Heartbreaking Connection Between Pet Stores and Puppy Mills

Many of us think that there is hardly anything more appealing and alluring than the soulful eyes of the cute little puppies staring out from the pet store display window. We can be riveted to these darling babies as we enjoy watching them play with apparent abandon, showing off their high energy, intelligence and fetching antics. After all, they would instantly melt the heart of any animal lover.

We may pause for awhile to "awww" and "ahhh" and even if we are not be in the market for a new puppy, these little canines who scratch at the window, beckoning us to play with them have already cast a spell upon us. It is very easy to rationalize that when all is said and done it is certainly no "accident" that we were chosen to take one of them home. Out comes the wallet and voila, another pet store puppy is sold.

Many of us also may think that we have "rescued" a needy puppy in desperate need of a loving home. And while there is some truth to that assumption, at the same time, in the majority of cases we have simply supported a back-yard breeder or much worse, a puppy mill breeder or Internet outlet, whose only interest is making a quick profit by selling their stock to pet stores in huge numbers.

So, in an effort to educate the public about this thriving business, on May 17, Animal Planet premiered the second in a series of investigative specials, "Animal Planet Investigates: Petland" The program featured the tireless work that the Humane Society of the United States is doing to help eliminate puppy mills.

The program demonstrated the dark and heartbreaking connection between pet stores and puppy mills, exposing the deceit made to unknowing consumers when they purchase puppies from pet stores, and also through the Internet. Sadly, many of these puppies are not at all healthy; some even die after days or weeks of purchase.

What is most alarming is that it is estimated that in the United States there are approximately 10,000 puppy mill facilities operating today. This means that there are hundreds of thousands dogs bred in conditions that are completely appalling. These unfortunate dogs receive little or no human attention, exercise or veterinary care and are often kept in tiny wire cages trapped in their own filth. Many of them are even unable to walk properly when removed from their cage and placed on solid ground. The only concern of the puppy mill breeders is the bottom line profit they can make at the expense of the health, safety and disposition of their "product".

And while The HSUS has rescued over 5,000 puppy mill dogs over the past two years and 13 states have already passed legislation to regulate these distressing facilities, there remains much more that must be done to once- and- for- all completely abolish all puppy mill operations.

A recent AP-Petside.com poll showed that people are beginning to become more educated about the conditions of puppies sold in pet stores. However, much of the public remains clueless about the plight of pet store puppies and kittens. They fall in love with the little ones that adorn pet store windows. Watch this short video snippet titled, "Meringue Dancing Dogs", which clearly demonstrates just how naive people can be, thinking this behavior as ever so cute. This "dancing" in reality can easily be compared to prison "psychosis".

Please consider signing the HSUS pledge to stop puppy mills

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