Big Apple More Humane
The Puppies Aren’t Products: New York campaign is an outgrowth of the successful campaign in Los Angeles. Peaceful protestors will encourage shoppers to adopt an animal instead of purchasing a dog or cat from a pet store or over the internet. The volunteers, under the direction of Best Friends volunteer Tammy Heeber, will provide shoppers with adoption resources and information about puppy mills.

Beth Mersten, No More Homeless Pets Outreach Manager, has been working with Heeber to recruit volunteers. At the first training, 48 volunteers attended to learn how to conduct a successful and peaceful protest campaign.

Says Mertsen, “It was great to see people excited and to help implement the campaign in New York!” She adds, “Together, they really can make a difference for animals and help put unethical breeders out of business.”

In addition, David Cruz, a Best Friends volunteer who attended the training, explained that there was a general spirit of cooperation among volunteers and a desire to end puppy mills.

Protest Sites Thoroughly Researched
Best Friends thoroughly researches each protest site and business to procure evidence that the pet store is indeed getting its dogs from a puppy mill. Says Mertsen, “We know where those dogs are coming from and the horrid conditions they live in. Our job is to help people understand the connection between pet stores, internet sales and puppy mills.”

Beginning in late April Best Friends will launch its Puppies Aren’t Products: New York campaign. Each week volunteers will stage a peaceful protest at a pet store that is currently selling puppy mill dogs. The goal of the weekly protest is to persuade the pet store to stop selling puppy mill dogs.

Says Heeber, "We have the opportunity to change the world for these dogs. That is so powerful! The volunteers recognize this and embrace it. Their enthusiasm, dedication and passion for this cause is so inspiring. They just want to give of themselves to help put a stop to the inhumane treatment of these animals."

How you can help:
The Puppies Aren’t Products: New York campaign still needs more volunteers. If you are interested in participating, please become a registered network member to join the protest by following these instructions:

• Go to the Network. You will see "Welcome" and below that, "My membership tools."
• Click on “My Membership Tools.”
• Click on "Volunteer" at the top of the page.
• Select "Search All Opportunities."
• Select "Northeast Region" from the drop down menu in the “Region” box.
• Click “Search.”
• Scroll down the page to the heading "Puppies Aren't Products Campaign Team Member" Select “For more details or to sign up.”

Questions?
• Please email Tammy Heeber: ct-rescue@hotmail.com

For more information:
• Go to Puppies Aren't Products.

• To learn more about puppy mills and how you can stop them, go to Puppy mill resources

Stock photos by Clay Myers, Best Friends Staff
Posted by Cheri Moon, Best Friends Staff

Comments

Posted April 15, 2009, 8:38AM by kbluvsdogs

Way to go Rita and I know you guys will do great things!! Las Vegas will keep you all in our prayers to change the mindset of your city.

Posted April 21, 2009, 10:49AM by dionie

Bittsy21 get busy in Florida don't wait for the campaign to come down there start your own with your friends.

Posted April 14, 2009, 6:52PM by Rita2828

I am so excited about taking part with the protest. A lot of people truly do not know pet shops sell dogs coming from puppy mills, Educating is knowledge.

Rita from Brooklyn

Posted April 17, 2009, 8:28AM by Bittsy21

I am thrilled this is moving to another part of the country. Can't wait for it to come down to Florida, where we are notorious for the pet store puppies.

Posted April 15, 2009, 10:16AM by sherryrose

I am so proud to be a part of this important campaign. In my lifetime I hope to see sweeping changes in the way humans treat animals!

Posted April 16, 2009, 9:11AM by shelley11509

Great article!

Posted April 22, 2009, 6:8AM by Tammy_CT

For anyone who wants to start protests in their community, there are downloadable Action Kits available, complete with instructions on how to organize your own peaceful pet store protest and sign templates. Click on the "Resource" section tab at the top of this page. There's everything you need to help you get started making a difference in the lives of puppy mill dogs everywhere!