Do NOT Buy Animals From A Pet Store!

You may wonder why I say this, but in my opinion as I have learned recently, those animals are bred in what I consider the most horrific conditions.  Those conditions are called puppy mills and many of them are approved by the United States Department of Agriculture.  Dogs are bred and raised in possibly worse conditions than the chicken you eat.  Why? Because they are an easy way for some people to make money.  Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue had the opportunity to work with many other rescue groups in Phoenix. Arizona to work with Mill Dog Rescue from Colorado.   At pet stores people see the best of the pups, but don't realize the conditions under which they were bred and born and where the sire and dam still reside.  I learned some of that this last few weeks.

Mill Dog rescue says

"here at Mill Dog Rescue Network we acquire our dogs in a different way

We have rescue contacts in both Missouri and Kansas that have developed relationships with several mills across those states. They have worked with certain breeders to help them understand that they can find permanent homes for their retired breeding stock rather than killing the dog or allowing it to languish on in the mill, furthering its suffering. These dogs are given to our rescue contacts and in turn, given to us. There is no money exchanged for these dogs. This is absolutely the only chance that these dogs will ever have to know what life should have always been for them.

We are all involved in this effort because we love dogs and rescuing them comes natural to us and our volunteers. However, the most important part of our mission is to educate. We have found that showing the dogs and telling their stories is the best way to help people understand their plight. The average animal-loving citizen needs to know the truth about the commercial dog breeding industry. You need to understand the anguish and the misery of the parents of pet store and Internet puppies. No matter how tempting that darling little face is in the pet store window or on the computer screen, people must stop supporting this industry by purchasing these puppies and we must tell everyone we know to do the same. This is a supply and demand problem and when enough people stop supporting the industry, things will begin to change.

Please, on behalf of commercial breeding dogs everywhere, STOP supporting the industry. Go to your local shelter or rescue group and get a dog that is already in need of a loving home.  Be proud to tell others that you rescued your dog and that you are taking a stand against the commercial dog breeding industry. Together we can make a lasting difference."  You can visit their web site to learn a lot more.  http://www.milldogrescue.org/

Last Tuesday evening the folks at Mill Dog Rescue drove east through Kansas and Missouri picking up more than 120 dogs from various mills. They had a difficult trip that wasn't made any easier by the weather which caused them to not arrive in Phoenix until after 8:30 Saturday evening.  Between 40-60 rescuers and volunteers awaited them to help take in and process more than the 120 dogs that they brought with them. 

Here is a great Dane that is less than a year old who looks as though she has not been outside of a much too small crate.  By the end of the evening, she was doing visibly much better.

VSGSR took in several mini schnauzers who are in great need of medical help.  This little guy was referred to as a trainwreck.  At some point in his life someone cared as his ears are cropped, but when I first say him and picked him up, he was rigid with fear. Nevermind that he smelled so bad, I could hardly stand it.  But as the minutes passed and I adjusted to his "odor", he adjusted to my holding him.  He was matted to the skin and hadn't been bathed or groomed in probably years.

Underneath all of the matted mess, is a very cute fellow!!  Now it will take several weeks of love and tenderness to get his heart to match his new handsome looks.

Toto won hearts as soon as she was picked up by Mill Dog Rescue.  One day she walked all over one of the farms as they picked up dogs without a leash of any kind.  She knew which way was the road out of there for her, and she was not leaving Theresa's side. She is missing hair on her backsides and has a double hernia that will need to be repaired.  She is an escape artist just because she wants to be where ever the people are.  She is so happy to be free of her crate where she has spent her life.

We tease her and tell her than in her hurry to get out of Kansas, that she left Dorothy behind.  Now she needs to find her Dorothy that she can attach herself to.  She is just a love and it is hard to imagine how she has been treated and can still be such a wonderful and loving little girl.

This little schnoodle is only 6-7 months old and his crime is that he will need some special surgery for neutering and has ear mites.  He is afraid of people but within 24 hours, his little butt and tail were just a waggin' away.  He stole my heart as did all of them.

The folks are Mill Dog Rescue returned to their homes today and will go back to their "normal" lives this week until they do this all over again.  Thank you ALL for all you do! And I want to thank my mom for instilling in me her love of animals and nature.  Happy Mother's Day Mom! 

Comments

[Christine]

I love that little black and white schnoodle. Look at the expression on his face. It's just amazing that these dogs love people after all they have been through!

[andreanna]

Aww those poor animals. They are all so darling though.

[rachel]

Wow...they have been through so much! Blessings to you for caring for all of them all night.