Exposing Puppy Mills

Now knowing as much as we do about these horrid places, the apalling conditions the dogs are kept in, the lack of hygiene and proper nutrition, congested living conditions, and rarely if ever a friendly voice or a gentle hand in greeting, does anyone have any positive suggestions as to how we can expose these wretched people for the common good of all dogs?
I wondered about writing to local papers to highlight the problem and asking the public to be vigilant, also local radio, and the TV Vetinary programmes. Our Vet has a sign posted up asking people to report them and of course it is a good start, but I feel that so many people do not even realise what goes on in these places, so tend not to be unduly concerned. I often meet people who think that Puppy Farms are just breeders who breed en masse to make profit, but are totally unaware of the cruelty aspect. In fact I didn't know how really bad they were myself until Karlin explained it in great detail.

That's great that your vet has something posted! A really good idea. The ISPCA website does warn puppy buyers how to go about finding a puppy, but I thik most people get their puppies anyway through BYBs and puppy farms -- often not realising it -- and they pay the same they would have paid to a reputable breeder. There apparently is now an effort to bring new legislation before the Dail (Irish parliament for non-Irish folks) by December though that emains to be seen. We (some of us who have campaigned directly on this issue to government) had the promise from the last Minister to bring in legislation though that didn't happen in his tenure. We have higher hopes with a Green Party minister and I understand this is on their agenda.

If you want to get involved on this and other issues in Ireland I strongly recomend getting involved with ANVIL: http://www.anvilireland.ie/. They have suggestions for letter writing campaigns on this and other issues.

Thanks a million for that link Karlin. I have a small group of friends who are serious animal lovers and whom I know would be very interested in this. There isn't a night passes when I am settling down to sleep with my darling little Max nearby that I don't think and concern myself about those little unfortunate dogs in places where they don't know the meaning of love or comfort of even the most basic kind. It is hard to imagine human beings being capable of such indifference to innocent creatures who do them no harm. When Shakespeare spoke of mans inhumanity to man, he should have included animals.

Here are two very interesting articles from today's Tulsa World. Heartbreaking.

Puppy Profits: Purebred pedigrees can boost profits

Web purchase turns costly

EDIT: someone just gave me a link to the whole series.

Thank you so much for that. Would like to hear suggestions or ideas from other members as to what they feel we could all be doing to help eradicate this terrible cruelty. What measures can we as members of the general public take to do our bit? It would be nice if we could share ideas and implement them in our own areas. As they say there is strength in numbers, but closing our eyes in denial makes us almost compliant.

Here's an idea, if you can get a booth at local fairs and events...a sign "Puppies for Sale", and either some real puppies or stuffed toy dogs in a crate, not for sale but to lure people to the booth*...and pamphlets that give the facts in a concise manner that will inform but not turn people off from your message. NOBODY can resist a "Puppies for Sale" sign and when they come over you speak with them about the reality of puppy mills and BYB vs. a reputable breeder or rescue societies.

Your message just needs to be informative without being so strong that you turn people off from your message...I'm thinking PETA here, they started off with a good mission but they've gone so over the top that most people I know don't respect them now.

*Here's an idea, you could sell stuffed toy dogs to raise funds to pay for the booth and pamphlets.

Debby with a Y said:

Here's an idea, if you can get a booth at local fairs and events...a sign "Puppies for Sale", and either some real puppies or stuffed toy dogs in a crate, not for sale but to lure people to the booth*...and pamphlets that give the facts in a concise manner that will inform but not turn people off from your message. NOBODY can resist a "Puppies for Sale" sign and when they come over you speak with them about the reality of puppy mills and BYB vs. a reputable breeder or rescue societies.

Your message just needs to be informative without being so strong that you turn people off from your message...I'm thinking PETA here, they started off with a good mission but they've gone so over the top that most people I know don't respect them now.

*Here's an idea, you could sell stuffed toy dogs to raise funds to pay for the booth and pamphlets.

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Excellent idea and thanks a bunch. Will give it serious consideration and get some friends on board for support on the day. Do you think hard hitting notices placed strategically outside supermarkets and other places would be over the top? Although I don't see why we should hesitate in giving strong detail. So what if people find it distressing?; animal cruelty is distressing for the poor animal, but we can't be physically hurt by looking at pictures. I have reached a point where I don't think mere words hit the message home.

Pictures are even better than words, you need both, what I meant was that it is SO tempting to get really preachy to people about this subject and we have to be careful to come across as people who are educated about the horrors of mills rather than as zealots. I think standing outside markets is a great idea, everyone has to go to the market eventually.

I take this subject very seriously because I adopted an ex-mill momma many years ago and the horrid condition in which she came to me was a total heartbreak. She died of mammary tumors just a few years later and she left a cocker spaniel-sized hole in my heart.

You are of course quite right Debbie; one has to be careful not to come accross in a way that may have tones of the fanatical which would defeat the object. To begin with I thought I would perhaps be not quite so 'in your face' and just post up the pictures and a large info sheet with a prominent heading and just leave people alone to absorb it in their own time as they look around the notice board. Our village supermarket is quite large and has a huge notice board with all sorts of ads on there,so it is a place frequented by many people. It is wonderful that you gave that little dog a loving environment and it must have been awful for you to see these dear animals in such dreadful conditions. Is animal cruelty depicted on TV in your area? Do you also have a local vet do a radio spot once a week? The amazing thing about our guy is that he gives out advise on all kinds of dog ailments etc etc, but never makes references to dog cruelty. It's almost like a taboo subject that many people appear to be in denial about, that is apart from a group of devoted folk. In very rural areas where everyone knows each other, there is the reluctance to report such people as Puppy Farm owners in case of repercussions, especially if one happens to be the next neighbour to these people, it is a foregone conclusion that they will assume who reported them. Until the Government gets a grip on this problem our hands are pretty much tied, but there is much we can do to hasten the process.

Debby,
I think thats a fantastic idea.
Good thinking! So many people would come over to a booth that said Puppies for Sale even just to look or show their children, its a very smart way to educate people on how that is NOT the way to go about buying a puppy.

What a great idea Debby!!

Celticharmony said:

Is animal cruelty depicted on TV in your area? Do you also have a local vet do a radio spot once a week?

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You won't believe this, but...I don't watch TV. Ever. I never got into the habit. And I only listen to my Sirius satellite radio. However, I don't think we have a lot of puppy mills in South Florida due to the heat and humidity and we are a very urban area. So I can't answer your questions but I wish you a lot of luck with your wonderful cause of educating people!!

I let Barkley do the educating on his own; people of course ask where he came from and I give a non-fanatical talk about how he came from a reputable breeder and how I met his mom and grandmom and uncle and siblings, and I try to work in how pet shops sell puppy mill dogs and what that means. As I don't have time to get involved in any organized educational efforts, I see the one on one talk as helping as they hopefully tell others. Just like how I don't send money to cat rescue organizations anymore...because I have five rescued cats at home and they cost me a fortune each month because they eat premium food, so I figure I am supporting my own rescue organization at home. I can't save all of the homeless or abused cats, but I did change the lives of the five I have (and countless other cats, and four dogs, before them...)

Thank you so much for your response, but you know what has really surprised me here? It is the lack of response to the subject matter? Does this indicate something worrying, or is it more a case of denial with regard to this serious matter? Or is it perhaps that this theme has been discussed before I joined and is now exhausted? If the latter is not the case, it leads me to worry just a tad as to how so many obvious Cavalier lovers are unwilling to show an interest in this awful practise and have nothing to say on the subject. Perhaps it was too sensitive, but I just felt it needed to be addressed and was hoping for comments, suggestions etc. Bless you for showing interest. Delighted to report that last weekend's attempts to bring this subject to the attention of the local community was an amazing success, with many now having assured us that they will write to their local Government representitives and other bodies to air their concerns and will lobby for our legislation on Puppy Farming to change as soon as possible. We all hope it will bring results in 2008.

I am so thrilled to hear you had a positive response!!! Keep up the good work.

I'm sort of new here so I don't know what's gone on before...I think that most of us get so busy with rescue or families or illnesses or jobs or volunteer work or whatever. I have five rescued cats and now a puppy and I work and I'm busy in some community affairs and, as I posted somewhere above, I simply educate people one person at a time, when they ask me where I got Barkley. It's all I can do at present and I am possibly speaking for the majority of the board as well. I see the extraordinary lengths people are doing in rescue and I know that pretty much soaks up all of their time, emotions, and money.

Anyone else have some input on this?

Yes, can well understand that Debby and I admire the wonderful work that so many are doing on behalf of our defenceless little friends. There are so many good people out there who do so much on a daily basis, and of course those who work away in the background that we don't hear about as well. Your life is so full and busy, but as they say, if you want something done, ask a busy person! Thanks again for your response and for making me look at things from a less negative stance.