Renee Rosenow

We’ve all been there – you just stop into the pet store to look and the next thing you know that little puppy behind the plexiglas has stolen your heart. The only thing left is to ask “How much is that puppy?” The real answer is beyond a price tag and is enough to make you sick.

By now I am sure that many people have heard about Oprah’s episode on puppy mills and read about the horrific events like the 80 dogs that were shot to death in Pennsylvania because the breeder didn’t want to pay for veterinary care of fleas and fly bites. Did you know that events like this are taking place in our own backyard? Did you know that over the past two years there have been five dog auctions in Thorp? The latest auction took place on Sept. 24. The dogs sold at these auctions are the parents of the puppies sold at local pet stores.

So how is life for that cute puppy’s parents? The dog auctions give us great insight into the world of a puppy mill. There are multiple dogs crammed into a single cage. At the first auction there were at least six full-sized labs in one kennel. These kennels are raised on hay bales so that the stool and urine can fall to the floor where it is more easily cleaned up.

In the meantime, the dogs’ feet are splayed from a life of walking on wire and many eat their own stool in order to maintain a clean kennel and to get enough nutrition. Most kennels are void of water or food, the dogs that are lucky enough to get refreshments drink from slimy, old water and eat moldy food. Every breed, from the small Westie puppies to the large adult Rottweilers are cowering from the humans, shaking in the back of their kennels. The large breeds such as the Rottweilers and the Bernese Mountain Dogs that are known for their strength buckle under their own weight due to a life of lying in one spot.

Perhaps the most heart-rending is the silence. Not a single dog makes noise; not a yelp, not a whimper, certainly not a bark. There was one brave little dog that dared to bark at the auction that I attended. That dogs’ kennel was kicked repeatedly, if the dog yelped the kicking and yelling continued. Rep. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire) told a reporter for WQOW News 18 “We have better legislation for the livestock that we consume in two years than we have for mankind’s best friend and that’s just not right.”

Rescue groups and lone people are trying to save dogs from these horrific conditions, but it’s a never-ending battle. Every time a dog is rescued, money goes into the pockets of the puppy miller, and that is his only concern. The rehabilitation for these dogs isn’t easy either.

I rescued a 12-week-old puppy from the dog auction last September. At such a young age, he already had a load of problems. Marvin came to me with coccidian (a blood-sucking parasite that can lead to death in a small puppy if not treated), a collapsing trachea, which caused him to have coughing spells, and a multitude of emotional problems. He didn’t know how to walk on solid ground; he cowered at human touch; he didn’t know how to run, or play, or bark.

It took three weeks to teach this small puppy how to become a dog. The recovery time only lengthens for older dogs. My co-worker received a dog second hand from the first dog auction that took place in September 2006. Now after two years, and seeing me nearly every day, he has finally learned how to trust me. He is just now allowing himself to play and be a goofy dog around me. He still flattens to the ground and shakes around strangers, and he still eats his own stool. There are some things that even time, it seems, won’t cure.

I am not saying all breeders in our area are puppy millers. There are great local breeders who are truly interested in the health of their dogs. But please, if you are going to buy a dog from a breeder, be sure that it is a reputable one. Ask questions, be sure to see the parents, and don’t rush into a decision. If the situation seems a little suspicious, it probably is.

Red flags include advertising in a newspaper or selling puppies at a pet store (reputable breeders want to know that their dogs are going to good homes, they want to know you), listing numerous breeds for sale, especially the newest “designer breeds” (these breeds often have the worst genetics of both breeds due to careless breeding), and not letting you see the parents.

If you are not sure if you are buying from a reputable breeder, call a local vet and ask the staff for their opinion. And also, please remember there are too many homeless dogs waiting for their forever homes in the local shelters. Whether you are looking for an adult mutt or a purebred puppy, you can find your perfect dog at the shelter. They even have waiting lists if you are looking for a specific breed.

It is much easier to walk into a pet store and leave with a sweet, loving puppy while you are blissfully ignorant to the truth. But the only way that we can save dogs from their terrible living conditions is by refusing to support the system.

The next time you enter the local pet store, please remember the life of that puppy’s parents; remember the neglect and abuse that your money is supporting.

For more information please contact me at [email protected] or go to www.nowisconsinpuppymills.com or the Clark County Humane Society’s Web site, www.cchs-petshelter.org.

Gooden is a junior biology and pre-vet major and guest columnist for The Spectator.