What's a puppy mill?

Watch these videos and you'll see. Even though pet stores always deny that they get puppies from puppy mills, it's very likely that the expensive pet store down the street from you is getting puppies from places just like this.

From nopuppymills.com:

http://youtube.com/PetShopPuppies

A video of a particular puppy miller, John Graber of Odon, Indiana:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhjqBsOCiPs

From PETA:

http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=charlize-theron-pupply-mill

From Hearts United for Animals:

http://www.hua.org/movie.html (Takes a few minutes to download but is worth the wait!)

2008 Doggy TV video: "Why Pet Stores Selling Puppies are Fronts for Puppy Mills": This is a 30-minute interview with the protesters who succeeded in closing down Posh Puppies, a pet store in Los Angeles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7ilvYOXAks&feature=email

From the Humane Society of the United States:

http://www.stoppuppymills.org (click on "Watch Video")

2008:

www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/disasters_press_room/fieldnotes.html

From Companion Animal Protection Society: This is just one of their videos and photos--please visit the site for more.

http://www.caps-web.org/ohio.php

From a 2007 Philadelphia Inquirer news article:

Blank's Kennel - Long Lane Kennel in Narvon, Lancaster County

http://tinyurl.com/y2tsg8 (initial video quality isn't too good, but it improves)


Also check out the story of Baby, a puppy mill survivor:

http://www.baby94.com

A "Blue Ribbon," AKC-approved puppy mill--one of the "better" ones, but still bad.

http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2008/02/akc-loves-puppy-mills-and-naive.html

What's a dog auction? Check out this video: "Dog Auctions: where commercial dog breeders buy and sell breeding stock."

http://www.youtube.com/user/PetShopPuppies

* Learn more about puppy mills from the many sites devoted to this subject on the Internet, including:

1)

http://www.prisonersofgreed.org

Lots of photos and stories of rescued puppy mill dogs.

2) http://www.critterhaven.net

3) http://www.stoppuppymills.com

4) http://www.rivercitiespets.com

5) http://www.nopuppymills.com

6) http://www.idausa.org/petland.html

7) http://www.helppuppies.com

8) http://www.petshoppuppies.com

Helps you get USDA records for your puppy's breeder.

9) http://www.awawatchdog.com

10) http://www.puppymillrescue.com

11) http://www.asapinrockford.com (great info on sick puppies purchased at Petland)

12) http://www.caps-web.org

Recent videos and photos of puppy mills.

13) http://www.superpets.org

14) http://www.almosthomerescue.org (check out the news page)

15) http://www.banpuppymills.com

16) http://www.awarenessday.org

17) http://www.unitedagainstpuppymills.org

18) http://www.NJCAPSA.org

19) http://www.banOhioDogAuctions.com

20) http://www.api4animals.org (state laws dealing with pet shops are at http://www.api4animals.org/b4a1_petshoplaws_state.php; also see "Little Shop of Sorrows" investigation)

21) http://www.puppiesarebiodegradable.com

22) http://www.pacashcrop.com

23) http://www.sterlingshelter.org/news/boycott.html (especially for Massachusetts residents)

Links for Adopting Homeless Animals

Tehya, before and after. Tehya was removed from the home of someone who probably kept her in a crate all the time, but her troubles were not over. At left, Tehya cowering in fear at a Virginia shelter that still uses gas chambers to kill animals, even though they cause a painful, prolonged death. At right, Tehya rescued and happy in a foster home, only a few days later. Why support a pet store's cruel breeding practices when you can make such a difference in a homeless animal's life?

There are two main places to go to save a life by adopting a homeless animal: animal shelters and rescue groups. While many people have heard of their local animal shelter, they may not know about rescue groups, which are run by private individuals and nonprofit groups working to save animals' lives. Many pet-store customers are unaware that that they could obtain almost any kind of purebred dog from one of thousands of rescue groups all over the U.S.--for a fraction of the cost they will pay for a pet store puppy.

There are also many rescue groups for mixed-breed dogs, who make just as good companions as any purebreds, and who are less likely to have genetic defects caused by inbreeding, which is how purebreds are created.

There are rescue groups for cats, rabbits, birds, ferrets, turtles, iguanas, guinea pigs, mice, rats, snakes, and almost any other animal you can think of. Considering the fact that these animals are killed by the millions each year when there are not enough homes available, how can pet stores be justified in continually breeding and selling these animals? If you would like to adopt a homeless animal, a great national site where you can select by species and location is http://www.petfinder.org.

Other adoption sites:

http://www.pets911.com This site features a lost and found section for pets as well as animals that are up for adoption.

http://www.avianrescue.org Specifically for bird adoption, the shelters are organized by state rather than zip code.

http://www.petharbor.com Covers shelters in Canada and U.S.

http://worldanimalnet.org/new. asp Fetures pet adoption resoures worldwide.


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Here is just a sampling of places to adopt homeless animals in the Northern Virginia area:

• http://www.natewood.net/PetsInNeed_Virginia.html--Links to rescue groups.

• http://www.petloverscompanion.com/, which is also available as a free magazine at some area stores. It lists 126 local purebred dog rescue groups from A to Z, Affenpinschers to Yorkshire Terriers. It includes all of the following information and much more:

Local animal shelters (usually include small animals such as rabbits in addition to dogs and cats):

• Animal Welfare League of Alexandria - 4101 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA, 703-838-4774. Adoption only. Please do not relinquish animals to this shelter.

• Animal Welfare League of Arlington - 2650 S. Arlington Mill Drive, Arlington, VA, 703-931-9241, www.awla.org

• Fairfax City Animal Shelter is at Town & Country Animal Hospital, 9836 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030, 703-385-7919.

• Fairfax County Animal Shelter - 4500 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA, 703-830-1100.
The Fairfax County Animal Shelter's website is www.co.fairfax.va.us/living/animals. This shelter is only a few miles from the Fairfax City Petland. Adoption fee for dogs: $85.

• Fauquier County SPCA - 9350 Rogues Road, Casanova, VA, 540-788-9000

• Loudoun County Animal Shelter - 39820 Charles Town Pike, Waterford, VA, 703-777-0406 http://www.loudoun.gov/animals/index.htm

• Manassas/Manassas Park Shelter - 9050 Liberia Ave., Manassas, VA, 703-361-2812.

• Prince William County Animal Shelter - 14807 Dumfries Road, Manassas, VA, 703-792-6465.

• SPCA of Fredericksburg - 1523 Olde William St., Fredericksburg, VA, 540-373-9008.

Some of our favorite rescue groups, mostly in the DC area:

DOGS AND CATS: Please visit http://ruralshelterhelp.blogspot.com, which lists animals that are scheduled to be killed in rural Virginia shelters. Each week, volunteers save lives by transporting these animals to rescue groups up north that can get them into good homes. There is a DESPERATE need for help in transporting these animals. To volunteer, please e-mail Erin at Tierbee@aol.com. Erin's e-mail address will soon (around June 2006) be changing to Tierbee@cox.net.

• DOGS: Almost Home Dachshund Rescue www.almosthomerescue.org

• DOGS AND CATS: Annie's Angels www.anniesangels.org

• DOGS AND CATS: Briggs Animal Adoption Center, http://www.baacs.org, P.O. Box 1023, Charles Town, West Virginia 25414-1023, phone 304-724-6558.

• DOGS: Cocker Spaniel Rescue
http://www.cockerspanielrescue.org/, especially the local group "Oldies But Goodies" at www.cockerspanielrescue.com. 703-533-2373.

• DOGS: Dachshund Rescue - http://www.drna.org/, Jane Lantz, 703-330-5945

• LITTLE DOGS: Shih Tzu and Precious Paws Rescue
http://www.shihtzuandpreciouspaws.org DC area

LITTLE DOGS: Caring Hearts Rescue
www.caringheartsrescue.org
2007: This is a new group in the DC area, and its most urgent need right now is FOSTER HOMES.

• CATS: CATS RULE! Feline Rescue - http://www.catsrule.org, feral cats.

• RABBITS: Friends of Rabbits
www.friendsofrabbits.org

• RABBITS: RabbitWise - http://www.rabbitwise.org/, 703-421-2258 (in Virginia) 301-530-1252 (in Maryland). The RabbitWise website provides information on rabbit care and lists a number of rescue groups.

• BIRDS: Phoenix Landing - http://www.phoenixlanding.org/, 1-866-749-5634.

• BIRDS: The Gabriel Foundation - http://www.thegabrielfoundation.org

• BIRDS: www.parrotchronicles.com/departments/rescuelist.htm for listing of rescue groups by state.

• FERRETS: www.rockysferrets.com
and www.ferretsfirst.org

• FISH: This is the only group we've heard of whose entire focus is on rescuing unwanted pet, pond, and aquarium fish. They also "educate the public on the growing number of fish being purchased as pets then for unforeseen reasons become 'too much trouble'!" Dennis and Carolyn King, who run this group, do not currently have a website but can be contacted at FishRESCUE@USA.com. Address: 5441 Harborage Dr., Ft. Myers, FL 33908.

• HAMSTERS AND OTHER SMALL ANIMALS: (we don't know these groups personally but are passing this along)

Some Bunny Luvs Me, Montgomery County, Maryland (Suburban Washington, DC). Contact: e-mail: flemmil1@westat.com; telephone: 301-879-4504.

Montgomery County Humane Society: 14645 Rothgeb Drive, Rockville, MD 20850; (240) 773-5960. Priority is given to Montgomery County residents but adopters may live outside the county.

Small Angels Rescue: www.smallangelsrescue.org is a foster network for gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, and rats in Frederick, MD. Contact Angela Pfeiffer at (301) 668-3117 or apfeiffer@copper.net.

Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue in Northern Virginia: Rescues guinea pigs, educates the public about their proper care, has guinea pigs available for adoption.

Miscellaneous recommended sites:

Help feed and care for shelter animals with a click of your mouse each day. This is a legitimate site. Go to:
www.theanimalrescuesite.com.

Cruelty cases involving companion animals: www.pet-abuse.com. Note especially the "Euthanasia Death toll," which increases every few seconds as another animal is killed in a U.S. shelter.

Dogs Deserve Better, www.dogsdeservebetter.org, focuses on the plight of chained dogs.

YAHOO RESCUE/ANIMAL GROUPS

Network with others fighting for the lives of companion animals--join a Yahoo animal group. These are some that we belong to, but there are many more.

1-79_Transport_4_Rescues
Alldogsgreatandsmallrescue
ALLProven DNA
Annies Angels Rescue
Animal Shelter Reform
Black Dogs Rescue
Boycott_Petland
DC Rescue
EastCoastTransit-Rescue
GAATransport
GasChamberRescueTransport
Metropets
PMFRT (Puppy Mill Fighters)
Pregnant Dog Rescue
Provendna-dn2
RescueCrossposters
RESCUEShelterandMillAnimals
Save Pets
Shelterliaison
United States Animal Protection
VA Rural Shelter Transport
Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare
Voiceoftheanimals2005
Voicesforhomelessanimals
Voice for Rahkim

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Low-Cost Spay/Neuter

Petland and other pet stores bring dogs and other animals into the world and sell them very young, unspayed and unneutered, contributing to the homeless animal crisis in yet another way. Spaying and neutering dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals is crucial in preventing unwanted animals from being born and then suffering unnecessarily.

Although over 3 million dogs and over 4 million cats are still killed in shelters each year because they have no home, this number has been reduced over the last decade, due in large part to spay/neuter efforts. Almost all veterinarians offer spaying and neutering services, but if price is key, low-cost spay/neuter clinics are available.

For national referrals, call:
Low Cost National Reference, Friends of Animals, 1-800-321-7387.

For the D.C. metro area:
http://www.paw-rescue.org/sn.php

SPAY, Inc - http://www.spay.org/

Spay USA - http://www.spayusa.org/

Additional Info:
Y2Spay - http://www.y2spay.org/

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