#PuppyMillActionWeek: I Am A Product of Hope

With Mother's Day only a day away, it is appropriate that we recognize those mothers that cannot speak for themselves.  Those mothers that are enslaved to procreate in horrible conditions.  Those mothers that are seen as property rather than as a living being.  I am choosing to speak up for those mothers that are trapped in puppy mills around the world.  Puppy Mill Action Week is a week dedicated to ending the abuse and suffering associated with puppy mills, and when I received an offer to help spread the word, I could not pass up the opportunity.

A Little History About Puppy Mill Action Week

Puppy Mill Action Week is a week-long event spearheaded by the Humane Society International ("HSI"); however, the effort to end the puppy mill industry stretches far beyond this week.  That is where the Puppy Mill Project comes in.  The Puppy Mill Project ("TPMP") is an organization that is dedicated to educating the public about how to end "puppy mill cruelty".

My Family's Experience With Puppy Mills

Everyone makes mistakes, and my humans are no exception (believe me, they make a lot of mistakes).  When they were young, and naive, they purchased my sister Emma, the Boston Terrier.  Emma was (and quite frankly still is) the love of their lives; but, unbeknownst to my humans, Emma was a product of a puppy mill.   My humans found this out many years after they purchased their sweet baby - a headline in the news indicated that the business that they purchased her from was shut down due to the sale of sick dogs originating from sickening puppy mills.  My humans were heartbroken.  While they felt glad that they had spared Emma from a life of imprisonment and abuse (she was already eight months old when they got her - she would have certainly been sent back to the mill if she was not sold), they felt terrible that they had supported such an awful trade.  Unfortunately, their heartbreak did not end there.

About a year ago, at the age of nine, Emma became suddenly and extremely ill.  After ultrasounds on her heart and countless blood tests and dollars spent, Emma was diagnosed with a form of anemia.  Despite several blood transfusions, the anemia ultimately claimed Emma's life a few short weeks later.  It is believed that this illness was a result of her puppy mill roots.  Needless to say, my humans were devastated.

There Is Hope

Despite the devastation of losing Emma, and even though there are still so many dogs suffering at the hands of abusive and cruel puppy mills, there is hope.  I say this, because I am a product of hope.

After learning from their experience with Emma, my humans refused to support the puppy mill trade ever again.  My humans did their research and purchased me, and my sister Lilo, from Honey Pets, a local store that only sells requested puppies acquired from local, responsible breeders.  In fact, Honey Pets supplied my humans with my entire history - including my parents' names and the name of my local breeder.  (Sidenote:  my mother's name is Daisy, too!)  Pet stores like Honey Pets are acknowledging that puppy mills are unacceptable and inhumane, and they are doing their part to end the practice by reducing the demand for puppy mill animals. 

Honey Pets is dedicated to the affectionate and responsible care and acquisition of their puppies, and I am a firm supporter of local businesses - especially those who do the right thing.  Honey Pets is a wonderful business that understands the importance of responsible breeding and the compassionate adoption of an animal.  If we, as consumers, can demand that more local businesses provide responsibly bred animals; or, alternatively, offer an adoption program in lieu of puppies obtained from mills, we can shut down puppy mills once and for all.  It IS possible for a pet store to get it right.

Do Your Research

Learn from my humans' mistake and do your research first.  By doing your research you can spare yourself the heartache associated with a sick pet, and help to shut down puppy mills by reducing the demand.  Here are some great places to start your research journey:

• Check out the Puppy Mill Project on Facebook
• Find a Puppy Friendly Pet Store
• Find a local breeder, and interview the breeder to make sure that she/he only sells their animals to responsible people or businesses
• Interview your local store - don't be afraid to ask for proof of where the puppy originated

By working together, and doing our research, we can make a difference.  Let's rally together to speak for the mothers who can't speak for themselves this Mother's Day.  Let's End Puppy Mills Forever.