I applaud the work that Best Friends and 1000's of other people do in the efforts to educate and shut down puppy mills.
My wife and I recently got involved in this cause also as a local puppy store chained opened up in our town less than a half mile from our house. We spoke out at our city council, posted online and also held demonstrations in front of the store. What did the store do? They sued us! We (and our attorneys) believed it was nothing more than an intimidation tactic and recent events have led us to believe that this conclusion is correct. Read about it at www.puppylawsuit.com.
It wouldn't surprise me to find out that this small chain also bought from this Mill as they revealed that most of their breeders are out of state and we know they do buy from some in Wisconsin.
Posted
May 09, 2007, 11:30AM
by
kellio
Thanks for your excellent work, PuppyLawsuit! You set an excellent example to others on how to take a stand against pet stores, spreading the word about where those puppies really come from--because the average person has no idea.
I'd say the chances are excellent that the chain pet store in your area gets at least some puppies from Puppy Haven. They do supply Chicago pet stores.
Posted
April 29, 2007, 10:25PM
by
sufidog
This is a really informative breakdown of what puppy mills and pet stores are all about. I agree that this info should be blasted all over the place! Great story- horrible topic.
This Saturday I will be in front of a local pet store that sells puppies. I have been there with a determined group of people every Saturday for the past 6 months.
Do not assume everyone knows where the puppies are coming from. YOU can be the voice of those dogs stuck at the mill. Don't be afraid to EDUCATE the public at the point of sale.
Check with your local police department, gather your friends, make some signs, and get prepared with literature and information about pet store puppies and then STAND UP for the voiceless.
Every Saturday I leave with a great feeling of accomplishment. As well, I have met some wonderful people who are as outraged about puppy mills as I am.
We have a website where people can get all kinds of information and contact us with questions. nppmwatch.com We ARE making a difference and every week we get LOTS of drive by support.
Be ready with answers to the questions you will hear: "How do you KNOW those puppies are from a mill?" "What is a puppy mill?" "How can I find a good breeder?"
And at this point I feel the most important message you can send is to BOYCOTT the stores that sell puppies. Don't spend a dime in a store that profits from the misery.
The only things that can really shut down these puppy mills is to get the RIGHT information to the people and create a public outrage. Shelters that won't implement life saving programs and beeders who continue to profit off the suffering and death of dogs and cats are able to do so because the public is largely being kept in the dark about what is going on. People must understand that every tax payer is paying to keep these breeders in business. Whether it's the unsellable dogs and cats breeders take to shelters that are killed at the tax payers expense or the ones that are dumped by the owners at the shelter later on that they've bought from the breeder, it is the TAX PAYERS who are picking up the tab for these breeders and in essence subsidizing this deplorable "business". Tax payers should not only never have to subsidize another person's business but tax dollars should never go towards something that is only contributing to overpopulation problem and creating more problems for communities. There are millions of purebred dogs and cats that are taking up cage space in shelters which means other dogs and cats will be killed early from a lack of space. Citizens who want to publicly protest this need to speak out as tax paying citizens first, animal lovers second, and make the point that is is NOT as much an animal issue, although pictures and accounts of the animals suffering shouldn't be swept aside, but the main point is this is an absolute rip off of the tax payers who are unknowingly helping these breeders stay in business. The breeding industry have their own lobbyists and have many politicians in their back pockets. But one thing they can't come up against is the outrage from the tax paying public who will not only say their dollars should never go to help the breeding business again but their money should go instead towards spay/neuter and foster programs which will help bring an end to the senseless killing of millions of dogs and cats in shelters each year. The public have almost become immune to seeing animal activists protesting outside fur shops and so this issue must be argued on the behalf of the tax payers. There's nothing wrong with being a tax payer who is also an animal lover but this issue will be ignored by the public if it's only seen as an animal activist protest. So to all the tax paying, animal loving citizens out there, speak up and let your voice be heard!
I adopted a small little Jack Russel that came from a puppy mill, it took her over a year to learn how to play and develope trust in us. She is the sweetest little dog, and the love I now see in her eyes tells me all I need to know. She lives the life of a pampered queen, how I wish I could do that for them all.
This is such an informative story! It's outrageous that this is a drop in the big bucket of dogs for profit - 30 breeds and 30 designer breeds. And a warehouse full of dogs, it's time the public took the profit out of commercial breeding, and it's stories like this one that illustrate why no one should buy from a pet store or internet.
Posted
April 29, 2007, 4:24PM
by
Bboy
I'm so gald to see all the work to try to shut these puppy mills down! Terri was so kind to rescue Bentley and so many like him. I'm so lucky be be the one who was able to adopt him. But for everyone of the puppies that are saved, there are the hundreds,and thousands who are not. It will only change when people are made aware of the facts. These puppies bought in these stores come from the puppy mills. People, please , get to know the breeders. You will want to see the mother and fathers so you can learn all you can about your new addition to your family.
Posted
April 29, 2007, 5:12PM
by
ruthy92
May I suggest that everyone who can post a LINK to this page on dog forums, boards, comment sections- especially those with people who don't understand the puppy mill situation and who buy dogs from pet stores and websites and classified ads.
Not to mention send it to journalists, editors, anyone.
This is the only way to stop this. Educate the supposed "dog lovers"
the 1st pic is soooooooooo cute!!!! :)
Posted
July 31, 2008, 1:31PM
by
alex_d
I think that its unfair to automatically deem this place a puppy mill. I got my dog from there in May 2005 and went to their facility. I went through EVERY building on the grounds looking for any signs that the dogs were abused and saw nothing like that-to the contrary there were dogs in kennels that were getting indoor and outdoor exercise, in groups with dogs of their same size. They were well-fed and clean. Nothing like what was described in your story. I also corresponded with the owner, Wallace Havens and he is very much a dog lover and not the inhumane, puppy-mill businessman that he has been made out to be.
PUPPY MILLS R WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....... AND PET STORES SHOULD TAKE BETTA CARE OV DA PUPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...... AND, SHELTERS SHOULD NOT PUT ANIMALS 2 SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think it is that clear to anyone. I don't know how much of my taxes go to support my county's shelters, but I'm sure my donations are far more. I believe more money comes from donations than taxes to help the animals in shelters. So many animal lovers donate to rescue and in fact fund the rescues they have started from their own pocket.
It IS a money issue for the high volume breeders but not for the general public. I spend 300% more for eggs that are from free range chickens as I know others do since the "certified humane" label is popping up everywhere. Stores that are selling organic and humane products are gaining momentum everyday. People don't mind paying more because they LOVE animals.
Such a small fraction of our tax dollars goes to fund the shelters; it really isn't an issue to most. If I were worried about my tax dollars being wasted, I would sooner protest the war in Iraq than lack of spay neuter programs. I spend my time on the animals because they are more to me than money.
People boycott stores that sell puppies because they have compassion for the dogs suffering at the mill and those who are dumped because they were an impulse purchase.
Shutting down the mills will CUT OFF tax revenue, by taking the "cash crop" of puppies off the market. So that argument doesn't hold weight in this situation. No, I have faith in the animal lovers. I have faith in my governor Ed Rendell who cares more about the dogs than the revenue coming from the mills.
The store we protest Pets Plus has been in business for twenty years. There are nine stores in the PA/NJ area and not once has anyone ever demonstrated in front of the stores. This is a new thing and it is making a HUGE difference. The people who join me aren't worried about taxes funding the shelters, they are concerned about the dogs.
Our Amish breeders do not send unsellable puppies to the shelters. I wish they would. They kill them themselves. They have no problem killing the dogs themselves, which is why the auctions have become so popular. Many of the rescue groups go in and BUY the old breeders for just a few dollars just to save their lives. See poor Shrimp who would not be alive today if Bill Smith did not get him out. He never would have made it to a shelter.
http://mainlinerescue.org/animals/335It might be a money issue for some, but I have faith that animal lovers alone can fight this. FIRST by not EVER buying from a store that sells puppies and SECOND by writing to your legislatures, public officials, and newspapers to let them know we want compassionate people making the laws. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and when we speak out enough times, we will be heard.