Truths: Adopt DON’T Shop!

Yesterday I took Thorp to his last training class before we take the therapy dog and canine good citizen certification this Sunday. (Please cross your paws for us)

At the training place is also a rescue that I know rather well and have helped at once in awhile. They have done so much work with taking in puppy mill survivors and I couldn’t be more proud to be affiliated with them or a friend of the director.

While we were there, they were bringing in more dogs and puppies that they took in from various places such as Milwaukee Animal Control and puppy mills in WI.

As we practiced our skills for the test – dogs and puppies were passing us by.

Two dogs, in particular, pulled at my heart. They were poodle type mixes and as they were carried the one had her “arms” around the other as though she was hugging her.

I melted. One was this little black, scrawny thing. When she opened her mouth I could see that her teeth were in horrible shape. She was a stray found in Milwaukee – about 8 years old. I fell in love immediately.

Now normally the story would be that I adopted her on the spot. But, I didn’t – I can’t. Four dogs is the limit at our house…Five means divorce.

The other dog who was hugging “mine” was about two years old and also found as stray but not with the black one. This poor dog only had one eye. The other was either sewn shut or she was born that way. The two looked like they were from the same litter. And, both were so pathetic and so adorable it was nearly impossible for me to walk away.

Certain dogs just touch your soul and become unforgettable… These were those for me.

As those two were checked in, more came. And this time they were puppies all taken from a puppy mill. Each of them those fancy designer breeds that everyone wants and that took over the puppy mill market until it has become so saturated that there are no more stores who want these dogs…

And this is where I want to make my point… so many people patronize the pet stores looking for some kind of designer breed – paying thousands of dollars to get one…

And, sadly, they never even consider looking to a rescue or a shelter and giving an unwanted dog a home.

Well, I hope this will start to change people’s minds. Those dogs that people have been paying thousands for are now in rescue. They are the SAME cute little, fluffy puppies who would have ended up in petstores sick and unaltered – and now they are in rescues and shelters because the pet stores don’t want them anymore and the mills have no use for them.

These same dogs are up for adoption with costs about $300.00

$300 versus $1000 – and these dogs are all vetted, spayed or neutered and come with their first set of vaccinations.

I promise that these are the same puppies that are sitting in cages at Petland and Puppyworld and every other pet shop that sells puppies across the nation.

NO, petstores do not get their dogs from good breeders because good breeders would NEVER sell their dogs to pet stores. If you don’t believe me – research a good breeder and ask them.

The point is simple – do not buy from a pet store… look for a reputable rescue… Right now, especially in WI, where the legislation to regulate mills was passed last fall – puppy mills are closing up shop and have thousands of dogs and puppies to place.

Rescues across WI are full of wonderful dogs who have endured being bred in mass breeding facilities AND hundreds of “pure bred and designer breed” puppies up for adoption.

There is absolutely no need to walk into a pet store.

I know that not everyone’s heart would melt for the fuzzy, old poodle mix I met yesterday – But I do know, after being really involved in rescue, that there are a lot of people out there who have been wanting a shaggy little puppy to call their own…

Those puppies are filling up rescues in WI and are all hoping that someone like you will come and take them home.

To find out more about that cute, little black poodley dog or the many other shaggy designer pups go to: www.bichonrescues.com (they have a lot more than Bichons)