How you can help stop the torture of 1000's of dogs.
 

There are lots of threads about puppy mills and laws that are trying to be passed to raised kennel conditions. We all want new laws, and that's happening in some places, but even with new laws, the conditions are really horrible. This sort of thing bothers me so much, but I really have a problem with people who recommend buying puppies anywhere, except when they can actually see how the puppies have been raised.

We need to educate others about puppy brokers; these are people who find buyers for breeders. Someone can make a nice website with lots of cute puppies rollicking around, and people think that's enough to show that the puppies were raised in a good environment.

We even have puppy brokers post in the classified section of Yorkietalk, and say how the puppies are raised on a "puppy farm", but still their puppies are sold quickly.

If you do not see where your puppy has been raised you are condoning the torture of thousands of dogs. Please see the breeder in person, and know for yourself that the breeder you support is treating puppies properly. Just as important, recommend this to others, always insist that people looking for a new pup investigate the breeders premises. Don't be tempted to "rescue" the dog from a terrible place; you will only assure that more dogs will be bred there. Price should not be the most important thing when looking for a puppy, knowing that you have not added to the suffering of thousands of dogs should be.

I agree with everything youve said. Thanks for the timely reminder

Very good post. The best way for change to happen is education. :)

I think admin should make this a sticky.....

Probably the most simplistic step someone can take to determine puppy and parents' true background and environment. :)

Awesome post!

Definitely a step in the right direction. Thank you for making this a priority. :thumbup:

Thanks Nancy1999. Education---that is what YT has been for me. And I am very grateful. I think, too, that there needs to be a sticky made. Even if it keeps one person from making a mistake it is worth it. Thank you.

WAY TO GO Nancy1999!!! :cheer:
Good thread!! I have bought all my girls from reputable breeders even though i only saw the actual place and met the breeder on 2 of them. I have been fortunate and wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of the breeders that i have used. 3 of them came from YT breeders! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
Always ask for references and go with your gut too. If there are red flags or "something that just doesn't feel right or add up" it is best to move on.
I don't support places that get puppies from PM's either...i.e. Petland. I will not even go there and we have 2 in our area. :thumbdown
I wish newbies couldn't sell their puppies here until they are donating members and have say, 100 posts. That would help keep out the driveby members just looking for a place to sell their puppies and then disappear.
Education is the key to get the information out. Thanks so much for keeping this up front!! God Bless!!:animal-pa

Thank you Nancy, this is a great post and should be made into a "sticky", I agree with the others on that.

I did see the place where Ruby came from though. It was a nice neat farm setting, with very clean kennels, nice gentlemen :rolleyes:owned it. The problem?....it was/is a puppymill!!!!!

I didn't know, having never bought a puppy before in my life, what a puppymill really is. I had read around on YT beforehand if only for a brief time. Then I was primarily looking at pictures, not reading so much.

I think many people get the yorkie, then join YT - by then - it's too late!

Maybe the ASPCA, and Humane Society could focus more on getting the word out about mills. Evidently the millions of $$ is within their bank accts....they have money to buy out PuppyHaven, to lobby congress, to pay their Presidents big bucks (that was no Sears suit, the guy from the Humane Society, was wearing on Oprah that day!)

As big as YT has become, it is still a small drop in the bucket, when it comes to the ability to inform future puppy buyers. With a problem of this magnitude, we must have a much bigger solution if we are ever to make a real impact on the lives of the poor mill dogs.

I realize saving one is great, but thousands suffer, while we cheer for the one.

:thumbup:

This is great Nancy 1999 the only thing I would add is that puppy brokers are in it for the money they make also. If someone is looking for a puppy and you know that a breeder has a litter and you tell that person, You are not a Broker.
And
If for whatever reason you cannot see the breeders home and where the puppies are raised only because they live in a different state. If you know someone that lives in the area ask them to check them out. Have them take pictures and send them to you.

:clapsmile Excellent post and thank you, Nancy. Until better laws are passed and God only knows how long that will take we can do our part in educating others about brokers and pet stores. There's so many out there that just don't know any better.

This is a great post. People don't know.. if they are not educated. I, for one, had never seen a puppy mill. I knew they were bad, from the news and from things I have read here. A little while ago, (today) I got an education I will never forget!

Thanks to information from a friend, I got to see what really goes on in one. IT MADE ME SICK! Those poor puppies.. how could anyone do such a thing? You read about them.. but the true horror does not actually sink in until you have seen it. It becomes very real.

And educating people so they know what to watch out for is a good thing. I knew my breeder... so I was fortunate. Posts like this one( from the original poster) which inform and educate all of us, without placing blame or trying to hurt anyone are absolutely wonderful. And I thank you.

Thank you Nancy ! I support you and this cause 100% ! Knowledge is power and I do feel many people are not aware of the devasting impact it has to these beautiful, innocent, dogs. :aimeeyork

:thumbup::thumbup: great post! so true!!

thanks for inviting me to post
i want to become active in my community
the only thing i can think of is
city lawmakers making new laws to stop pet stores from selling dogs
an ordinance
i live close to amish country
the amish puppy mills in middlefield
if there are any
i would like to do something
all talk and no action doesnt help much:animal-pa

Stop Puppy Mills Campaign Gear
 

Great post Nancy...we can all help to educate people about puppy mills. Please go to Stop Puppy Mills and buy some "Stop Puppy Mills" material (flyers, brochures, bumper stickers, bookmarks) to distribute at different businesses in your area.

I personally spent over $100 once already to display this material at the local car wash, my vet's offce, the only pet boutique in town and I am planning on buying more to display in different businesses. I am not into bumper stickers, never have been, but I proudly display my "Stop Puppy Mills" bumper sticker.


Here is the link that list the different material, campaign gear: Campaign Gear

Here is the pdf form to purchase the material: http://stoppuppymills.org/pdfs/SPM-Print-Order-Form.pdf

Education is key! I think it's so important that people understand the difference between where dogs come from and what are the signs and red flags of puppy mills/bad breeders. It would also be helpful to have a very simple list of: Choosing A Breeder and Red Flags/Signs of Possible Puppy Mill .... what else?

Great post! We may need a sticky including this and more stuff as well that makes it inclusive...

Movement!!! Stop the Puppy Mills!!!!!!!!
 

I think we have to really organize, email our law makers...protest... make some noise in my opinion is the only way to save these animals..
It would take lots of people together and organize and all sorts of people that know how to get laws passed to get these puppy mills out of business...
Education....commercials... ads!!!! But it would mean dog lovers like us...would have to make a committment and go for it... It would take lots of money and time...

Thank you for posting this Nancy1999. I will definitely continue to educate people about the horrors of puppy mills and brokers.

Thankyou for posting this Nancy :thumbup: People have got to be more cautious about where they buy their dogs! When you buy from a petstore, puppymill, broker, or backyard breeder you are only allowing dogs to suffer. It's so so important to buy from a reputable breeder so please educate yourselves on the breed and what a reputable breeder is before you buy. Please don't buy from someone based on a nice-looking website, a cute puppy picture, or a good deal. Choose your breeder first and then choose the puppy..not the other way around. Buying from bad breeders or petstore for ANY reason (even if you think you are rescuing it) only opens that cage up for another puppy and continues to allow these dogs to suffer. The only way we can stop the suffering is to NOT BUY from these people! Let's do what is best for the dogs and only buy from reputable breeders who breed because they love this breed and the dogs and are breeding ethically...otherwise adopt one of the homeless dogs that need a home. There is no good reason to support a puppymill/broker/backyard breeder.

I AGREE!!!
Many people dont know the truth and see nothing wrong with a puppy store puppy...especially since the pet store told me they come from breeders.

Oh wow...Cynthia...thanks for those links! I know lots of people who would be interested.

Great information. If we could only educate the public these puppymills would go away.

Great post! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

:thumbup::thumbup::animal-pa:animal-pa

I think if you are buying a puppy you must see where it came from and how it's parents live. I have been to a place I consider a puppy mill and the website shows pictures of puppies laying on furniture and playing with children. The reality is they are kept twenty four hours a day, seven days a week in wire rabbit type cages. There are no laws being broke but dogs should not live like that. The older dogs that come from there are unsocialized. They specialize in designer dogs. Websites can be so misleading. I wish the laws were better. But until enough people push to get the laws changed nothing is going to change. Before I worked at a shelter I did not know about puppy mills. I think the average person doesn't know how bad they are.

Last summer Amish people were coming from PA to a local flea market in the county I work. We checked their health certificates, which were out of date. The puppies were anemic and full of parasites. They had upper respiratory infections. I told them to pack them up and get back to PA. I told them if they come back we would check all the paperwork again and the puppies health. If there was any problem they would be sent out of there again. As of this week they have not come back. We also told them not to go to the other local flea markets because we called those counties and warned them. We followed them out of our county. Two people were there holding puppies wanting to adopt, they told them they would not buy them. Another lady saw us and came back and gave the puppy back and demanded her money back. The week before they sold sick puppies and people stopped payments on their checks so they stopped taking checks. They would only take cash.

If you see sick puppies being sold call your local animal control. Do not be afraid to step in. If puppies are being brought across state lines they must have current health certificates and be healthly. Everyone needs to speak up and do their part to put these people out of business!

Well, to get right down to the nitty-gritty, we are all to blame in one way or another. Instead of rescuing animals from animal shelters and humane societies, we insist on purebred puppies. They become very popular as a result of this desire to own one of these cute puppies, so the puppymiller's and byb's buy some of these cute little doggies to breed and sell at a nice profit to pet stores or the unsuspecting public. It's going to take more than most people think to change the horrible situation breeding facilities have created across the country and even south of the border. This country is based on capitalism. As long as there is a demand, there will always be a supplier. The only way to stop this is to pass laws limiting the number as well the living conditions of the animals. I cannot see it happening in this country anytime soon. For example, our government officials are not looking at the conditions in which yorkies are bred. They are looking at the big picture. All dogs. The laws that people want to see passed must apply to all dogs and not just our precious little yorkies.