Blowing the Whistle on Puppy Mills
December 8, 2009 by Paris Permenter and John Bigley
Filed under Holidays & Your Dog, Puppies, Tips
Do you suspect a puppy mill in your area? The Humane Society of the United States has launched a national telephone tip line and encourages callers to report suspected puppy mills or suspected cruelty.
How to Call: The hotline, 1-877-MILL-TIP, is available to anyone suspecting puppy mills – but they especially welcome callers with “insider” knowledge, or from law enforcement officials who might be aware of these breeding operations.
“Puppy mills are a national scourge,” said Justin Scally, manager of The HSUS’ Wilde Puppy Mill Task Force. “Hundreds of thousands of dogs across the country are trapped in constant confinement their entire lives, producing puppies to profit the puppy mill owner. This tip line will be a vital tool to help free these dogs from a life of abuse.”
Did You Know?
This tip line was launched to coincide with the peak in puppy mill activities: the holidays. Puppy mill dogs are bred to deliver puppies eight weeks prior to the holiday rush. If you buy a puppy at a pet store or online, you are very likely getting a puppy from a puppy mill. You should know that dogs at puppy mills typically receive little to no medical care, live in squalid conditions with no exercise, socialization or human interaction, and are confined inside cramped wire cages for life.
The holidays are not a good time to get a puppy because of hectic schedules and heightened levels of excitement the house. If, however, you do decide to get a puppy over the holidays (and never get a puppy as a surprise for anyone!), please consider shelters and rescues. You’ll find many great puppies, adolescents, and adult dogs in your local shelter and rescues looking for homes. Remember: that Christmas puppy will become a dog in just a few short months so please keep an open mind when looking at adolescents and adults (who often come with many bonuses…they’re over the chewing stage, are often housebroken, have received all their shots, and more!)
If you obtain your next four-legged friend from a shelter, rescue or reputable breeder, you help put a stop to puppy mills!
For More Information:
About Paris Permenter and John Bigley
DogTipper publishers Paris Permenter and John Bigley are a husband-wife team of full-time writers. The couple has authored over two dozen books and 2,500+ magazine articles.
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