Pet store chain linked to puppy mills

Everyone needs to STOP buying the OVER PRICED puppies from these pet stores - then they will forced to stop selling these puppies

I realize that not everyone is into a mutt from the shelter(although there are some cuites in the shelters) but IF you must have your pure bred dog find a breeder who breeds the dogs out of their homes - and visit several of them before you make your FINAL decision!

I agree with Hot in Miami & Chicago Linda but might add:  DO NOT BUY PUPPIES ON-LINE.  No reputable breeder would ship a puppy off to goodness knows where to goodness knows who.  If we follow Chicago Linda's advice and only buy puppies FROM HOMES YOU CAN VISIT, then puppy mills would die out for they would have no business.

Meanwhile, it is appalling that enforcement is so lax for puppy mills.  The jerks who operate these facilities should be jailed.  That simple.

I understand the "Puppy Mill" crisis first hand. My daughter for years wanted a pomeranian puppy. After saving her allowance and coming up with a small portion, (teaching financial responsibility is as important as caring for an animal) my husband and I went to a pet store to purchase the little bundle of joy. Unfortunately, this is were the problems began. The poor pup had horrible intestinal problems and socialization skills. Poor little thing, we later found out most of the pups there were from various "puppy mills.". We spent a couple of thousand on surgeries and follow up social training, over the next six months. However,  the poor little thing was so fragile and terrified of people, period! 

My daughter was heartbroken, and finally, decided to give the sweet, little pup to an elderly widow a couple of blocks away. The widow didn't mind the social problems, she just wanted some company. What these poor little animals go through in "Puppy Mills" are reprehensible. FYI, my daughter was so traumatized over these events, she doesn't want another pet (cat, dog, bird, or turtle) period! If I can ever get my daughter to come around again for a pet, we will go to the local animal shelter or humane society. Those animals need love too....

While I do not approve of puppy mills, mistreatment of animals,  etc. anything comeing from HSUS is suspect.  They are just as guilty of animal mistreatment and neglect as the people they are charging.  I strongly suspect that the company refused to be shaken down by HSUS and so HSUS came up with these charges in revenge.  All HSUS is really interested in is getting more publicity so they will be able to continue raising vast ammounts of money 90% of which does not go to animal welfare but to the higher ups in the organization (one of the worst examples of money not going where the donators intended).  Two examples of their missdeeds, during rescue efforts after Katrina they were sitting in nice hotels in Batton Rouge complaining about not being able to get to New Orleans to do any thing while other groups that are not nationally known were in N.O wading in the filthy water saving animals.  Also, HSUS was responsible for about 100 dogs dying of neglect when they did finally go to N.O. and start collecting animals.    

By the way, I have 3 dogs and over 15 cats and all but one cat is a stray I have taken in.  That one was born to one of the strays after I took her in and I couldnt find it a good home.

The problem is nation wide. Here in my county, in Tennessee, there is a puppy mill but no Humane Society to enforce the regulations. We got a pup from there and witnessed first hand the cages, with no floors to stand on, were stacked three high. There had to be several hundred dogs at this mill. Mother dogs in the cage with the babies and only enough room to nurse. The dogs would do their business through the bottom of the cage to make it easier to clean up with a water hose.

What the heck took them so long? A reputable breeder would rather cut off his/her right arm than to sell a puppy to a pet store (any pet store), at a flea market, at 1st Monday Trader Day or without personally interviewing the prospective buyer. This is what the buying public must realize is the truth and not allow themselves to be duped otherwise. Yes, it means that you may have to be on a breeder's waiting list, but it's better than paying over $3,000.00 for a puppy that has been raised in anything but a warm, clean and healthy environment.

Please educate yourself before buying your puppy. Contact the parent club for the breed/breeds you are interested in or go to the American Kennel Club's web page. Be aware there are many registries, most of which were started by unscrupulous breeders, in order to by pass rules set up by The American Kennel Club (AKC) or the United Kennel Club (UKC) governing how breeders should act. Unless the registry is AKC, UKC, a club for a breed not recognised by AKC or UKC , or a herding or sporting dog registry, then the papers are worth nothing. Don't contribute to the Designer Dog hype. A pom-a-poo, snorkie, labadoodle, etc., is nothing more than a mutt. Nothing you should pay more than $50.00 for. It is not true that they inherit the best from the two or three breeds used to produce the puppy. It is more than likely they will inherit the bad traits, as well.

If you want a pure bred dog that has passed the puppy stages, or don't care what combo of dogs produced the puppy, then rescue a dog from a breed rescue group, or rescue a puppy/dog from a shelter.

Please, please educate yourselves on how to shop for a breeder, read a pedigree, obtain a sales contract that protects both YOU and the seller and find a good dog trainer in your area. This will allow you to have the best dog owning experience of your life. All pet dogs should be neutered or spayed. If you want a dog for breeding purposes, then join your local dog club, get to know the breeders, find a mentor within those breeders and wait till they have something to sell you worth passing the genes onto the next generation. If a reputable breeder sell you a puppy as a pet, then more than likely he/she will issue you a LIMITED REGISTRATION and require the dog to be spayed/neutered before you get the papers. Today, this is the only way a breeder can protect themselves and their bloodlines from people posing as a puppy buyer, when in actuality they are trying to pick up breeding dogs for their own facilities. That is our worst nightmare. The thought of one of our puppies landing up in a puppy mill makes us physically sick.

Also, all toy dogs are small. We do not use the terms "teacup", "pocket pup", etc. Unless our breed has a size classification (poodles come in the sizes, standard, mini and toy), they can be referred to as under sized or over sized. I breed Yorkies. They should be around 4 to 7 pounds. If the go above or below this size range, they are over sized or under sized. They should never be priced according to size. Toy dog puppies should never be shipped in the cargo area of the plane. They should only travel in the cabin with their new owners. Toy dogs should never be sold before they reach the age of 12 weeks. Most are still nursing at 8 weeks. Hope this information helps someone.

You must be one of these bleeding hearted liberals that claim there is too much govt in one breath while saying they need to step it up in another.

While I do feel empathy for for the animals involved, I don't care for people that point fingers and claim they support whats right in this country while they hypocritically do the opposite when action is called for

ah yes. here comes the "bleeding heart liberals". i'm pretty sure 1994 wants its catch-phrase back. from what i hear, rush is on another oxy binge, and is kinda pining for it.

IGNORING the uninformed dolt (yes, that's you, A disgruntled Ohioan), this has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with too much or too little government (guess i couldn't ignore dolt... sorry), and EVERYTHING to do with a cruel industry bent on delivering badly bred animals to stores with apathetic teenagers that sometimes clean the metal cages the puppies are kept in, only to be sold to uninformed persons buying pets at the wrong location for all the wrong reasons.

case in point: i have a jack russell. i love jack russells, and would have no other dog. should the general population have jack russells? absolutely not! sure, they're cute, but they're also extremely energetic, like to tear stuff apart, require a fair amount of discipline, aren't good with kids, and have health problems associated with the breed that a good breeder is aware of, and spends a good amount of time and money checking the genetic lineages of their dogs to avoid. same goes with pretty much any breed.

does the average teenager working in a pet store know this? how could they? they don't know where the dog came from, what its history is, how it was treated, much less what kind of home is appropriate. go test for yourself. go to a pet store, find a relatively energetic terrier such as a jrt or a fox terrier, and tell the person working at the counter that you love this dog, and your infant daughter would love it as well. mention that you live in an apartment and work long hours. a reputable breeder simply wouldn't sell the dog to you under any circumstance. however, with about 100% certainty, if you go to a pet store you'll be walking out the door with your new (and poorly bred) terrier. and with equal certainty, that pet will end up in a pound three months later.

i've seen THREE different people bring home dogs from a pet store that turned out to be poorly bred; one died from kidney failure, one is utterly dumb, and the other had hip problems.

the bottom line: i've long wanted to see a referendum vote in california to ban these stores out of existence. not ONE DOG (or cat or any other animal, for that matter) should be sold from a pet store until all the pounds are completely empty.

I say boycott all chain pet stores!

My local Petsmart seems to have quite a few "shelter days" where they actively seek people to come in and adopt shelter pets, particularly from the Humane Society. Let's not throw the puppies out with the bathwater here, OK?

On the other hand, if a chain is using a puppy mill and claiming otherwise, I think that's fraud isn't it? Fraud is a criminal offense last I checked, not just a wrist slap of a fine. If those puppies moved across state lines, it's even a Federal offense, come to think of it.

Actually, it isn't fraud if they tell you that they buy from licensed breeders...aka puppymills. Trust me, commercial breeders licensed through the USDA never refer to themselves as puppymillers. They will argue to their last breath that they don't mistreat their dogs. And as long as puppies are 8 weeks old (at least on paper), and have the proper health records it is not illegal to transport over state lines.

That said, I am in NO way defending them! I have worked with rescue for years and have a house full of special needs puppymill dogs. These are dogs that were unadoptable due to physical and mental problems due to the "loving" (heavy sarcasm) breeders they came from. The best way to put the commercial breeders out of business is to not purchase ANYTHING from a store that sells pets. If you want a purebred, check your shelter or petfinders.com. Sadly, due to the economic crisis in our country right now the shelters are overflowing and many people are having to give up their pets...it is just as easy to find a purebred dog as it is to find a mixed breed. If you do have a petshop puppy and want to find out if it came from a puppymill you can get a free puppy report from

Oops, a free puppy report from  petshoppuppies.org

Not all chain pet stores do this. I always go to petsmart where they do not sell dogs or cats, but they do however sponser adoption events with local animal shelters. Any reputable pet store does not actually sell the dogs or cats, they sell the supplies you need to care for them.

Adopting a pet is always the best, and if you want a purebreed, then go directly to the breeder yourself and see where they live and the conditions. Also, check to see if they are registered with AKC.

I guess you can call me one of those bleeding heart liberals who beleives that the people who run these puppy mills should be forced to live in the same conditions as they are making these defenseless animals. Jail is to clean for them and you get 3 square meals a day. Nope..not for these people.

If you want a pet please contact breeders directly or go to your local shelters.  Put these puppy mills out of business and talk with your friends about these abuses that occur.  Knowledge is power those that don't know will keep these vile production breeders in business and making tons of money.  Speak out.

I know for a fact that there are certain breeds which people want, that really only come from puppymills, I.E. the teacups that everyone so highly desires because they are smaller than everyone else's. its this kind of mentality that encourages store owners to buy from puppymills, however, I do know that the owner of the Davie petland just doesn't give a S%(^ about where she gets her puppies so long as they sell. yeah, the davie petland. there are others like the ones in delray and pompano, who more than likely don't do this. the simple fact of the matter is that the owner of each individual petland store is responsible for getting the puppies, and if they are simply looking for profits rather than quality dogs, there is your answer. Don't buy TEACUPS!!! the other answer is to do your research on the breeders from which any puppy comes from. /There is nothing wrong with buying from a petshop, or from the pound, but any educated staff member at a petshop should be able to tell you where the puppy has come from, if the store refuses to give the info, or the staff member doesn't know, then you might want to look into it, talk to the manager, or the owner, listen to what they tell you, and see what thier information sounds like. if it doesn't sound right, then go elsewhere. I do however know that a vast majority of the petland stores do make every effort to avoid puppymills, but some owners (each store is pretty much a franchise) really just don't care. get to now them, get a feel for thier level of involvement with thier own animals, and who they are, if you don't trust them, then don't support them. I wouldn't.

Kalamama has a point.  You can get good pets through local pet store adoptions and shelters.  There is a small locally owned store that I get my feeder mice from for my Boa.  I purchased my boa from them, and they did breed her. Emma's (my boa) parents are kept right in the middle of the store, so you know they are well taken care of.  Like any normal pet type stores they do sell hampsters (and other rodents), birds, fish and various reptiles.

At this place dogs and cats however are never sold.  I got a wonderful purebred Siamese from them.  The only thing they wanted was to make sure I went home with stuff to keep him in good health, the usual, litterbox, litter, food, and toys.  Little Munch only cost me about $50 (pretty good considering he is a purebread Applehead Siamese) and a year later he is as healthy and wonderful as ever.

Bottom line, if you pay lots of money for the pet  the breeders and sellers most likely dont care about anything but the bottom line.

Sorry to say it, but your poor little old  dog probably can't be well socialized because of her genetics, even more than the lack of socialization as a puppy.  Dogs with good genetic backgrounds can actually overcome lack of early socializaton, if given good training and care, but dogs bred poorly may not.  Since your dog came from a mill, it was not bred for good temperment and personality.  That is just ONE of the many problems in these disgusting places.

Until the financial crisis hit us, where indeed many an owner has had to turn in their pet because they can't take care of them properly, there has been a shortage of puppies and young dogs for the shelters to adopt out. You may find this hard to believe, but it's true. In order for them to remain in business, they have been importing dogs from Mexico, South America, Puerto Rico and many other areas. This has been especially true for shelters on the east and west coasts.

I was shocked to learn of this fact. I am a dog groomer and would volunteer my time and grooming skills to make dogs more adoptable by giving them a cute haircut and adding bandannas and bows, at my own expense. Also, it amazes me that shelters do not, as a general rule, spay or neuter the animals before they are adopted out. We have to stop this, as well.

Wow, I don't know what State you are in but please tell me where the shelter I volunteer for can send puppies.  I'm in North Texas and we have plenty of shelter puppies to transfer to other shelters who might be able to find loving forever homes for our little guys.  They are all fully vetted and never go out the door without being spayed/neutered and fully vaccinated.

RR

The truth needs to come out and everyone should know the horrible conditions these dogs are being bred in... it is insane!

If you know of anyone that is looking for a companion DO NOT GO TO A PET STORE!

They are nothing more than a slavery market for animals, with a price on their heads and the over-breeding of degenerative disease's that follow throughout the blood line.

~~~Please adopt from your local shelter~~~

        Your family will be all the better!

Your poor lab with the hip dysplasia may indeed have a wonderful personality, but poor breeding by uncaring puppy millers is what gave her the dysplasia.  Since you paid for her, it encourages the breeders to continue to breed more dogs with this defect.

Mardi,

The big problem with your statement is if you listen to H$U$ there is NO such thing as a responsible breeder, remember this is from the people who have more than $200 million in the bank run NO animal shelters collected over $25 million for hurricane Katrina and can't account for the money collected over $10 million for Micheal Vicks dogs (never had them and wanted them killed. H$U$ and Wayne Pascelle have been lying to the american public for so long americans wouldn't know the truth if it can up and slapped them in the face.

Chances are good that HSUS staged the video to help them raise more money.

HSUS and PETA have done nothing to help out the animal situation. They have only lined their own pockets. PETA's agenda is to make sure no one will be able to own an animal, as a pet or otherwise. They have been found euthanizing animals by the hundreds and dumping them in dumpsters. Do a Google search and find out the true story about these organizations.

Amen vanlori

That's why we call em them there RED STATES>

I knew it was a matter of time before some MORON brought in the poltics in to this. I KNOW PLENTY OF LAZY SNOBS IN BLUE STATES. For you to bring this up YOU MUST BE ONE OF THEM. GET A LIFE MICHELLE AND GET A JOB.

 This story is about Petland and Puppy mills.. 

Valid point Dunkin, but very poor response.

I agree, and I have a JOB you SOB

and it is in the animal welfare business...I was referring to the lack of reading and general knowledge of anything in those RED states from inbreeding of their own kind!!! (ie; sleep with my brother there for in nine months we are having our cousin soon)... so errr...

Shut the hell up and go have a DONUT you're a heart-attack on a stick!

, I really like your profie:

"To Find Peace with Mindful Pieces..Those with heart and passion must ride the wave of life without restraints or aides of any kind.

Be kind to others
Be kind to animals
Be kind to yourself "

I am truely shocked with your response.  How cold and dark your heart really is. 

Donho

ahh if you only knew...

the cold hard truth of what I have seen and what I know would turn your stomach... but in reality when you approach someone from the unknown you should do so with  out an attack... hence when provoked I will stand my ground especiallywhen there is ignorance involved.

Animals have no voice, and if ignorance is leading the animal breeding program then I will fully attack. They have no right to inflict such pain, if I hurt any ones feelings along the way... then so be it.

You know, even people who breed for the love of the breed have serious expenses-especially if they do the health tests that are important for many breeds beforehand. X-ray for hips and elbows, heart tests, eye tests and thyroid are a minimum for most breeds. Then there is is a stud fee and the cost of raising the puppies to at least 8 weeks old. This is not cheap if you do it right. Most reputable breeders are just able to break even. If there are any unusual costs such as a c-section, then they don't.       Plus I would never give a puppy away-I want new owners to value that puppy as much as I do, or bring it back to me.

No one should give an animal away. There is a particularly odious form of scum called a Buncher. These guys look for "free to good homes" ads, pick up the animals then sell them as lab animals. I think no animal should be sold for less than $50 to $100--a decent amount that would reimburse someone for vet care, shots, neutering and so on that any pet needs before it's released to its new home, but that would stop a buncher cold. Someone who receives $25 for one lab animal will not pay $100 for it.

Here, here! This isn't news. Anybody who has done the slightest bit of research should already be aware the Petland sells Puppy Mill Puppies.

Explain the undercover video footage.

Or maybe your a breeder yourself?

Is this about the tomatoes again... let it go Ron.

HSUS is not above staging a video to raise more money.  They are about as responsible towards animals as the puppy mills.

To  Mac-320110:

Mac, you have more BS than China has rice.  Why in heavens name do you have a boil on your butt for the HSUS? You are accusing them of everything except putting a needle in the dogs to induce diptheria or the plague.  You will notice that NOBODY agrees with you or even comments on your rantings about the HSUS.  If you can PROVE any of your ridiculous accusations about the HSUS take it to the local press.  At the very least I think the HSUS should sue you for slander AND libel! What's really pieving you, Mac?  Do you have a partnership in one or more of those Puppy Mills that got caught with their pants down because they were so full of money?  Your hateful stupidity is showing Mac.   

First of all I have no interest in any form of animal breeding.  All of my animals are strays I have taken in, gotten spayed or neutered, and spent sometimes hundreds of dollars on.  The two specific instances I mentioned were witnessed by someone that was there.  It is a known fact that HSUS has one of the worst records as far as what amount of their money is actualy spent on their stated cause.  My peve against them is that they take money away from local groups that do more with less than the HSUS ever dreamed about doing.  They also take money away from The American Humane Society which does much more good with their resources than HSUS.  For your information there are many responses that agree with what I have said about HSUS.

Here are some links to show what Mac is saying has truth to it:

Here is what it says, in part: "Despite the words “humane society” on its letterhead, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not affiliated with your local animal shelter. Despite the omnipresent dogs and cats in its fundraising materials, it’s not an organization that runs spay/neuter programs or takes in stray, neglected, and abused pets. And despite the common image of animal protection agencies as cash-strapped organizations dedicated to animal welfare, HSUS has become the wealthiest animal rights organization on earth.

HSUS is big, rich, and powerful, a “humane society” in name only. And while most local animal shelters are under-funded and unsung, HSUS has accumulated $113 million in assets and built a recognizable brand by capitalizing on the confusion its very name provokes. This misdirection results in an irony of which most animal lovers are unaware: HSUS raises enough money to finance animal shelters in every single state, with money to spare, yet it doesn’t operate a single one anywhere. "

Thanks vanlori.

Saying that the HSUS is as bad as puppy mill operators makes me question your sanity.  Disgusting. 

$200 million in the bank, and no animal shelters (only tax shelters) raised $25 million for Hurrican Katrina relief but can't explain where the money went to the Attorney-General, raised $10 million for Michael Vicks dogs when they never had them and wanted them killed,  charges local humane shelters exhorbitant fees for evaluating shelters though they don't run one just claim to be the experts. Oh yeah how about their hidden videos that they hold on to until a time where it will make headlines for them. Good old caring H$U$!

What state did you buy your 6 week old puppy in? It's illegal in almost every state to buy and take home a puppy that is less than 8 weeks old.

Check your state laws. You might want to report that breeder.  

Larger breed puppies are very able to leave the mother by 6 wks. Once the puppies are weaned and eating on their own they do not need mothers milk any longer and are prefectly safe to go to a new home. I bought my doberman at 7 wks and he did just fine.

Smaller dogs develop a bit slower and sometimes do not cut teeth as early as the larger breeds and can not eat on their own as soon, so they need more time with the mother. How soon a puppy can go to a new home all depends on the individual puppy, mother and the breed.

I work at petland. and please, PLEASE tell me where you can find a boxer that comes with all this-

• already microchipped
• 3 year health guarentee for genetic illnesses/defects
• 1 year all around health guarentee
• spay/neuter certificate
• 1st vet visit free
• 1st full grooming visit free

and i could very possibly be missing a few things. But either way- go buy a boxer anywhere else. by the time you purchase all these things it will be well over the price..

• lifetime 24 hr training helpline

And how does this help the breeding mother??

The video is quite likely staged so HSUS can rake in hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars off it to spend on "overhead" with very little going to the animals they claim to care for.  HSUS has one of the worst records of any charity as far as how much of their money actually goes to the cause they claim to be raising the money for.

HMUS has no credibility.  It is consistently rated as one of the worst charitable organizations.  Only a small percentage of the money raise goes to help animals.  The board is made of egotistical wealthy people who have more interest in their self aggrandizement than they do for caring for animals.  They are as disgraceful as the puppy mills they profess to rid society of.  

MarkThe, again, you're disturbed.  What is your source that "only a small percentage of the money raise [sic] goes to help animals?"  Post it.  You're wrong.  See Charity Navigator that I mentioned above. 

HSUS can't rid society of puppy mills, they can only advocate, like other organizations (like Main Line Animal Rescue) to try to change laws to make puppy mills illegal on the local and state levels. 

Took the words right out of my mouth........

Fine the Petland store for each animal that they obtain from a pet mill, to the tune of "Oh my God!!!!", then donate those funds to the Humane Society.........where you should be getting your pets anyway.

I have 12 cats....only one of them I actually went out and adopted....the rest are dumped animals, 4 were feral when I took them in.......with the economy so bad, many people are finding they are having to surrender their pets to shelters, these are well socialized and loved pets that need and deserve a good home.

I don't want to get into the "dumping" issue.....but suffice it to say, if I ever catch a "dumper"...I'll be looking at some serious jail time.

I currently have 2 indoor cats - one from a shelter and the other was feral that I took in.  I also feed 2 ferals and one abandoned - my husband just built them a pretty nice outdoor cat house filled with hay. 

Good for you.  I have over 15 stray cats I have adopted plus 3 dogs one of which required over $750.00 in surgery alone to get her healthy.

Well goooood for you to

Bob Bob Bob -

Just view the undercover footage - not even Hollywood could make this up.

hsus.org

Ms. Garrey, Ms. Garrey, Ms. Garrey -

I never said it was not true.  I am sickened by it, but to think that the Human Society doesn't time the release of the story and determine the amount of money spent on the investigation in terms of what THEY can get out of it, is crazy.

All I wanted to say was this story does not make me want to run out and donate to a poorly run organization with hidden agenda's.  It makes me want to donate to my local rescue organization and remind everyone I know that they should really really research where they are getting a puppy from before buying instead of just making impulse decisions based purely on emotion.

Exactly.

Bob is right. Donate to your local humane society or rescue, not HSUS. Google it a little & you'll see why.

Bob,

The Humane Society has proved themselves and their cause in many occasions. The Katrina disaster was a perfect example of just how much aid and help was provided for the stranded animals by The HSUS.

The Humane Society in my city has also proven to me that they really do care and are actually directly assisting and providing for animals in our community. I go there often just to see and watch what they do.

Slamming the HSUS is unnecessary and only serves to undermine their efforts in preventing animal abuse across the nation.

Stores like Petland and the puppy mills that supply them are the abusers and contributors to animal suffering that need to be boycotted and exposed..

What does it matter when they release the story?  If it wasn't for donations in the first place they wouldn't be able to conduct investigations.

By all means though - donate to the organization of your own choice.  There are so many deserving animals out there.

We don't have to agree - but I'm grateful your heart is in the right place.

If their agenda is to gain donations to support their mission of caring for animals in need, that's hardly an evil hidden agenda. If donor support helped lead to this latest puppy mill bust, what's wrong with releasing a story about donor dollars at work?

The fact is, this story is a current event. If people feel compelled to donate in support of the Humane Society, fine. Most people aren't going to read the story and donate, they will just think twice about where their pets come from. I think the Humane Society is more than happy with the latter choice.

I adopted a dog that was a Humane Society rescue from a kill shelter. I'm more than happy to donate to their work when I feel like I can share a few dollars. Adopting my dog from them was the best $125 bucks I've ever spent, especially since he had all of his shots and had been neutered.

I donate frequently.  I also give to the ASPCA, MSPCA and Best Friends.

And Stray Rescue of St. Louis.

Puppy mills have been in existence for longer than I've been alive.  Periodically, there is a bust and the public becomes momentarily horrified, then things settle back down to where they were before.  Puppy mill operators know this.  They also know that enforcement of what meager regulations exist is rare.  The solution to ending these horrible operations is to either adopt from a shelter or buy from a reputable breeder whom you can visit at home.  See where the puppy lives and watch how its parents are treated. 

Whether an animal rights organization lobbies or does exposes or rescues is beside the point as long as they are all working toward a better life for the animals.  I personally give to as many as I can and rather resent having it suggested that lobbying is not useful or worthy of being funded.  The HSUS does a lot of good work.  So do rescuers . . . etc.

Tad the HSUS response to Katrina was pathetic.  They sat in nice hotels in Baton Rouge whining and complaining about "not being able to get to New Orleans to help" while other agencies were in N.O. wading thru that nasty caustic water saving hundreds of animals.  They are also responsible for the death thru neglect of about a hundred dogs.  There have been reports from former HSUS members of dogs being put to death in Mississippi just so HSUS wouldnt have to care for them.

I, too, agree that puppy mills should be shut down -- without question.  Breeding dogs and cats should be "fixed" after one or two litters to protect the genetics of the breed.  If a dog or cat owner has no intentions of properly breeding the animal, then the animal should be fixed to help keep down the number of unwanted animals.

One thing people need to be aware of is that the Humane Society of the United States is not the same organization as your local Humane Society. If their story makes you want to donate money to a worthy cause, then donate locally.  HSUS is the largest and richest "non-profit" agency in the world. They should change their name to something like "Animal Rights Activists of the United States," or "We Wouldn't Eat Beef But it Just Tastes so Darned Good!" Thus removing any confusion between them and the local Humane Society offices.

Following Hurricane Katrina, organizations such as Ducks Unlimited did more for the wildlife affected by the storm than HSUS did.  HSUS is only looking to fill their coffers, whereas hunting organizations seek to protect the species through habitat improvement and protection. Of course, most hunters have a better concept of conservation than those who support the HSUS.

BK   You are right on about DU vs HSUS.  There were also several small animal welfare groups that went in and did more for pets, horses, etc. than HSUS.

Do you (Mac and Marc, etc.) pull this information out of thin air?  Where do you get your information that HSUS is a poorly run organization?  Where you get your information that money raised doesn't go to helping animals?

I research all charities to which I donate.  HSUS is a 4 star charity (highest rating) with Charity Navigator.  80.7% of funds raised go directly to their programs.  Wayne Pacelle's salary is less than .24% of its expenses.  If you disagree with their stated purpose, fine, but don't make up garbage to fit your agenda. 

HSUS's mission is advocacy for animals--this does not always mean operating shelters.  Again, you may disagree with this but that is your opinion, nothing more.  Puppy mills are nothing new.  The Petland investigation is a direct result of HSUS' mission.  If you think they made this stuff up, you're out of your mind.

I don't work for HSUS, I just agree with their mission.  I adopted my dog from a local organization.

Jennifer,

You might want to check with the Attorney-General for the state of Louisiana. The H$U$ raised more than $25 million dollars for Hurricane Katrina relief but they can't explain where or how the money was spent. That is not something I pulled out of thin air, rather I found it by research and reading documents filed in state and federal courts.

Research how many money was donated to the HSUS for animals effected by Katrina.  Then research how much many was actually spent.  Where did the rest go????????

All I am saying that HSUS is becoming more like your typical gov't organization where so much money is wasted instead of going toward the cause that it was raised for.  I don't think anyone disagrees with their stated mission and cause, but I have some issues with how they are running the organization to fulfill their mission.

The good thing is that so many people feel passionate about stopping this kind of treatment of animals.  I adopted my last pup from a rescue and am planning on becoming a foster home for pups that are awaiting adoptions.  Think globally, but act locally when it comes to helping animals. 

Absolutely nothing came of the investigation by the Attorney General.  The investigation was ended earlier this year.  Or do you think that simply because someone is accused they are automatically guilty?  Once again, the organization is not mismanaged because you say it is, or even think it is.  I choose to believe experts, without some axe to grind, like the BBB, Charity Navigator, etc.

One thing did come out of Katrina, the HSUS was instrumental in getting the PETS Act passed which requires pets be included in emergency evacuation plans.  Again, their purpose is advocacy.  They fund local organizations that take in pets.

Graeme, you're a breeder.  Therefore, you have no credibility on this issue.  Unless, of course, you operate a puppy mill and then you can all enlighten us on how wonderfully they're run.  Give me a break.

Jennifer,

H$U$ had nothing to do with the passing of PETS Act rather it was Congress, FEMA, the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama the general public and an organization called Noah's Ark that made the most noise. Once again an instance where Wayne Pascelle and H$U$ took credit on their website for the work of others.

As to my being a breeder or not how pray tell does that effect my credibility on the issue.

BTW Jennifer, have you ever researched the CEO and BoD of Charity Navigator? There are some interesting revelations to be found if you dig deep enough and know how to connect the dots.

This is not the first puppy mill bust or investigation. Independent and government-funded groups have been shutting them down for years.

R U insane??  If it's in a pet store it came from a puppy mill.....I'll repeat what I posted earlier - reputable breeders DON'T sell at puppy stores or in the paper....It doesn't matter what you think about HSUS, the people reading the story are getting educated on the facts that this is truly the case, whether it's PetLand or some other pet store.

If people don't donate to HSUS, who cares, they might be more inclined to donate to their local rescue or their SPCA or even decide to adopt an animal vs going to a pets store. 

Did you know that a vast majority of pet purchases are done for the holiday season (the worst time to buy a pet) - anyone here think that it might be a story that is justified due to that statistic???

Bash all you want - it's the truth, it's been profiled over and over by various news agencies and talk shows.

Kristine the point is to show the true nature of HSUS so people won't donate to them then maybe the people will donate to the local orginazations who do more with less than HSUS ever dreamed of doing with their millions.

It's amazing how many people drank the HMUS koolaid.

Roland the puppy mills should be exposed but anything coming from HSUS is suspect because they have been known to flat out lie before to raise money and have let hundreds of animals die so they wouldn't have to spend any of their money on them.

Reply to Mac-329110:

Mac, what is it with you?  Were you caught with your finger in the feed bag when you worked for the HSUS?  Or did they fire you because you were caught throwing stray dogs in the river so you didn't have to take the time toturn them in to the HSUS kennels?  You didn't get that bad mouth of yours from what you KNOW... just what you'd like other people to think about your previous enployer who sacked you?

Ole-Ed.  You sure know a lot about what HSUS and PETA have been accused of.  You must have some high up connections in the orginazation.  Once again my goal is to stop people from giving to an organization that is more interested in raising muptiple of millions of dollars while spending very little on the cause they cvlaim to be raising the money for.  People should be giving to their local humane groups and to The American Humane Society.

One more thought Ed, are you afraid your salary will be cut because of reduced donations to HSUS?

Now you are REALLY dipping in your private cess pool, Mac. FUI I am 78 years old, retired from the USAF (Lt. Col.) after 26 years of service.  I am not employed by anyone.  i'm not boasting, but I frequently contribute to the HSUS along with contributions to....The American Humasne Association, The American Wildlife Association, Allwy Cat Allies,  Alley Cat Rescue, The Animal Rescue Center, The Animal Sancuary of the US,  The Animal Protective Institute, The Animal Welfare Assoc. am a 10 year member of the ASPCS (Guardians Society), The African Wildlife Federation,  Born Free USA, Defenders of Wildlife, Defenders ogf Animal Rights, Diane Fossy Gorilla Fund Interantional, Doris Day Animal League, Farm Sacuary, Friends of Animals, Fund For Animals, Humane Society of the US..Wildlife Land Trust, Humane Society  Legislation Fund, Humane Farming Assoc.,In Defense of Animals, International Wold Center, Life Savers Wild Horse Rescue,  Marine Mammal Center, National Humane Education Center,  National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy,  North Shore Animal Leageue America, PETA, Pet Smart Charities, The Serra Club,  SPCA, SPCE International, United Animal Nations, The Wilderness Society, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilirtation Society, The Winn Feline Association, and my wife belongs to the Woman's Humane Society.

These are all in alphabetical oreder because I keep track of, correspond with and contribute to each and every one of them. I don't really know if they are ALL contributing to the welfare of animals, but I do know that I fell good at knight knowing that I have done what little I can do to help our domestic and wild animals that our Lord has seen fit to place upon our earth.  It disgusts me very much that people like you find it well to spred inuendos, hear say, and hateful media lies about any organization who aspires to help these animals.  It seems your hatefullness is only directed at one organization, the HSUS, and you will never convince me that this or any other animal concerened is not using the donations given to them as was intended. So, drop off it Mac.. your stupid and biased hatefullness is showing.  'Nuff said.