Yes, Oprah made me cry

I don’t normally watch Oprah (not a judgment, just a fact). I made a point to catch today’s episode though because it was on a subject I feel very passionate about: the horrors of puppy mills. I found, in speaking to friends over the last few days, that many people are not familiar with puppy mills, so I am glad Oprah dedicated an episode to educating her viewers on these awful places.

99% of puppies sold at pet stores are from puppy mills, where mothers live in cramped boxes their entire lives. They are never bathed and never receive veterinary care. They produce puppies every heat cycle, which means some dogs have up to 200 puppies. Since a reoccurring theme on this blog is the reduction of consumption, I want readers to think about just how much those 200 puppies consume! Moral of this story: Don’t EVER buy a puppy at a pet store or from a breeder whose facilities you can’t visit.

If you want to adopt, please go through a shelter or rescue organization – even if you want a specific breed, 33% of dogs in shelters are purebreds. If you must go through a breeder, make sure they are an American Kennel Association registered breeder and ask to visit their site.

On this episode, Oprah actually showed a dog at a shelter being put down and I became SO angry. That dog was put down because someone wanted a perfect little puppy. However, that perfect puppy they bought at the pet store has a very high chance of being inbreed and therefore is more likely to die of numerous diseases much earlier in life than mixed breed dogs.

I rescued an amazing dog two years ago who has become a huge part of my life. Yes, my dog is a little crazy, but my roommate and I have the time, energy, and desire to dedicate to rehilbilatating him. There were plenty of regular, well adjusted dogs, and the rescue organization was very upfront about Derby’s, um, let’s call them quirks (he was beat, extremely underweight, and found tied to a pole in the middle of January in Brooklyn). Have no fear about working with a rescue organization, they will help find a dog that best suites your situation.

There are hundreds of organizations you can go through, some specific to breeds. We found Derby through Waggy Tails and I can’t praise them enough. They specialize in small dogs. Lisa is ready to be adopted right now. She’s cute and sweet. She’s 10 and looking for a good home for her golden years, but won’t it be great to share them with her? My dog Mitzi lived to be 16 so this gal has still got some good time left. Contact Waggy Tails to adopt her!