Below is a letter sent to us from a concerned North Texas citizen.

More information about the horrors of Puppy Mills can be found on the linked sites in this letter.

I would like to warn our readers about dangers to be aware of when getting their next dog. Many people spend hundreds of dollars to buy a healthy looking puppy only to find out soon after that he is seriously ill and requires costly veterinary care to save his life or either the dog grows up not the purebred they were told.

Puppy mills are breeding facilities that produce puppies in large numbers and sell them to unsuspecting consumers. They are inhumane, designed to maximize profits, and commonly disregard the physical, social, and emotional health of the dogs in their facilities. Because of these conditions, puppy mill puppies are more likely to have physical and behavioral problems. These dogs are forced to live in small cages without adequate cover, are put with several males at the time which causes fighting and death on a daily basis. They are left to live in their own waste, expected to "walk" the waste out of the wire bottoms of their cages. Females are forced to breed from their very first heat cycle, and then on until they can no longer produce, which are then destroyed.

Puppy mills lurk behind web sites, ads in the local newspaper, even behind the doors of a pet store. The best way to stop puppy mills from continuing is for consumers to stop buying the puppies they breed. Many people think they are “rescuing” a puppy by buying one—don’t be fooled, you’re just creating space for another puppy to be sold. If you ask to see the parents you will most likely be shown what they want you to see.

Good breeder characteristics is available on the web site, www.StopPuppyMills.com, and more information about finding your next pet can be found on The Humane Society of the United States’ web site, www.hsus.org or the American Kennel Club of America.

By far, the best place to get your next pet is the local animal shelter. Many people are surprised to learn that nationwide, one out of every four dogs in shelters are purebred. Most of these shelter animals have already been spayed or neutered, and have received all their vaccinations and veterinary checkups. Purebred rescue groups are another excellent resource for finding a dog and you can find links at www.petfinder.org and www.pets911.com.

I write this as a concerned citizen for all the counties in and around Montague County. I have heard numerous complaints about a large puppy mill operating in our area. When you see the ads for many different breeds available, you are looking at a puppy mill. I personally believe the dogs forced to live at a puppy mill would be better off dead than to live their lives out in an extremely inhumane situation.  With literally thousands of dogs being euthanized daily in the United States we need to do our best to stop the irresponsible puppy breeders in this country.

D.L.Fallis