Puppy Mills exposed on Oprah show Apr.4

[Bina]

I am sending out this article to those of you who may be interested in the never-ending fight against the puppy mill/pet shop industry. Please think carefully before buying a pet and understand it is imperative that they are spayed and neutered!! Thank you.
Bina

>
>
> Oprah targets puppy mills
>
> By Stephanie Zolis
>
>
> 2008-04-02
>
> Winfrey dedicates a show to her dead dog
>
>
> "We all remember Sophie as the unsociable, spoiled
> princess who attacked other dogs and howled when her
> owner left the house.
>
> But Oprah?s ?daughter? wasn?t all bad ? especially
> after a visit from celebrity dog whisperer Cesar
> Millan ? and the talk TV queen is remembering her
> deceased dog in a big way.
>
> In loving memory of the cocker spaniel, who died late
> last month from kidney failure, The Oprah Winfrey Show
> will feature a special episode dedicated to her
> beloved pooch.
>
> "Sophie gave me 13 years of unconditional love. She
> was a true love in my life," Winfrey says, adding that
> the episode is "for anybody anywhere who loves a dog,
> has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic
> right to humane treatment."
>
> Special correspondent Lisa Ling will investigate the
> multi-million dollar industry she calls ?horrific? and
> ?haunting?. Ling normally travels to countries abroad
> to reporting on issues related to women?s rights, such
> as gang rape, child trafficking and bride burning.
>
> Sophie?s death came only one year following the death
> of Winfrey?s golden retriever, Gracie.
>
> While Winfrey?s three remaining dogs were purchased
> from a qualified breeder, she says after seeing the
> report, she will only adopt puppies from shelters. The
> episode will air April 4."
>
>

 

[Freddie]

NEVER trust a pet shop. You never really know where that puppy came from. The dogs papers/documents saying its a pure bred is false. Any pure bred breeder would not sell their puppies in a pet shop.

Many years ago I almost bought a puppy at a pet shop. I knew better, but I wanted to see for myself how bad things were. The papers were false - the phone number of the "breeder" didn't exist, puppy had worms and double ear infections. And this was a "healthy" pup??.
4 days later that pet shop was closed down after I called and showed my findings to the Animal Control Wardens (SPCA).

I'm not sure if I'll be able to bring myself to watch Oprah - them puppy mills are totally disgusting. Those are the people that should be shot.

 

[ctyguy]

the problem with puppy mills is they say they are purebred which is true. The problem is that many are inbred and that is where the trouble starts. We had a Golden Retriever that we had to put down after a year of battling cancer. I spent of 10K trying to fix my poor George, he was my bestest buddy ever. We also had a Great Pyranness and he died at 5 because of cancer. Both were bought at a pet store and I am sure both were inbred.

We now have two very healthy muts that we rescued. Both are healthy and fit at ever. I will always get a pound puppy going forward, they are the best !

 

[Bina]

Yes, most of the mill puppies have registration papers.....only because the CKC and AKC really can't keep track of which breeder is doing what. Of course if they have one address that keeps putting out lots of puppies of several different breeds, that should send out an inspector, or at least raise a warning flag in someone's head. Nope, just collect those registration fees and close your eyes. Sad.

Transport trucks loaded with hundreds of puppies are on the roads each day delivering these "purebreds" to pet stores. People buy them because they feel sorry for them....this only perpetuates the sorry industry.

There are some fantastic breeders out there. It is up to the public to do their homework and research thoroughly the pup they will buy and enjoy for the next 10-15 yrs.
Dog rescues and shelters (reputable ones) offer some great dogs; pups and adults. This is really the best place to start, help those dogs who need it most.

 

[lance]

Bill C-373 Animal Cruelty Act

Bill C-373 Animal Cruelty Act

Two thumbs up for Oprah Winfrey publicizing the state of dogs in puppy mills.

Bina,
Bill C-373 (Google for it) is before parliament. It deals with animal cruelty. It is a private member's bill, presented by the Liberal representing Ajax Pickering, Mark Holland

It would be a good thing to contact your MP requesting his favourable vote. It's time animal welfare in Canada was brought into this century.

 

[Glenda]

I wondered if anyone would mention this show because we have some sincere animal lovers on this forum. I for one can not watch it! I saw the previews yesterday and ended up in tears. I can't watch any animal being abused and this is abuse.

 

[MaryC]

I watched this episode of Oprah tonight. The show opened with a tribute Oprah's crew had done for her Cocker Spaniel, Sophie, who she has had for 13 yrs. Sophie died last week. Oprah had not seen the video until the show and it was really emotional. The information on puppy mills was so sad. The ones who suffer the most are the female dogs who live all or almost all of their lives in cages, having litter after litter of puppies. When they are too old to breed anymore and some of them are able to be rescued, many times they can't walk because they have been caged their entire lives. It was really heartbreaking.

 

[EVELYN]

I saw the show and only hope it does some good. The tragedy of these poor animals is sickening. I always tell people: DON'T BUY FROM PET STORES!!! DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON THE TYPE OF DOG YOU WANT AND RESEARCH REPUTABLE BREEDERS WHO WILL STAND BY THEIR DOGS.

Does it work? Usually not. It's just "easier" and alot more convenient for people to walk into a pet store and fall in love with an adorable little puppy. Don't think for a second that these puppy mill puppies have any of the love, care, or health clearances that a good breeder will give their puppy before placing it with a family....It just doesn't happen, folks.

I just hope Oprah's show helps to educate the public about the tragedy of this industry in America. The AKC certainly doesn't have the power, and most local governments don't have the money or the manpower to do anything.

Evelyn

 

[catwoman]

I agree with Evelyn.
Anyone with money can purchase an animal from a pet store. Would that person be a responsible, loving, caring care provider? Not always. Sometimes these are impulse purchases.

Rescue groups and breeders make every attempt to scrutinize adopters/buyers.

As to animals being "inbred," even random-bred animals can be "inbred." In the wild, cats confine their roaming range to a given area. They will reproduce and any recessive genes will be passed on. Those recessive genes may be good, may be harmful. Pair up 2 recessives and they surface.
Breeders use special software to track breedings, even do "test breedings," showing inbreeding coefficients. You can look at the strong points and weak points in animals before you do a breeding. You can track health anomolies.
With outcross breedings, you don't always know what recessives an animal is carrying. We don't have all the DNA tests to determine each thing.
However, we do have a variety of DNA and other tests available to help us make thoughtful decisions. Reputable breeders want the breed to continue. Having genetic problems surface hurts a breed's future.

As to statistics used to show number of progeny that one single cat can be responsible for in X years: They are always the "best" case scendario, and Mother Nature doesn't read.
Mom cat or dog gets infection in utero, litter dies, and sometimes mom has to be spayed to save her from the life-threatening infection; if she lives in the wild, she will die. Cat starts delivering kittens in the wild, is frightened, hormones shut down, one kitten gets stuck in birth canal, dies and the rest of the kittens die (actual case at the SPCA in Dallas TX about 12 years ago).

Cats and dogs are always happier neutered/spayed. They live longer lives. That's why rescue groups spay/neuter before adopting out animals. Kittens I have placed as "pets" are just that -- neutered/spayed. And, yes, I get a lot of opposition on that. I will not even sell a kitten to a veterinarian without MY vet doing the surgery first.