ASPCA Names Potential Puppy Mills In Your Area

Forrest Gump: Saint Bernard, Pet City (Pet store) Danville PA
 Puppy mill dog, Cost 450.00 many health problems

Maxie: Chow- Lab Mix
Brookhaven pet Store, Long Island NY
Not a purebred or designer dog. no health problems
Cost 75.00

Before I go on I need to explain the caption of the picture above. Maxie my Chow /Lab mix did come from a pet store, but there was a sign clearly stating  that this is a mix, being sold for a friend of the owner, and the dog had vet checks and a spay program all for only 75.00!  So I can't exactly lump all dogs that come from a pet store into one, but I will say that I have never seen such a purchase in a pet store since Maxie unless it was an adopt -o- thon going on at a pet/ farm store.  Maxie seems to be the exception to the rule, but wouldn't it be nice if more pet stores did this on a regualar basis and took back the customers who boycott them for selling pure bred dogs from puppy mills?   

                                                    

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Well good news! There is a way to check if your dog came from a puppy mill although by now many of you know that any dog (purebred and registered)  from a pet store is from a puppy mill but that does not stop back yard breeders who breed only for money in deplorable conditions and who are USDA licensed, or puppy brokers who sell the pups for puppy mills, or added into the mix are online puppy sites with great pictures of a lovely field where puppies play all day ,  as well as one of the newest scams they are creating which is to call themselves a “Sanctuary” or  non profit rescue.

Greed keeps people doing dishonest things and as long as there are people there is greed and dishonesty especially in the puppy market business which can rake in thousands of dollars many times over in one year for one unscrupulous breeder.

Think about dogs that are popular in movie premiers such as 101 Dalmatians or Beethoven. When such movies come out the breed in the movie becomes vastly bred and overbred by everyone!  Each pup can bring in 600.00 and up. Put that to an average litter of 7 pups and that’s over four thousand dollars in one breeding. Then times that by a variety of breeds all of which are giving birth in one month, so 5 different breeds having 7 puppies one litter one month, 21,000.00!    Can anyone say mortgage payment, expensive car, in- ground pool?    

These puppies are usually given a first round of shots but rarely are  seen by a vet after a first check up and some are never seen by a vet as anyone can buy shots online for a dog and administer them so cost is minimal. Most dogs will come with a set of worms that you will need to take care of and since the breeder dogs are not well kept there is little overhead.  Buy some lumber, some wire,  stack the cages to use less of the precious lawn and make the  cages overcrowded with several dogs sharing one space, toss some food on the floor maybe fill a water dish once in the AM and you’re good to go!   .

 If you have ever seen the show hoarders, times that scene by 10 and put dogs in place of cats or garbage, yeah, it’s that bad!

The ASPCA has a site where you can type in the USDA  License #, or you can type in the place  or person from where you purchased your pup and see if they came from a puppy mill.  While there are many things the ASPCA does that I disagree with, and I am sure you have heard me rant about that before,  this is one thing they are doing right.  The public has a right to know where their pups come from.

On the site although the ASPCA says to make adoption your first option I would surmise  like anything else, many purebred dogs put into shelters are actually puppy mill dogs whose health has declined and the owner can’t afford the cost anymore or they are of poor temperament and untrustworthy. So I don’t actually agree with adoption meaning you are getting a breed of good standing.  No owner turning in a purebred dog is going to tell the shelter that the dog is unhealthy or has bad temperament.        

This site also helps consumers to recognize online scams which are running rampant right now. You can find many web sites of  out of state listings that will ship you a pup or will meet you at a half way point in the state so you don’t see how the pups are really kept.

The ASPCA site also offers you the privilege to look up stores in your area which offer adoptions and stores that sell puppies and they tell you not to buy from that store.

I typed in the Danville Zip code and got the list below and yes I have heard of a store or two which have sold puppies that were of ill health right from the get go!  The list had pages and pages of listings, to numerous for me to post here  so if you live in PA  check out the direct link   to surrounding pet stores and pet supply stores by  Clicking here

 If the store you are searching for is not in the ASPCA data base then they direct you to the  USDA site for the data on inspection reports and upon that page comes the below message which can seem intimidating because recently the government admitted to gathering access to our  Verizon phone records, so of course the warning below  was something to think about. But hey, if you use the internet they are already following you!   

Taken directly from the site:

 You are accessing a U.S. Government information system, which includes (1) this computer, (2) this computer network, (3) all computers connected to this network, and (4) all devices and storage media attached to this network or to a computer on this network. This information system is provided for U.S. Government-authorized use only.

• Unauthorized or improper use of this system may result in disciplinary action, as well as civil and criminal penalties.
• By using this information system, you understand and consent to the following:
• You have no reasonable expectation of privacy regarding any communications or data transiting or stored on this information system. At any time, the government may for any lawful government purpose monitor, intercept, search and seize any communication or data transiting or stored on this information system.
• Any communications or data transiting or stored on this information system may be disclosed or used for any lawful government purpose.
• Your consent is final and irrevocable. You may not rely on any statements or informal policies purporting to provide you with any expectation of privacy regarding communications on this system, whether oral or written, by your supervisor or any other official, except USDA’s Chief Information Officer.
•  

To visit the ASPCA Site click here

For more on Puppy Brokers and feedback from the general public warning you against certain breeders read my article here http://2ndchance-caninecapers.blogspot.com/2011/02/pupy-brokers-new-stock-market.html 

Until next time, Happy Training!

~Steeler of Hearts Feb, 4, 2003~ May 25, 2013 ~

When I think back ten years to when the pups were small, my 7 little Newfie babies, I remember how hard it was for me to let them go to their new homes. After setting up appointments for the new owners to swing by and pick up their new pup, I sometimes had to hide in the bedroom and let Peter take over because I could not handle letting them go. 

Things have not changed much in ten years. I still have a hard time letting go, especially when letting go means forever.

Steeler was the first pup at six weeks to be picked out by a new owner so he was named weeks before he ever left my basement by the family who wanted him. His name prior to that was Blue because of the color hair scrunchie that sported his neck until he could fit into a collar. 

Three years after living with his new family, I got a call that he was headed for the dog pound  for his bad behaviors. Thankfully, one of the owners loved him enough to bring him  back to me, and for that I am very thankful. Although   I must admit that at times the thanks were also mixed with hair pulling dilemmas!

When Steeler was dropped  off to me by his owner, I had three of my Newfs, Steeler’s mom Abby, dad Bentley, and sister Emma in their pen for safety sake to introduce them. They went nuts barking at him as I held his  lead.  Then suddenly, Abby took a whiff of the air and let out two distinctive barks which stopped the other two immediately from barking at him.  It was as if Abby recognized Steeler as one of her own. Within minutes Bentley and Emma started barking again with any movement  that Steeler made, and once more Abby quieted them with those two distinctive barks.  I was amazed and wondered what she was telling everyone and I thought that maybe, just maybe, everything would work out just fine.

 I was wrong!  Steeler fought or tried to fight with every dog in the house.  The only ones who held their own or frightened him off before he had a chance to do harm, were his siblings, Emma and Chance.

  Casey, Bentley and Abby  avoided Steeler like the plague during those first few weeks, but it all changed one summer day when  Steeler had again lashed out at Abby and she let out a wail.   Unknown to Steeler, Chance was lying on the deck by my side, and Chance was a mama’s boy!  This attack on Abby was the straw that broke the camel's back for Chance. He had seen enough, and so, he ran to Abby’s side, gave her a good sniffing over, then proceeded to run after Steeler, jump onto his back and ride him like a cowboy on a bucking bronco! All four of Chance’s feet were off the ground and his full body weight lay upon Steeler’s back as he gripped Steeler by the neck. Steeler though, was not giving in.  As this horrible fight ensued before my eyes, I thought, this will be the day that Steeler dies! 

Suddenly Steeler collapsed to the ground with Chance still on his back, still clutching his neck strongly within his mouth.

 When such a dog fight ensues, it is human nature to want to break it apart, scream at the dogs, or start hitting the aggressor. But in fact when we do this, the fight lasts longer and is more severe, so I quietly waited for its end.

Steeler lay motionless and I did indeed think he was dead or dying. Chance finally got off of him and came to my side, where I quickly ushered him onto the deck and locked the gate so I could go check on Steeler.  Amazingly both Steeler and Chance had not one bite mark on them, although Steeler was missing a bit of hair from the neck, so it was all bravado and challenge.

 Chance was not out for a kill, though if he wanted to I suspect he could have. Chance’s  intent was to knock Steeler down a few notches. This was certainly accomplished as Steeler would not go near any of the dogs in that manner ever again.    In fact for the rest of their time together in this home, Steeler would   not go near anyone, dog or human, when Chance was in the vicinity as seen in my video here.  Observations of a Newfoundland family. 

From that point  there was  peace in the household, but Steeler's obedience training was still severely lacking, as trying to get Steeler to walk on a lead from the back door to the garage was a nightmare that yielded my body scrapped and black and blue around the wrists, shins, knees and hands. He would start off walking  fine and then just bolt pulling me to the ground. It took six months of continuous daily training,  and thousands of hot dog slivers just to get him to heel!

Over time I was able to teach Steeler many manners, and he taught me something that I had never had to deal with in my home before which was unruly dog behavior, but even more than that he taught me not to give up. If I had given up on him and just sent him to one of the many people who called wanting to buy him upon his return, I would have passed along a problem that may have had him headed once again to the dog pound. That would not have been fair to him. It was not his fault he was this way. 

Steeler and I did not give up on each other and by not giving up he was able to finally succeed at becoming a fine therapy dog, a county mascot alongside Chance in animal response, and he  helped to raise money for breast cancer awareness. The bumps along the road only made me more determined not to let him down.

Not all of his silly behaviors were eliminated, but I learned how to keep him safe from himself and I prepared for these little things.  Like knowing to check all widow locks before leaving the house as  one of his tricks was to open a window and jump out. He did check every window in the house to see if the safety locks were on because every window would be opened an inch when I got home!   

  The more that I took him out on therapy visits the better behaved and more serene he became at home.   The more challenges we met and conquered, the more trusting and attached we became. The more times he went out with Chance on non scheduled Therapy  Dog visits,  the more they both learned from each other. These visits included taking them  Christmas shopping with us and making sure to have them stand for a few minutes  alongside the Salvation Bell ringers to aide the general public in seeing their own good qualities which got a little more cash dropped  in SALVO donation pot, as well,  we visited schools to bring about awareness of preparing one's pets for disasters.

Steeler, like all dogs had his own personality and antics.  He loved people, especially children, he liked games such as: let me hide mom’s socks in my slobbery wet jowls and she’ll give me a cookie to drop them.  He loved the vacuum and came running when we turned it on, and when he was ready to go out in the morning, he would stick his big head under the bed covers lifting them off of me and then proceeded to poke me with his big nose. If you met Steeler, you would not easily forget him, he would lean into you until your bodies melted together and then raise his head high to get a neck rub.  If you could get past the  drool you were sure to encounter, he would be your friend for life just for a neck rub.

I am human; therefore I am flawed, so I am thankful that God’s creatures teach me on a daily basis how to be just a little less flawed and a lot more understanding with a twist of patience.

Like Chance’s passing and those before and after him, this will take much time for me to get over.  On the morning of Steeler’s death I went to my mom’s apartment to prepare her meds and get things ready for her day and I told her what had happened in the early morning hours as she slept right down the hall from where Steeler took his last breath.  She gasped, as Steeler was a daily part of her life, but her gasp was not for Steeler, it was for me, as she said, “Steeler is fine, it is you who is not.”   And I could not agree more.  I know Steeler is fine, but I am human and therefore I am flawed so my agony comes not from the fact he has gone to a better place, but from my heart that aches and still wants him here with me.

Rest in peace Ste-Ste, you came so far and you accomplished much! 

Video memory here