Oprah's Show on Puppy Mills

Oprah did a show on puppy mills in the United States featuing Lisa Ling.

The following text was taken from Oprah's website:
"A number of times they'll call us and give us 45 minutes to an hour to come out and pick up a dog before they shoot it when they no longer want it. It's always amazing to me when I go out to pick up a dog, they've had the dog eight or nine years and it doesn't have a name. It's never been out of the hutch. It doesn't know how to walk. I have to carry it to the car. It's heartbreaking."

"Bill [from Main Line Animal Rescue] says he's asked the breeders who own puppy mills why they treat the dogs so badly. "They think that we're fools when we pick the dogs up," he says. "I just went back to one of the mills, and they were asking me about the cocker spaniel we pulled out. … And I said, 'Well, she's fine. She's walking around the house and everything.' And he said, 'You let that dog walk around the house, where the people in your family live?' And I said, 'Yes, we do.' He just couldn't get over it. It's a different mentality. [Dogs] are considered agricultural products. They're like an ear of corn.'"

"Some had their vocal chords damaged by a pipe in order to keep them from barking."

If you are thinking about adopting a new pet, make your first stop the local shelter or animal rescue office. "You can find any kind of dog you want, any age you want, at a shelter or rescue," Oprah says.

Consider these facts when adopting a dog.Sometimes, what you see isn't always what you get when it comes to that doggie in the window of a pet shop. "You can be deceived when you see these cute puppies in the stores," Lisa says.If you are looking for a specific breed of dog, Bill says you're likely to find one at a rescue. "A third to 50 percent of the animals in shelters, depending on the location, are purebred dogs," Bill says. "The rest are great designer mixes." Bill says there are also breed-specific rescues throughout the country.

What you need to know about animal shelters and finding responsible breeders.For people who would still like to use a breeder, Bill urges you to find one that is responsible. Quality breeders care about the quality of life their dogs will have when they go to their new homes and will often interview you about your home. "One of the things that makes them a responsible breeder is they take their dogs back even if it's six or seven years later," Bill says.


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