Puppy Mill questions

Hello everyone-

I just recently read on Karlin's Irish Cavalier Rescue site, the article about the life of a puppy mill pup. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

As some of you know, before I got Oliver, I was an ignorant buyer and ended up with a puppy that had to be put to sleep 3 days after buying him. Now I know that I most likely ran into a dog that had come from some type of puppy mill or farm. It was devastating and heartbreaking but perhaps the good thing hat came out of it is that now I try to educate people as to why it is so important not to unknowingly support these places by buying from pet stores, etc...

My question is this...why is this allowed to happen and why don't the laws better regulate this? What can we, as the general public, do?

I saw on another board a thread about emailing Oprah regarding this. Since she is such a pet lover, why do you suppose she hasn't had a show about this? So many people watch that maybe that would be a way to spread the word. I don't hink the general public really knows what goes on.

Holly,

I agree with you completely, I don't think that the general public has a clue what a puppy mill is, much less what goes on at there. They are horrible places and the people that run them don't care a lick about any dog they have or for that matter any animal.

The reason I think nothing is done is because 'they are just dogs'. I think animals always get a bum wrap when it comes to protecting them. People just don't stop and think that they have feelings too. They hurt just like a person would if they were hit, or ignorned or used over and over again. I'm not saying that dogs can think like people, but they must have some thought process. They seem to have an awful good memory for their abuse. It's a terrible ordeal what they must go through. Sometimes I ask myself why would anyone want to do this, can't they see that the animal is in bad shape. What kind of 'person' could do this? If they can't treat a dog correctly who says they can take care of another person or child? It sickens me...really.

Believe me I have never ever heard of puppy mills in my life. As an unwitting victim I did purchase a puppy from a puppy mill/broker. After a week we realize he had to be put down. It broke my heart that there was nothing that could be done to save his life.

I found this link to email Oprah suggestions for shows...

http://www2.oprah.com/email/reach/email_showideas.jhtml

Or, how about news shows like Dateline or 20/20? I wonder why there isn't more coverage about this kind of thing? Is it because it brings in a lot of money? That is very sad if that's the case... I know that I did see something on a news show once about the dangers of buying puppies on-line, but it seems like it's a much worse situation that that. I just don't understand why this isn't more regulated.

I truly believe that the general public really doesn't know about this situation or where those "cute little puppies in the store" truly come from.

Amazingly, despite many protests and petitions signed by thousands of internet rescue/dog forum people and their friends, the government actually gives money to welsh farmers to 'diversify' into dog breeding , when other farming projects fail. Some of the people responsible gave the protesters an interview, but failed both to justify their actions and understand the points being made.

It is terribly sad. I hate the way we humans exploit animals Our cruely is boundless, not just to dogs but to so many animals. It would be nice to think that our governments would help out with this, but sadly they are often part of the machine that propagates it.

I happen to believe that dogs are every bit as intelligent as humans. They just have a different type of intelligence to ours, and what is important to us is not necessarily important to them. It is the old "man is the measure of all things" that makes us think we are superior. We just don't know what we don't know!

Oh I better not get started.

Anyway, the Oprah thingy might get some results. :xfngr: