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04-02-2008, 08:34 PM | #1 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere Out there............
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| Oprah Show ~ Puppy Mills This is very important to read. I pray the Oprah show does not come off with a bad attitude against all breeders. Prehaps we should all email the show and let them know that we would like them to remember there are great breeders who are responsible. Dog Owners' Oprah Alert by JOHN YATES The American Sporting Dog Alliance http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org Dog owners might be in for another bashing on Friday, when ultra- liberal talk show host Oprah Winfrey does a special program on "puppy mills." Winfrey's star reporter, Lisa Ling, went undercover in commercial breeding kennels to do an expose on the pet store trade. Although the commercial trade in pet store puppies has nothing to do with the vast majority of dog owners and breeders, sensationalistic news coverage tars us with the same brush. To the liberal animal rights mindset, all breeders are either "puppy mills" or "backyard breeders," and this always translates into more laws that harm only the innocent. Moreover, the hidden agenda of the animal rights movement is the ultimate elimination of animal ownership, and their strategy is to pick us off one group at a time. The American Sporting Dog Alliance (ASDA) does not know how Winfrey and Ling will approach the topic, but we are not optimistic that it will be a fair, balanced and reasonably objective report. Based on the normal biased reporting we see about dog breeding, and Winfrey's close personal ties with animal rights groups, we would expect them to take their cameras into a couple of "worst case" kennels, and then by inference say or imply that all kennels and breeders are bad. Expect to take a thumping from one of the wealthiest and most powerful animal rights activists on Earth. According to a report in Women's Day magazine, billionaire Winfrey feels that leaving a cool $30 million to her own five dogs in her will is not even slightly extravagant. Inflation, you know. Winfrey was partners with the radical Humane Society of the United States in a movement aimed at destroying cattle ranching because of alleged food safety issues from eating beef, and they were codefendants in a lawsuit brought by the industry. This month, Winfrey has been giving serious consideration to an invitation to appear in nude photographs sponsored by one of the most extreme animal rights groups in America, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, pop tabloids report. The nude photos would be for PETA's "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign. Winfrey's concern reportedly is not about endorsing PETA. The tabloids report that she is worried that nude photos might offend voters and harm the presidential campaign of Barrack Obama, whom she has strongly endorsed. On Friday, we can expect a thumping with no opportunity to defend ourselves. The Winfrey/Ling style of journalism is to exploit highly emotional topics and sensationalize them to twang the heartstrings of a predominantly middle class audience of liberals who are looking for the next "do-gooder" cause to embrace. It looks like saving the whales or feeding starving people in Somalia aren't fashionable this year. Pity the poor whales. Pity the poor Somali refugees. And pity the poor dog owners! A campaign against dog owners and breeders has become the latest fashionable cause for the glitz and glitter crowd of celebrities. The question is, what are we going to do about it? For myself, I'm just plain sick and tired of being unfairly bashed. I guess I just wasn't raised to be a punching bag. But, you might be asking, how can we fight back against the wealthiest and most powerful media mogul in America? How can we fight that kind of power? How can we fight someone who wills $30 million to her dogs when we're trying to figure out how to pay last month's electric bill? I think we can do it, if we get off of our butts and actually do it. There are hundreds of thousands of people who breed dogs because they love them – show dogs, performing dogs, hunting dogs, obedience dogs, field trial dogs, companion dogs and just plain dogs. In addition, there are millions of dog owners who love their animals and thank breeders for doing the fine job that they know we do in improving temperament, genetic soundness, utility, beauty and health. If we join together in this, we can be a formidable force. My thoughts are that a boycott of Winfrey's advertisers would be the most effective strategy. If several hundred thousand dog owners and breeders were to contact advertisers on the Oprah show and refuse to buy any of their products, they would be forced to take notice. Please understand that I am not talking about censoring Winfrey's opinions. I would fight for her right to express any opinion she chooses, and also for her right to present and endorse the views of animal rights groups on her program. However, journalistic ethics demands fairness, balance and objectivity if programming purports to be reporting the news. If Oprah wants to do a report on dog breeding, that's fine. But the report should be fair to us and give us the opportunity to balance the views of the animal rights groups with our side of the story. I don't expect that Oprah will hold to the same standard of ethics that I did as a newspaper reporter. I expect that her report will be a hatchet job on dog owners and breeders. The promotional blog for Friday's Oprah Show gives us an idea of what we can expect: http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/44908. Read it for yourself. A boycott of advertisers just might convince Oprah to undergo an ethical reformation. Most of her advertisers won't like the idea of losing several hundred thousand customers so that Oprah can preach sermons against dog owners and breeders. When I worked on newspapers, there was a cynical wisecrack that my bosses sometimes told me when they didn't like something I wrote. "There is freedom of the press in America – for anyone who owns a press." That meant I didn't own the press. It takes a lot of money to own a TV show. Oprah has that kind of money, and she earned it, but it has gone to her head. Now she sneers at the rights and lives of ordinary people who made her a pop star, and that includes dog owners and breeders. The Internet is the great equalizer. One of the beauties of the Internet is that it allows everyone to truly have the rights of free speech and free press. The Internet has become the printing press of ordinary people, and now it reaches a reported 80-percent of American households. Television represents the past, when Oprah's kind of money and power controlled the right of a free press. The Internet has given us our voice. The American Sporting Dog Alliance is asking all dog owners and breeders to watch the Oprah Show on Friday and form your own opinions. Then, if she does the kind of hatchet job we expect, please bombard her with emails expressing your displeasure. Then, we need to get organized for a campaign to reach her advertisers. In order to get ready, ASDA is asking readers of this report to email us a list of every advertiser that supports the Oprah Show. ASDA is willing to organize this campaign. Also, please let us know if you are able to help with it. Our email address is asda@csonline.net. The American Sporting Dog Alliance works at the grassroots to defend the rights of dog owners and professionals against the very real threats of animal rights activism. Please visit us on the web at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org. We maintain strict independence and are supported only by the voluntary donations of our members. While the Oprah segment may be about "puppy mills," the laws that her friends in PETA and HSUS are proposing really are targeting dog owners and hobby breeders, with the goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating animal ownership. These same radical groups also want to eliminate hunting, ban the ownership of firearms, forcibly convert us to vegan vegetarianism and destroy American farming traditions. "Puppy mills" are not the issue. Existing federal, state and animal cruelty laws already intensively regulate commercial kennels. You are the issue. These groups want to destroy the things that you love and believe in. Does Oprah have a conscience? She is leaving $30 million to support five dogs that she loves and apparently believes she is doing something right by supporting animal rights groups. But she is being suckered. She is supporting groups that believe that the only unexploited dog is a dead dog. The truth is that PETA slaughters 97-percent of the dogs that enter the organization's "shelter" in Virginia. They would rather kill those dogs than help them find a loving home. Please forward this posting to as many people as you can, and also cross-post it on message boards. We need to reach as many people as possible quickly. |
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04-02-2008, 09:20 PM | #2 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northeast Ohio
Posts: 429
| Deana a friend of mine emailed me about this earlier today!...I too worry about the show just showing puppymill situations and giving all breeders a bad taste in everyones mouth... I sure hope that Oprah manages to make people aware of the puppymills, pet store pups and helps to educate the public about where to go to find their beloved pet... If all the states continue to adopt legislation that forces us all to spay/neuter all dogs the situation will no only stop puppymill breeding but also responsible breeding...Can you imagine the cost to own a dog then?... Thanks for making everyone aware of the possible consquences this show may have! ~Laura
__________________ Laura ~ JaLa Yorkshire Terriers ~ Visit www.PoochiePetite.com "Wrapping Jackets, Satin Beds, Tablecovers, Bows N' More!" |
04-02-2008, 09:26 PM | #3 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: DFW, Texas
Posts: 11,003
| Wow..I think this article is a little extreme I for one have been very excited that Oprah will be exposing puppymills. This can only do good in opening the eyes of uneducated Americans to the horrors of puppymills and petstore puppies. So many people just don't know where those petstore dogs come from...some have heard "puppymill" but have no idea just how bad it really is. We have got to find a way to educate the public, and millions of Americans will see this show on Friday. I just can't see it hurting anything...only helping to educate the public about puppymills. Maybe more and more people will stop supporting these aweful places. Even IF she angles it as all breeders are bad, intelligent people will know that there are good breeders out there. And really...if it gets a homeless dog rescued that would have otherwise been put to sleep, I think its worth it. No one is going to stop buying from all breeders because Oprah says all breeders are bad. It just isn't going to happen. I personally would be perfectly fine with millions of people deciding not to buy from breeders and instead to rescue dogs that are homeless and would be put to sleep. But like I said, anyone with half a brain will know that there are good breeders too. It seems like a lot of celebrities support PETA..I don't think they really know what PETA is really about. PETA does *some* good things but I would never get involved with them...they are extremists and I do not believe they are animal lovers at all. Anyway, maybe someone should send this directly to Oprah so she can read it for herself? Maybe someone should send her information on how bad PETA is and suggest other, more effective ways she can be helpful in stopping puppymills. I'm hoping I'll get to see the show Friday...hopefully I can at least see it online later that night. I hope that it only helps to educate people to the horros of puppymills and to stop them from buying petstore puppies in the future. And I hope it does encourage people to not buy from breeders and to rescue dogs instead. It may save millions of lives and put those breeding for profit out of business. The breeders that truly are breeding for the right reasons breed on a small scale anyway and won't have any trouble finding wonderful homes for their puppies.
__________________ ~Magnifique Yorkies~ Purchasing from backyard breeders, pet shops, and puppymills perpetuates the suffering of other dogs. Educate yourself and buy from reputable breeders or rescue. |
04-02-2008, 09:43 PM | #4 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: HOT, HOT, HOT AZ
Posts: 3,150
| I hope she doesnt think that ALL breeders are bad and unethical!!!! But then people that LOVE PETA are just slightly fanatical. I guess we will just have to wonder what she thinks of the breeders that she got all of her dogs from!! This might end up being a BLACK EYE to all who breed for the right reasons!! |
04-02-2008, 10:10 PM | #5 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: DFW, Texas
Posts: 11,003
| I just don't see how reputable breeders have anything to worry about. Oprah bought her goldens from a breeder right?? I really doubt she thinks ALL breeders are bad. It's the puppymills, petstores, and backyard breeders that will get the negative publicity. Reputable breeders don't have anything to worry about...anyone that has done a little research can figure out what a reputable breeder is and maybe this show will cause people to start doing their research. Ethical breeders breed on a small scale...it's only going to hurt the large breeders breeding for profit. Reputable breeders will have no problems finding homes for the puppies they have...I don't know too many people that think ALL breeders are bad (although I can think of a couple but they are pretty fanatical...) I guess I'll just have to see the show...but I just can't see this doing anything but good to stop puppymills. Even if all breeders do get a little bad press, I think its worth it if it stops millions of people from buying from petstores and puppymills.
__________________ ~Magnifique Yorkies~ Purchasing from backyard breeders, pet shops, and puppymills perpetuates the suffering of other dogs. Educate yourself and buy from reputable breeders or rescue. |
04-02-2008, 10:17 PM | #6 |
YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 275
| There is a right way and a wrong way to do everything including breeding. Those that are good have nothing to fear....hopefully those that are not will have their hearts touched and make a change. I am a firm believer that we cannot change bad breeders or puppy millers by attacking them. Kindness, not passing judgement and prayers for those who have no conscience go a long way!
__________________ Carree, Mommy to Cricket and Paxton and Bentley |
04-03-2008, 02:41 AM | #7 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,280
| I don't/won't watch Oprah, but I hope that she does the show well, and raises awarness of those that are ignorant to puppy mills without degrading breeders.
__________________ Proud Mommy of Gavin, Ethan, Morgan, Nia, Olivia, and Kiana and baby #7! Also Mommy to furkids: Cleo ,Lola, Lilly Appletini, and Diesel. and Sunny, Ethan's Golden therapy dog in training. |
04-03-2008, 04:51 AM | #8 | |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere Out there............
Posts: 1,742
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This is the part that makes the breeders concerned. *highlighted* Also the legislation that is going on in each state is unreal. Have you kept up with the legislation. Right now Texas has some going on too. we have to be on top of all of this. We have to be sure that responsible breeders do not just get twisted in this show. I will be watching it and I pray that it will show the right way a long with the wrong. However with her comment it tends to make you feel, it may not be a good thing. World News Oprah Winfrey dedicates show on puppy mills to her departed dog Print article Refer to a friend © AP 2008-04-02 01:53:57 - CHICAGO (AP) - Oprah Winfrey plans to dedicate a show investigating abuses at puppy mills to her cocker spaniel, Sophie, who died last month from kidney failure at the age of 13. «Sophie gave me 13 years of unconditional love. She was a true love in my life,» Winfrey says on the broadcast, according to advance remarks from the show released Tuesday by Harpo Productions. The show _ scheduled to be aired Friday _ features special correspondent Lisa Ling investigating puppy mills, which Ling calls «horrific» and «haunting. Winfrey says the show is «for anybody anywhere who loves a dog, has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic right to humane treatment. While Sophie was not a product of a puppy mill, and Winfrey's three current dogs were adopted from breeders, Winfrey says in the future she would look to adopt from an animal shelter. «I would never, ever adopt another pet now without going to a shelter to do it. I am a changed woman after seeing this show,» she says. On the Net «The Oprah Winfrey Show»: www.oprah.com | |
04-03-2008, 05:05 AM | #9 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,280
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There has to be balance.
__________________ Proud Mommy of Gavin, Ethan, Morgan, Nia, Olivia, and Kiana and baby #7! Also Mommy to furkids: Cleo ,Lola, Lilly Appletini, and Diesel. and Sunny, Ethan's Golden therapy dog in training. | |
04-03-2008, 05:06 AM | #10 | |
YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 275
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__________________ Carree, Mommy to Cricket and Paxton and Bentley | |
04-03-2008, 05:09 AM | #11 | |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere Out there............
Posts: 1,742
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If this show is not done with a balance which with her statement I doubt it is. I think we should all email the show letting them know we want the other half of the story told, it is only fair that the public see the whole story. Deana Prestigeous Yorkies | |
04-03-2008, 05:12 AM | #12 | |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere Out there............
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I have rescued myself and loved my rescue babies and was with them until the end. My favorite dog from my childhood was a mix breed. Oprah had a Cocker that lived to 13 who was from a breeder, she should always realize that was a great long lived life her baby had and without her breeder that Cocker would have never brought her 13 years of joy. Deana Prestigeous Yorkies | |
04-03-2008, 05:24 AM | #13 | |
YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Keller, Texas
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__________________ Carree, Mommy to Cricket and Paxton and Bentley | |
04-03-2008, 05:38 AM | #14 | |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: usa
Posts: 1,321
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The key word here is BALANCE Deana I so agree with you.
__________________ Debbi ~Follow the 3 R's~~~ Respect for self...Respect for others ...Responsibility for all your actions | |
04-03-2008, 05:59 AM | #15 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere Out there............
Posts: 1,742
| Here is the Rescue link that had a lot to do with getting the puppymill show on the air. http://www.mlar.org./ Deana Prestigeous Yorkies |
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