Andrea ~ I bet your going to be :banned: from OKYR!

They are generally licensed by the USDA and are considered puppy mills.

Okay, that's what I thought. In that case, what does Small Paws mean when they say they work with commercial kennels? Is this significantly different from buying at an auction?

I'm going to assume that they mean kennels contact them when they have retiring breeders and the rescue takes them in for free.

You need to use caution with this type of rescue *Small Paws because it seems to be the newest form of money making for mills. They will say the work with kennels or mills but they really are the mills.

In order for a rescue organization to be understood the mission statement of the rescue should be made public so that anyone donating has access to see where their funds are going. "The Rescue" should live in a glass house open for all to see and understand the purpose and how rescue decisions are made, A rescue that accepts donations is obligated to spend that $$ in a manner that is in line with their Mission Statement and if they don’t have a Mission Statement, then the organization would be way too loosely organized for me to contribute more than a token amount.

I wonder how many members here have actually been to an auction where dogs were offered. I have, years ago, when our family was at the peak of our Miniature Horse business. It was an exotic animal auction and it was a sad, bizarre event - there were birds of all sorts, snakes, rodents, chickens, goats, a zebra or two and of course dogs. The dogs that "had papers" went for more $$ and many of them that I personally witnessed being sold were handed over to people who very thrilled and obviously wanted a PET. Then there were those who didn't fare so well, the ones that were left in cages or tied up with a piece of rope. It was the dogs that WEREN’T purebred that NEEDED rescuing.

[QUOTE=chattiesmom;2513843]In order for a rescue organization to be understood the mission statement of the rescue should be made public so that anyone donating has access to see where their funds are going. "The Rescue" should live in a glass house open for all to see and understand the purpose and how rescue decisions are made, A rescue that accepts donations is obligated to spend that $$ in a manner that is in line with their Mission Statement and if they don’t have a Mission Statement, then the organization would be way too loosely organized for me to contribute more than a token amount.


Very well put!

This was beautifully put. I agree totally with the glass house concept. Thanks!!

THE MAIN POINT of this thread was EDUCATION!!!

I want people to have knowledge-and to be informed-and to know who and what they are dealing with.

With ANY rescue or organization-this is a must. Be an advocate for what you believe, but be an educated advocate!!!!

This post hurts-I know that-it was very hard to post. I really had to mull it over. Whether agreed on or not. It all comes down to a bottom line:
If a rescue you support gets dogs from auctions-are you willing to support that action?

You can call it a puppymill rescue if you would like-I call it making room for another just like it-for you to rescue-and then making room for another. All the while-the miller wins.

I agree and thank you too! Without complete transparency it's hard to trust those making important decisions.

Couldn't have said it better myself. And again I thank you Andi for bringing light to this subject, it had been in the dark long enough!

:thumbup: Good Post. I'm happy these biewers got good homes but honestly, a good rescue's intention when they go to these auctions (or at least should be their intention) is to get the most needy out without lining the pockets of the millers. The only thing I will say is that when I just looked at their website (OKYR) I do not see any puppies but I do see quite a few older dogs or dogs with medical so I do think although they may have slipped up that they seem to be reputable in that they are taking in harder to place dogs. Just my .02. I do hope they will rethink on how they buy from auctions. If they are going to attend an auction then attend for the right reason and that is to save the most needy, the old, the sick, the ones without hope. Elaine

If we get any, we get the ones that no one else wants. Maybe they don't even bring $1...does that tell you anything?

Is this always the case? There have been puppies from auctions and Biewers. They were more than $1. So, the "if we get any" is not always the case.

But whether they are gotten or not is beside my point. It is the attending all together.