By Elea White ’21
Although there are many movements, websites, and activists, some people are still uniformed on how to get a dog. Many people believe that when you buy a puppy from a store, they came from a reputable breeder or even simply good living conditions. That is however, not the case.
Very few know the hard truth and reality about where their “pedigree or pet store” dogs are coming from. Many of the cute, purebred, wide eye puppies that can be found almost anywhere do not come from the places that many people picture in their heads.
Behind the steep prices, perfect grass, and crystal clear windows, there is a world that very few know about. The inbreeding, wire cages, and horrible living conditions are just a fraction of the abuse that many of these dogs face everyday.
Aside from the physical trauma that many of these puppies face, there are a lot of internal suffering involved with these dogs. Within the first few weeks of life, the puppies in the mills are torn from their mothers and left with no major bonds or way of learning.
From there, they are loaded into transport trucks, and hauled for days without food and water to the pet stores. Many of these puppies also suffer medical problems like; diseases, weak joints and bones, problems caused by inbreeding, and a lack of nutrients at a young age.
The biggest underlying problem are under educated people, or people who are not aware of what is truly going on. When they continue to purchase dogs from places and situations like these, they are not helping the cause or the dogs at all. Purchasing a dog gives the Mills a source of income. This keeps them running and in business.
While many get their dogs from reputable breeders, this is not enough. There are still millions of homeless dog that will never get a chance to experience love. There are also so many purebred dog rescues, with many different breeds available.
There are also many ways for people to get involved and help. Many rescue shelters are in desperate need of fosters, or even just a place to put a dog for the night. Regis Jesuit Junior, Grace Varga, has experience with many of these situations as a puppy mill foster. “It is sickening that people are still getting dogs from breeders when there are so many dogs that can be helped,” Varga said.
If you want to make a difference,
adopt a shelter pet.