News
Santa’s Helpers Encourage Adoption
December 16, 2008, 11:28AM MT
By Jennifer S Hayes
Peaceful demonstration in Las Vegas encourages the public to “Adopt Don’t Shop”
Peaceful demonstration in Las Vegas encourages the public to “Adopt Don’t Shop”
By Cathy Scott, Best Friends staff writer
Santa’s helpers of a different sort recently were out in force in Las Vegas, but they weren’t delivering gifts. Instead, they handed out literature and held signs protesting the sale of dogs from puppy stores.
Donning Santa hats and standing on a busy corner in the southwest end of the Las Vegas Valley, they waved as cars passed by. The 30 protesters – who described themselves as individuals who love animals – for two hours on Saturday, December 13, carried picket signs at a shopping center where a puppy store is located. The store had large, brightly colored “SALE” signs in its windows. And displayed inside the windows, as if they were merchandise, were dozens of young puppies.
“We’re here to tell people about the sale of puppies as Christmas gifts,” said one protester who was carrying a sign that read “Adopt Don’t Shop.”
That was their goal, to let people know that young dogs from puppy stores often come from high-production commercial breeders, commonly referred to as puppy mills. They also informed people that local animal rescue groups and shelters have lots of dogs of all breeds available for adoption, including at the nearby local Nevada SPCA.
Typically, during the weeks before Christmas, statistics show that more puppies are sold at pet stores than during any other time of year even though municipal animal shelters are overcrowded with pets just waiting for loving forever homes.
So it was with that sentiment that the protesters on this day, just before the holidays, picketed -- to inform the public that they have other choices besides puppy stores.
“We’re handing out information about adopting from shelters,” said Nancy Salazar, who helped organize the protest. “We also want people to know where puppies [often] come from -- from puppy mills.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
• If you want to add a four-legged member to your family, please choose to adopt from the Nevada SPCA or other animal shelter or rescue organization. To find one close to you, please check out Petfinder.
• You can help put the cruelty of puppy mills out of business. Please consider donating to the Puppy Mill Rescue Fund and joining The Truth About the Pet Trade community on the Best Friends Network.
• If there is a pet store that sells puppies in your town, join or form a peaceful demonstration in your own community. Following are links that contain tips on how to get started:
- Nine things you can do to help stop puppy mills
- How to Organize a Peaceful Pet Store Protest Action Kit
Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff
Photos courtesy of the protesters