Sad dog eyes
Like 1 Dislike 0 Published on 14 Sep 2009
Many dogs sold in pet shops, about 360,000 per year,
come from puppy mills and breeding kennels found
mostly in the Midwest. In puppy mills, female dogs are
kept in crude, usually outdoor cages and are bred
continuously. Their puppies are taken from them at an
early age, packed into crates, and shipped hundreds of
miles to dealers, often without adequate food, water, or
ventilation. Both the mothers and their puppies often
suffer from a lack of affectionate, attentive human care
and socialization necessary for a well-balanced psyche in
the adult dog. Physical and emotional problems are
common in animals from puppy mills, which try to
produce as many puppies as possible.
Once the animals get to the pet store, life in cramped
cages adds more strain to their already stressed lives, and
this increases their susceptibility to disease. No law
regulates how pet shops dispose of their animals, and
some stores have been caught killing unsold dogs on the
premises and throwing them in the trash dumpster.
Unwanted animals can end up in laboratories where they
may be subjected to further abuse.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Always spay or neuter dogs and cats.
- Adopt from shelters—and dont forget adult
animals, who are often overlooked by people
looking for a puppy or kitten.
- Take strays to humanely run shelters.
- Work within your community to legislate
mandatory spaying and neutering.
- Speak up if you know someone is planning to
breed an animal. People who desire the
companionship of dogs and wish to do what is
best for dogs do not breed them; they adopt
from animal shelters.
- If you prefer a particular breed, check with
shelters and breed rescue clubs. There is never a
reason to support a breeder.