| Deciding to add a puppy to your family is a big | | | | the dogs they're getting, and assume that the dogs |
| decision. Learning about how to take care of puppies, | | | | were treated well prior to being brought into their |
| getting all the care and accessory products you | | | | homes. Sadly, this isn't always the case. |
| need, and deciding what breed of puppy is the best | | | | One of the ways you can help stop puppy mills is to |
| for you should all be taken seriously, but are also | | | | adopt puppies and dogs from animal shelters rather |
| exciting things! | | | | than purchasing them online or from a pet store. |
| When you're ready for a puppy, one place you may | | | | Because of the problems puppy mill dogs have once |
| decide to look for that perfect breed is a pet store. | | | | they join a home, many families are forced to give |
| Unfortunately, many people don't realize that most of | | | | up their dogs to shelters. By adopting a puppy or |
| the dogs and puppies at pet stores come from | | | | adult dog from an animal shelter, you give these |
| puppy mills. | | | | dogs a second chance. |
| A puppy mill, also referred to as a puppy farm, is a | | | | Adopting also reduces the demand for dogs from |
| large, commercial dog breeding facility. Since the | | | | puppy mills. If enough people adopt dogs, puppy mills |
| puppy farms are more concerned about breeding on | | | | will begin to close, and puppies won't have to face |
| a large scale to earn a profit rather than the quality | | | | the horrible conditions of puppy farms. |
| of the dog, most operate under questionable | | | | Your biggest weapon against puppy mills is education. |
| conditions and don't consider the well being of the | | | | Learn about how terrible they are, how they |
| puppies. | | | | operate, and work to educate others. Join a local |
| However, the problem isn't just the way the puppies | | | | group that educates people in your community, share |
| are treated while they're at the puppy farm. Once | | | | information on your website or blog, and tell your |
| these puppies join families, they have many problems | | | | friends and family (and coworkers and neighbors) |
| that originate from a lack of medical care, poor diet, | | | | about puppy mills. Write a letter to the editor of your |
| no exercise, and no socialization while they are there. | | | | local paper. Put flyers at your local vet's office. The |
| Puppy farms are a serious problem in our society. | | | | more people know, the more you can help stop |
| Unfortunately, so many people know so little about | | | | puppy mills. |
| them that the people who run these places continue | | | | Legislation exists that limits puppy mills, but it's not |
| to thrive. Action needs to be taken to stop puppy | | | | enough. Contact your state and federal legislators |
| mills now, and give puppies a fighting chance. | | | | and tell them what you know and how you feel |
| People who get puppies and dogs from "breeders" | | | | about it. You can help pressure them into making |
| don't always realize that they're actually contributing | | | | positive changes, shutting down puppy mills, and |
| to puppy farms. They don't know the background of | | | | saving thousands of puppies' lives. |