Death Row Doggies-Revised By Lexie Aebi

Death Row Doggies
All the female breeding dogs are on death row at the puppy mill. Some are almost out of time, while others face countless more years of suffering before their final execution. These dogs are no more than cash cows. They are baby-making factories for the breeders who own them. They receive only what is necessary to keep them alive and some of the dogs do not even get that.
Puppy mills are farm-like estates that house dogs to breed. The puppies are then sold to pet stores and families for a profit. Although these properties are often large, the animals are confined in unbelievably tiny cages and often are unable to move. Many of the dogs do not know how to walk, as they have never been out of a cage. The dogs are frequently inbred and have serious health issues. Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue, has devoted his life to finding and rescuing puppy mill dogs. “It’s always amazing to me when I go out to pick up a dog, they’ve had the dog eight or nine years and it doesn’t have a name. It’s never been out of the hutch. It doesn’t know how to walk. I have to carry it to the car. It’s heartbreaking.”
The natural instinct is to feel bad for the puppies because they are too small to fend for themselves. However, the real victims of puppy mills are the female dogs who are being over bred and abused. They rarely receive any kind of veterinary care, and never leave the small confinement of the crate. Some of the dogs will have their vocal chords ripped out, so the breeders do not have to hear their screams.
The dogs develop terrible medical conditions and live in their own feces. They are never bathed and the stench of urine poisons the air. The puppies are sold to pet stores or families whenever they are old enough, while the mothers must remain in a torturous hell until they are no longer able to produce offspring. The dogs are then often killed or left to die, because they are no longer producing a crop. They are considered useless to the breeder.
How are these facilities allowed to continue operation? The simple answer is because consumers continue to purchase the puppies being produced in the mills. Directly or indirectly, society is supporting this abuse. According to www.stoppuppymills.org, “They continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for words puppies in pet store windows and on fancy Web sites. But behind the friendly façade of the local pet shop, the pastoral scenes on a “breeder’s” Web site, or the neighborhood newspaper ad, there often lies a puppy mill.”
Many people are unaware of the huge puppy mill problem that exists. Of the five dog-owning students that I surveyed on campus, only two of them knew where their dog came from. The other three students purchased their pups from breeders but did not know the conditions of the environment they were raised in. When I asked them if they knew anything about puppy mills, they responded that they did not. Kara Sha Jones, a psychology major, stated “I bought my cocker-spaniel from a breeder in Alabama. Because of the distance, I was not able to see the conditions of the puppies because I met the seller half-way to do the transaction.” This is a typical mistake and often overlooked detail that can cause puppy mills to continue operation. If potential owners are made aware, I do not believe they would overlook such an important component of puppy purchase.
These dogs can not speak out for themselves so we must do it for them. If the public won’t stand for puppy mills, these torture houses will be forced to close and lives will be saved in result. The owners of these puppy mills are monsters who pull the wool over the public’s eyes and take advantage of people with big hearts. All pet owners should take a step toward animal protection by asking questions about where a puppy comes from. Responsible buyers should go to the home of the owners and look at the living conditions of the mother dog. Report suspected abuse or neglect of animals to animal services. The best choice of all is to rescue a dog or puppy from the humane shelter and save a life.
People all over the world are joining in the cause to stop puppy mills and save the tortured mother dogs in these prisons. A large supporter of closing all puppy mills, of course, is PETA, and recently Oprah Winfrey joined the cause. Lisa Ling, an inside reporter, conducted a secret investigation for the Oprah show into the devastation of puppy mills. In the investigation, Ling visits different mills in Pennsylvania and captures some first hand footage of how bad these situations really are. Once you are exposed to these images, you will forever be scarred and it will always be with you as a problem humankind simply cannot ignore.
In this canine genocide, knowledge is power. If people aren’t informed, they cannot make the right decision when it comes time. Share this information with everyone you know and be part of the solution.