Puppy mills are breeding facilities that mass-produce puppies for sale in pet stores, over the Internet, and directly to the public. Dogs are stacked in filthy wire cages, often with no veterinary care or human interaction, and they are treated not like pets but like a cash crop. Mother dogs are constantly bred and kept in continuous confinement. They are destroyed or discarded when they can no longer churn out puppies.
Fortunately, legislation (H.B. 198/S.B. 53) has been introduced in Illinois to limit the number of dogs in these facilities to prevent mega puppy mills from operating and put in place some basic animal welfare standards.
TAKE ACTION
Your state senator, Frank Watson, sits on the committee that will consider this legislation soon. Please take a moment to call Senator Watson at (217) 782-5755 to urge support for S.B. 53.
When you call, you will likely speak to a staff member who will pass your message along to your legislator. Remember to be polite and professional, and leave your name and address so it is clear that you are a constituent. You can say:
"Hello, my name is [your name] and I am calling from [your town] to ask Senator Watson to support S.B. 53, legislation to crack down on puppy mills. As a constituent, I am very concerned about large scale breeding and the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills. Thank you."
After making your call, send a follow-up email to your senator in support of this legislation. Finally, please tell your friends and family in Illinois how they can help.
Thank you for all you do for animals.
Sincerely,
Mike Markarian
Executive President
The Humane Society of the United States
By Lynn Thompson
Times Snohomish County Reporter
When Ruth Brumbaugh answered an ad in the Little Nickel Classifieds for a Yorkshire terrier, she envisioned a companion dog who would alert her to strangers.
What the elderly widow got was almost $1,200 in veterinary bills for a dog that was deaf, couldn't bark and within six weeks had to undergo a Caesarean section to deliver two stillborn puppies.
The bill of sale, signed by Snohomish kennel owner Renee Roske, said the 7-year-old female was spayed.
Now, officials are investigating Roske's role in what they allege is an illegal puppy mill that netted millions of dollars in the past decade. Last month, sheriff's deputies seized hundreds of sick and diseased dogs at homes in Snohomish and Skagit counties owned by Roske's parents and sister. Her parents and another couple have been charged with felony animal cruelty.
Please read the entire article here:
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mobile/story.php?oid=2008774191§ion_key=home
The ASPCA’s best and brightest are currently on the ground in White County, TN, managing operations of a puppy mill raid that began Wednesday morning, February 11. Our forensic cruelty investigation team, led by Dr. Melinda Merck, ASPCA Senior Director of Veterinary Forensics, is evaluating dogs and collecting evidence for the future criminal prosecution of the puppy mill’s owners. Members of the ASPCA Disaster Response team and several of our legislative professionals are also assisting at the site.
More than 250 small-breed dogs—including Boston and Jack Russell terriers, Pomeranians, shih tzus, Chihuahuas, poodles, miniature pinschers and schnauzers—were recovered from multiple buildings on the raided property. According to Dr. Merck, the dogs are suffering from a general lack of basic care, such as little to no food or water, feces-encrusted pens and lack of proper ventilation in enclosed areas. Conditions such as matting, sores, mange, poor teeth and abscesses are widespread. Dogs in critical condition were examined immediately on the scene and in the Mobile Animal CSI Unit, and those needing emergency care were transferred to local veterinarians who have volunteered their services.
Local officials became concerned about this particular puppy mill last September after a visitor to the property—someone who had intended to purchase a dog—alerted the White County Humane Society to the poor conditions of the animals. The White County Sheriff’s Department began a formal investigation, ultimately enlisting the ASPCA’s support for this week’s raid. Other parties assisting in the rescue include American Humane Association, Nashville Humane Association, several local veterinarians and PetSmart? Charities, which provided the majority of sheltering supplies and an emergency relief vehicle.
Back in June, the ASPCA assisted in the raid of a puppy mill in Lyles, TN—the state’s largest raid to date. Thankfully, the Tennessee General Assembly is taking action to address the state’s puppy mill problem—last week, a consumer protection bill addressing large-scale commercial breeders was introduced in the Senate; introduction of a House companion bill is expected soon.
How can you help to ensure a safe future for dogs like these? When you donate today, you will help us in all of our life-saving efforts, including ones like the puppy mill raid in Tennessee.
To learn more about the White County raid, please visit our blog to see pictures of the puppies we rescued.
Everytime I visit their site to look at the rankings I am sickened to see the number of internet puppy mills who have high ranking sites. Reputable breeders don't need the internet to sell puppies. If you are selling online you do it for profit. I'm so disgusted by the sheer number of breeders on the Top100 that I always consider removing my site from the directory. My site is buried in the ranks anyway. I'm not motivated by money so I don't work to increase my rankings. Hell I don't even know HOW to do that. I am curious what other people think? Top100 has no moral standards or code of ethics, they exist to make money as well so I doubt they really give a shit what true animal lovers think about promoting puppy mills.
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