Petland and Puppy Mills

I choke on bile whenever I hear stories of animal abuse and overbreeding. I can't watch Animal Cops or Animal ER because it just kills me. As someone who would never treat their worst enemy that way, well, it makes me want to treat the offenders that way. I wonder how an unscrupulous breeder would like to be stuffed into a filthy cage!

MSNBC ran a story today about the Petland chain of pet supply stores that are selling animals from "commercial puppy mills" and telling the customers the pet they just purchased came from a reputable breeder.

People, do you really need to have a fancy, name-brand dog? Or some snooty purebred cat? OK, guess I have to dial back on that. Several of my friends have preferences for particular breeds and have purchased pets from breeders. I can't fault them for that because they took a pet into a loving home, but really, don't forget that the animals in the pound are living life on borrowed time!

Every dog I've had, save one, has been a foundling or adopted from the Humane Society. Every cat I've ever owned has been a freebie, save Tommy--who was rescued from a hoarding situation. I purchased a pair of bunnies a few years ago because I couldn't stand to see them in a cage and they now live in a pen with plenty of leg room and lots of dirt to dig in. (If there weren't six of them, I'd attempt to make them house bunnies!)

Unfortunately, those of us with soft hearts lay eyes on an animal and don't care where it came from. We know that it needs us and the love and care we can give.

Yes, stronger regulation is needed. But until puppy mills are shut down, they won't stop what they are doing, and more and more of these poor animals are brought into this world! Stop the demand, stop the supply!

I'm sorry, I have to get off my soap box and go home and hug my babies.