News
Hundreds Turn Out for Puppy Mill Awareness Day
September 18, 2007, 10:25PM MT
By Kelli Ohrtman
Lancaster County event educates the public and brings animal lovers together
Lancaster County event educates the public and brings animal lovers together
By Kelli Ohrtman: Best Friends Network
Click here to watch a slideshow of photos from the event!
It was a dedicated crowd that arrived at Intercourse Community Park in Lancaster County, PA last Saturday. Anti-puppy mill organizations, humane legislation groups, and breed rescue groups turned out in full force to mingle, talk to the public and most of all, to discuss the puppy mill problem.
Speakers talked to the crowd about current laws in Pennsylvania, proposed changes, how to improve conditions for dogs living in legal commercial breeding facilities, and what to do about illegal kennels. People listened attentively, many while sitting next to or holding dogs rescued from puppy mills around the country.
The rescued puppy mill dogs were the event’s most popular attendees, many showing physical signs of where they came from. There were many three-legged dogs (affectionately referred to as “tripods” by some), and small breeds with their tongues hanging out permanently—due to the common problem of rotten teeth and jaws seen in puppy mill dogs.
The Best Friends “Puppies Aren’t Products” t-shirts sold like hotcakes until all were gone, and visitors loaded up on the pamphlets and information that every group made available. But the highlight of the day, the biggest awareness-builder, was the walk through the tiny town of Intercourse.
A Walk to Remember
That sunny autumn Saturday, the town was crawling with tourists there for a weekend of shopping for Amish goods. As the train of Awareness Day folks marched through the town, dogs in tow and led by a mobile billboard outing “Lancaster’s Dirty Secret,” tourists stared in awe. Many drivers through the town’s clogged main street honked and gave the thumbs up. Others rolled down their windows and asked, “What’s a puppy mill?” At least one walker would jump to hand them a brochure, and then press on to finish the two-mile trek.
Awareness Day isn’t meant to make a statement against Amish people, but it clearly is against one of the ways that some families make money—mass producing puppies. And it does hope to educate tourists that the shopkeepers selling heirloom quality quilts may also have 200 or so breeding dogs sitting in cages at their farm nearby. Rikki Rockett (of the rock band Poison) and Chris DeRose (Last Chance for Animals) corralled the walkers just like mother ducks would, keeping everyone safe and together.
The turning-around point for the walk was in front of one large farm that sells produce and puppies from their driveway. In preparation for the day’s event, which the family is well aware of from past years, the chain link kennel next to the produce stand was empty as walkers passed with their “No Puppy Mills” and “Do Not Buy, Adopt” signs.
The day ended with everyone exhausted, but already looking ahead to next year’s event.
Click here to watch a slideshow of photos from the event!
More information about Awareness Day
Coalition building is one of the goals of Awareness Day. For those unable to attend, or who weren’t added to mailing lists but would like to stay updated on the work that Best Friends is doing for puppy mills, contact kellio@bestfriends.org.
You can also join this Best Friends Network community to stay involved.
Visit the Puppy Mill Awareness Day website at: www.awarenessday.org.
To read about Awareness Day from Best Friends Volunteer Nicole, Click Here.
And for local news coverage, Click Here.
Photos by Clay Myers