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SAAW has always been vocal on the horrors
of Mass Puppy Mills and the Tragedy they cause
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Don’t buy a dog from a pet store. If you don't buy from pet
stores, puppy mills will go out of business.
It’s that simple. Most puppies sold in pet stores come from
puppy mills. Because it is virtually impossible to determine the
quality of the breeding facility listed on the puppy’s papers,
the more humane option is simply not to buy the dog at all. Although
the consumer may be assured that American Kennel Club (AKC) papers
guarantee a quality dog, in reality, nothing is further from the
truth. After years of artfully dodging the question of how AKC papers
could be registered to dogs and puppies found in the worst of puppy
mills, the AKC itself is admitting the misconceptions that are connected
with purebred papers.
No one has more power to fight puppy mills than the consumer. You
have the ability to stop the cycle of abuse by refusing to purchase
a puppy from a pet store.
Adopt instead
When you’re ready to bring a dog into your life, visit your
local animal shelter or animal control facility. Millions of homeless
dogs are waiting for life-long, responsible homes. You won’t
be supporting the puppy mill industry, and you'll be fighting the
tragic pet overpopulation problem. If you are interested in a particular
breed, there are breed rescue groups that will match you with the
exact dog you are looking for. Simply search the web to find them.
Unlike buying, adoption focuses on matching your lifestyle and
habits with the animal’s needs and characteristics. When an
animal is sold, profit comes first. Pet stores will sell to anyone.
The profit motive puts the animal’s needs in jeopardy.
Make your voice heard
Outrage at the conditions found in many puppy mills has brought
increased awareness to this issue. Legislators listen to calls and
letters from constituents, and plan their priorities accordingly.
Although any change in the way puppy mills are regulated is an improvement,
the changes will not eliminate puppy mills! Until the demand for
mass-produced pet store puppies ends, there will always be a profit
made in the production of dogs.
Resolve to inform friends, neighbors, family, co-workers about
the puppy mill issue. Many people care deeply about animals, but
are simply unaware of the connection between the pet store puppy
and the tragic breeding dogs trapped in the puppy mill horror.
Mass commercial puppy mill breeders will stop only when our consumer
dollars stop earning them a profit. When we have the power we have
the responsibility. Simply refuse to buy anything from a pet store
that sells dogs and cats for profit. We can fight this industry
that views dogs as mere profit machines. Isn’t such unconditional
love worth this effort?
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