Tails: Untold Truths and Unfounded Compassion

Last night as I lay in bed with Bronchitis, Penelope and Thorp lay next to me. Each snuggled up against each other.

They were relaxed and comfortable. And, they were taking care of me. Resting their heads on my stomach, looking up at me each time I coughed.

They would sigh every so often and stretch out. At one point, Penelope was flat on her back, legs wide open in total trust of her surroundings.

A year ago that was not the case. A year ago, I was scurrying to find #151 listed as, “A good mother, into heat soon – will make money fast.”

She was 4 ½ years old and already she had bore so many babies. I knew it was her, sight unseen, that I wanted to save at the Amish Puppy Mill auction.

Two years prior, without even a mere grasp of the ultimate truths of puppy mills, I wandered into the barn and lost my breath.

Gasping for air, I walked around, holding back tears, staring into the endless wire cages, at the empty souls. No tail wagged, no dog barked, no dog had food, water, or a blanket to lie on.

Cage upon cage, I would walk to – like a zombie – numb and glazed over. Until #171…. He was matted and emotionally dead. And without any experience, without any understanding – I rescued him.

Today it is 2 years that Thorp has lived with us.

Two years, practically on the same day, I exposed my heart to a cruelty that I never fathomed. Two years ago, my life changed forever.

Today, Thorp and Penelope fill our lives with a special love. When I see them napping on a chair in the sun, chewing a rawhide and their tails wagging, when I see them playing with each other: I cannot help but smile.

To imagine how their lives have changed – and to admire how resilient they have been. They are survivors. They are survivors who have taught me to stand up for what is right.

When I seem them content and at peace, my mind still flashes back to all the other dogs I didn’t bring home. I swallow hard when I think that they might still be suffering – neglected – abused. And, that is when I know I must continue to fight for them.

To speak for them because they are voiceless.

Sure Penelope and Thorp and many others have been rescued from a horrible fate but there are even more dogs out there, waiting for their lucky day.

Many states including two, WI and IA, which surround my state, have passed bills protecting dogs and enforcing regulations on mass breed facilities. IL is still lagging in the background.

With the city of Chicago, one of the biggest in the US, I would have thought that IL would be a progressive state. Instead, I find myself embarrassed by our lack of humane laws – specifically regulations for mass breeders.

For those of you in IL who are kind enough to follow my blog, please write, call your legislators and demand that the cruelty be stopped.

Senator Pam Altoff has followed our pleas and is supportive of these laws – Rep. Jack Franks has yet to confirm his support and Rep. Mike Tryon (Crystal Lake) has personally told me that he couldn’t support a bill (attempted last year) that regulates puppy mills “because his neighbors breed their dogs once in awhile.”

Since I rescued Thorp two years ago, I am proud to say that the atrocity of puppy mills is coming to an end in many states. But, sadly, not yet in mine.

Two years ago changed not only my understanding of puppy mill dogs and what they endure to survive – but it taught me to endlessly fight for what I believe in.

Thorp and Penelope have blossomed into amazing, loving dogs who had an unfounded reason to understand compassion yet, so sincerely thankful for their second chance – hopefully, IL will blossom into a humane state and instill laws to regulate the untold truths of puppy mills.