Crackdown on Puppy Mills

As a new owner of a fantastic puppy who we got from a responsible breeder, it makes me really sad to see puppies in pet shops. It's pretty much guaranteed that if you buy a puppy from a pet shop, it has come from a puppy mill. A few weeks ago, we peeked into the pet shop at the local mall here in Bloomington and saw a golden retriever boy a few days older than Rewley. We were back there today, and he was still there, his sad little eyes looking up at us from his droopy, scrawny body. I had to leave before I started to cry. I don't know why we went there; I guess just to remind ourselves that even though we got our puppy from a breeder who clearly loved and cared attentively for our pup, a lot of dogs don't have that kind of life.

In talking to some of the people working at local shelters, we heard that there's a huge number of dogs in puppy mills in Indiana. But there's good news - a new law that goes into effect on July 1 will seriously crack down on puppy mills. An interesting editorial about one recent puppy mill closure is here. The AKC is actually against the new law because it may punish responsible breeders, and because shelters are exempt from the standard of living clause. Read more here if you're interested.

Overall, I'm glad there's some progress being made to stop this deplorable treatment of animals. Sometimes I think how if the pet shop puppies look so sad and unhealthy, it's probably a heck of a lot better than the conditions the puppy's mother is living in. And if it means responsible breeders have to charge more to make up for the new taxes, I'd be happy to pay that extra fee if it means an end to puppy mills.

All of this means Rewley gets extra hugs today, even if he doesn't know why.