Posts Tagged ‘Pet Adoption’

Back in March 2011, I found Lili as a very frightened stray who had just had puppies. The thing is, she had hidden her puppies so well, that we couldn’t find them. Close to a week after finding Lili, we finally managed to find her puppies….hidden INSIDE a tree! Read the full story here:

Lili and Her Puppies

Below is an update on how each dog is doing in their new homes!

Lili

Lili is doing great in her new home! She was adopted by Jimmy and Rachel right here in Lawrenceville. Jimmy saw Lili while she was at adoption day at Red Bandanna in Suwanee. He took a picture of her and a Georgia Humane adoption application and went to show his wife, Rachel, the dog he wanted to bring home. She agreed and they haven’t looked back! Rachel says that Lili is now a “spoiled suburban dog.” She has a Jack Russell brother and a Chow sister and is loving life! She still has some of her street dog traits, but she is getting more and more used to the spoiled life and is very playful and loving. Below are a couple of pictures that Rachel and Jimmy provided me with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bernie

Out of all four of the puppies, Bernie stayed with us as a foster dog the longest. He is so sweet and loving, I wanted to keep him. The problem was, our dog Josie attacked him pretty badly once and I’m just not willing to take that chance. So, for months, we lived in a “divided home.” We had it down to a T and it wasn’t a big deal, we just took the dogs out in cycles instead of letting everyone out at once. We were taking Memphis, our Catahoula Leopard Dog (until we decided to adopt him), and Bernie (and Lili until she got adopted) up to adoption day at Red Bandanna in Suwanee and we had a lot of people oohing and ahhing over the dogs, but no one had filled out an application.

One day, I made a joke to my sister, Laura, after her foster dog Skipper got adopted, that she could take Bernie. Our nieces, Maddie and Grace already knew and loved Bernie from spending time with him here at our house with Denny and me. Laura, who never fails to surprise me with her easy going attitude, said “Okay, cool!” A week or so later, I took Bernie to Laura’s house. He started as a foster dog, but Laura, her husband Chad and the girls were pretty sure that he was a perfect fit as a permanent furry family member. They adopted Bernie officially and have not regretted it for a minute. He is just as sweet and wonderful as I knew he would was! Pictures of Bernie below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maizie Mae

I was doing my best from the get-go to make sure these puppies and mama were getting as much attention as possible. I posted them on Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else I could think of, and of course, we had the awesome Georgia Humane Society backing us as a foster home, providing the dogs with vet care, blankets, etc. and Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen helping us with food when needed. A fellow pet sitter Facebook friend of mine knew that a good friend of hers had recently lost their beloved dog and that they were considering adopting a new dog. She shared Lili’s and her puppies’ story and Diane, her husband Roc, and sweet daughter, Laura gave me a call and set up a time to meet the puppies when the pups were only 5 weeks old or so. They came over and immediately took to Maizie, filled out an application and waited patiently until she was old enough to get all of her shots, get spayed, heal and come home with them! She is doing really great in her home, and is extremely spoiled and happy and loved on. She is scared of her own shadow, which seems to be a trend with these puppies, but loves to play with her human “sister.”  Below are a couple of pictures that Diane provided me with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonka and Willow

Carolyn‘s name has been mentioned several times in my blog articles because she is as crazy as I am when it comes to animal rescue. No, crazier. She was there for me when I was driving over to where Lili was a stray and feeding her until we found her puppies; we couldn’t take Lili out of there knowing that puppies were there somewhere. Carolyn went to feed Lili and look for the puppies when I was out doing my Spring Break pet sitting visits. She also came and helped with them when we found the puppies and brought them to our house. Her daughter, Elora, knew that one of these puppies was going to be hers, but I’m not sure Carolyn knew that from the beginning. Well, after knowing and loving them all, they decided to adopt Willow (the black female pup) and foster Tonka (the brown with black muzzle pup). I don’t think it took that long before I got a text from Carolyn saying that they decided to adopt Tonka as well. Both dogs have been through obedience training and are as spoiled as can be. Tonka, like Maizie Mae, is afraid of his own shadow, but Carolyn is a pro when it comes to socializing dogs and is doing a fantastic job!  Below are pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog.” – George Graham Vest

Meet Lili and her four puppies! We found her as a stray and it took almost a week to locate her puppies. Now she is safe and warm at our house in foster care with Georgia Humane Society. If you want to read the full story about Lili and her pups, click here: Lili and Her Pups.

Here is a video of Lili so you can see how playful and sweet she is, and also of her adorable puppies!

 

 

 

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.  ~Dalai Lama

5 Reasons to Avoid Buying Pet Store Pets

1.      Do You Want To Support Puppy Mills?

For one thing, responsible and ethical breeders would never sell any of their pets to a pet store. You want a responsibly bred pet for many reasons, but health being among one of the top reasons. Poorly bred dogs will cost you lots of pain, tears and money. Pet stores look at pets as merchandise and have do not give a hoot about the integrity of the breed. These puppies almost always end up with early age arthritis, hip dysplasia (I’ve met dogs under 1 year old with arthritis and hip dysplasia), giardia (a harmful parasite that is difficult to battle), personality disorders, etc. Find out more about puppy mills at the Humane Society’s website. Here is a good article on the connection between pet stores and puppy mills from PetSide.com.

2.      The “Guarantee”

Pet stores will guarantee that they will take your pet back and give you your money back when you discover how terribly ill your new pet is. What they won’t tell you is that they will not take the pet to the veterinarian for care. They won’t “waste” the money. They will pay to have the pet put to sleep, the end.

3.      House Training

The puppies in puppy stores are kept in small cages and never see grass, dirt, tile, carpet or anything other than a wire bottomed cage that they use the bathroom on whenever they feel the need. This makes it very difficult to house train these dogs and many of them have bathroom issues for the rest of their lives.

4.      What Will Your Pet Look Like When He Grows Up?

When you have to buy a pet because of the breed (I HIGHLY recommend adopting a pet through wonderful agencies such as Georgia Humane Society), if you buy from a store, you will not get to meet the parents of the pet. A reputable breeder will introduce you to the mom, siblings and possibly the dad of the pet. This will give you a good idea of size, temperament, and looks of your new pet. If you ask to see the mom of a dog in a puppy store, they will probably laugh at you.

5.      No Socialization at a Critical Age

Puppies in stores are often removed from their mother and siblings at far too young an age.  We’re talking 4 to 5 weeks old. Reputable breeders insist that the puppies stay with the pack until at least 10 weeks old. This is something that true caring breeders care about because this is a critical age for puppies to learn canine manners and basically how to “speak dog”- their own language. Imagine if you weren’t taught what to do and you were just thrown into the world without any knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. You’re just expected to know. This is very cruel and unfair. Also keep in mind that these pups in the store have been very minimally handled by humans and can stay shy and fearful for life.

There are many other reasons not to buy that adorable puppy in the window- one more is that the breed on the paperwork may not be the puppy you end up with. Puppy mills are not careful about who breeds with who, as long as more puppies are coming to be sold. Your beautiful little German Shepherd puppy could have Maltese, Shih Tzu or any other number of breeds mixed in.

Before you go and buy a puppy from a store or a breeder, please consider the fully bred  dog (or mutts) being fostered with rescue groups. There are so many wonderful dogs out there that need homes! In my opinion, mutts are the best “breed.”

I care not much for a man’s religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.  ~Abraham Lincoln

My husband, Denny and I decided to volunteer with Georgia Humane Society after having an awesome adoption experience with them. We adopted our dog, Josie, through them and they are the nicest rescue group that I’ve ever come across. My sister, Laura Fields, was already a foster home with them and she lives near the Paulding County Animal Control and had her eye on Memphis. Denny named him Memphis because he went to college there.

Memphis is any where from 6 months to a year old and weighs about 50 pounds. He still acts like a puppy, kinda clumsy and loves to chew on things. We keep deer antlers and Nylabones around for him and that keeps him out of trouble. We’ve only had one accident in the house, pee, and it was right by the back door. We must not have been paying enough attention. He is a very good boy, loves the other dogs, is fine with the cats and adores kids. My sister has 2 little girls, aged 4 and 6, and they cuddled and cuddled with him and he loved it.

Memphis is neutered and up to date on vaccinations. He needs a home willing to work with him on some training, particularly leash training and listening to his name when you call him. Besides that, this fur baby is absolutely perfect. He is crate trained, but we let him sleep with us.  If you’re interested in adopting or meeting Memphis, you can fill out an application on the Georgia Humane Society’s website, www.georgiahumane.com and you can come meet him on Saturdays at PetsMart on Howell Mill Road in Atlanta. Call me first to make sure he’ll be there- 770-363-0827. Below are some pictures of him.

“Better to light a candle for one lost dog than to curse the darkness of man’s indifference. Saving just one dog won’t change the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog.” – Richard C. Call

 

UPDATE:

Sept. 29, 2011

Memphis was adopted and returned by one man who decided he didn’t have the time for him, and that was nearly a year ago. He became such a part of our growing furry family that we couldn’t stand to part with him, so August 15th, about a year after becoming our foster dog, we adopted him. He is now Memphis Pegg

The story below was found on AJC.com and it really wrings my heart. Each and every one of our seven pets that we enjoy our lives with have their own stories of being homeless and not altered. Now they are living in the lap of luxury, being showered with affection and attention, are spayed and neutered, and only leave the house on a leash. It’s hard to imagine that they could have become one of the statistics, and be euthanized just because some person let his unaltered dog run free. It’s puppy season right now and any unaltered dog has a large chance of running off if they catch a whiff of the opposite sex. If you don’t have your dog spayed or neutered, please ask yourself why and then why not. There are MANY low cost spay and neuter clinics around Georgia. Here is a list of about 30 of them: Low Cost Spay/Neuter, Vaccinations and Veterinarians in Georgia

Here’s the AJC story:

Counties killing dogs, cats by the thousands

By Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Troubled times are dooming more dogs and cats in metro Atlanta, and the same poor economy that puts animals in the pound ensures that many won’t get out.

Counties are cutting budgets at a time when animal shelters are putting down a growing number of animals. In the past two years, the number of cats and dogs destroyed at animal shelters in the five core metro counties has risen 24 percent. Last year, the counties killed almost 30,000 cats and dogs in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett.

Gwinnett County led 2009 with 7,588 cats and dogs put down, almost half of them because the shelter could not house them.

“We are trying to help citizens who are having financial trouble and can’t feed their animals by giving them food donated to the shelter by local merchants,” said Gwinnett police Lt. Mary Lou Respess, who is director of the county’s animal shelter. “The shelter also helps sponsor events at local pet supply stores to promote adoptions and is planning a free spay and neuter clinic this spring for pit and pit mixes, the most common breed at the shelter.”

All the adoption promotions in the world will never solve the problem, said Virginia Keller, president of the Spay Neuter Action Coalition of Georgia.

“These people just don’t get it,” she said. “There will never be enough homes for all the animals that are produced at today’s rate. Never. The answer to this problem is strictly spay and neuter.”

Keller said she has seen people repeatedly drop off puppies or kittens at the shelter with no thought that they could end the cycle with a simple operation on their dogs. Others, she said, get a $1,000 pure-bred puppy and think they’re going to get their money back by breeding it. But instead, it wanders down the street and produces some mixed-breed pups that the owner has to try to give away, she said.

“They think animal control is an adoption center,” Keller said. “No way. I don’t know how you get this idea across to people, unless they want to come and watch it happen.”

Another tack many animal rights groups take is offering to volunteer at shelters. Several groups in Gwinnett have said they would drum up volunteers, but Respess has said there are liability issues to consider when working inside the kennels.

There are some things volunteers can do. Gwinnett’s shelter has begun a program to get volunteers to walk the dogs. Gail La Berge, who heads the county animal advisory council, said the staff has found the dog-walking program improves the animals’ disposition and makes them more adoptable. She also said volunteers can sign up online and commit to times of their choice.

The Gwinnett shelter has also explored expanding hours into evenings to allow working families more time to visit and shop for a pet. Statistics show a noticeable increase in adoptions when the shelter remains open late, La Berge said, but budget cuts won’t allow for overtime, so the shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

The lean budget prompted the advisory council in mid-March to recommend increasing fees. The council, which recommends policy changes to the county commission, voted to double the charge for daily boarding to $10 and for quarantine to $200. But members balked at a suggestion to more than double the owner surrender fee from $20 to $50, fearing owners would abandon their animals on the streets. The fee was increased to $25.

Respess said the shelter offers reduced rates of $60 for spaying and neutering for animals that are being reclaimed, in lieu of the reclaim fee and subsequent boarding fees. The service includes rabies, DHLPP shots and microchip.

Other animal assistance groups operate on fewer dollars but with as much devotion.

“I think the increase is due to people losing their jobs,” said Samantha Shelton, founder and president of Furkids, the largest no-kill shelter in Georgia. “Yet there are so many resources out there that are available to people.”

Furkids operates a 5,000 square-foot facility for cats near Doraville. It also runs seven full-time adoption centers and has 20 active foster homes for dogs and kittens.

Over the past two years, the organization has seen donations plummet, yet it still offers free food and medical care to help owners keep their pets during tough times.

“I wish we could keep more of these pets in their homes, rather than people turning them over to animal control,” Shelton said.

Euthanasia counts at metro county shelters

	2007	2008	2009
Clayton
Cats	1,867	2,095	2,258
Dogs	3,095	3,715	4,099
Cobb
Cats	3,394	4,058	4,000
Dogs	3,095	3,715	4,099
DeKalb
Cats	1,077	1,895	1,843
Dogs	2,751	3,390	3,619
Fulton
Cats	464	400	565
Dogs	2,664	2,573	1,958
Gwinnett
Cats Dogs	3,169 2,763	4,025 2,966	4,588 3,020
Totals	23,874	28,091	29,612

The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines.                – Charles Kuralt

From SPOT Society:

The reasons for spaying are compelling and well-known:

• Overpopulation and the resulting mass euthanasia and neglect. There can never be enough good homes for all the puppies and kittens born, including purebreds.
• It avoids heat cycles, unwelcome visitors fighting on the lawn, accidental pregnancies, unwanted puppies and kittens, inconvenience and expense.
• Better-behaved pets – Spayed pets are less likely to spray or mark or roam. They are less aggressive toward humans and other animals. 85% of dog bites involve intact pets.
• Healthier pets
  • Females spayed before their first heat cycle have 96.4% less risk of breast cancer. Spaying after the first heat but before a litter still reduces the risk by 84%. Breast cancer is four times more common in dogs than in humans.
  • Spayed females have no risk of uterine infection, or uterine, ovarian, or cervical cancer.
  • Dogs and cats have their own sexually-transmitted diseases, many fatal, and some potentially contagious to humans. Spayed and neutered pets are rarely exposed to these diseases.
  • There are many complications associated with pregnancy, having babies, and raising a litter – infections, emergency c-sections (very expensive), seizures due to calcium deficiency, etc. The risk of pregnancy and rearing a litter is far greater than the risk of anesthesia and spaying.

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The reasons for neutering are compelling and well-known:

• Overpopulation and the resulting mass euthanasia and neglect. There can never be enough good homes for all the puppies and kittens born, including purebreds.
• It avoids fighting over females, trying to escape looking for females, and the resulting inconvenience and expense that results. Males can smell a female up to 3 miles away, and will often get in trouble out looking for girls. Most of the animals hit-by-cars and lost are intact males. Smaller dogs are often killed by larger ones.
• Neutered pets are less likely to spray or mark or roam. They are less aggressive toward humans and other animals. Eighty-five percent of dog bites involve intact pets. And who can stand the aroma of Tom Cat urine?
• Dogs and cats have their own sexually transmitted diseases, many fatal, and some potentially contagious to humans. Feline Leukemia, for example, is the leading disease killer of cats in our area, and is spread through fighting and sexual contact. Spayed and neutered pets are rarely exposed to these diseases.
• Neutered males have no risk of testicular cancer. Prostate cancers, and other prostate problems, are very common in older un-neutered males.

LOW COST SPAY/NEUTER, VETERINARIANS and VACCINATIONS:

• Gwinnett Humane Society- www.gwinnetthumane.com 770-798-7711
• Georgia SPCA- www.georgiaspca.org 678-765-2726- address: 1175 Buford Hwy. Suwanee
• WellPet Humane * low cost veterinarian*- www.wellpethumane.com, 770-455-1101-address: 5342 Peachtree Rd. Chamblee, 30341
• Humane Society of Northeast GA- http://www.humanesocietyofnortheastgeorgia.org 770-532-6617- address: 845 West Ridge Rd. Gainesville, 30501
• Spay Georgia- www.spaygeorgia.org -770-662-4479
• Lifeline Animal Project- www.atlantapets.org 404-292-8800- address: 129 Lake St. Avondale Estates, 30002
• Spay and Neuter Team of Atlanta- www.spay-neuterteam.com 678-581-4055-address: 470 Franklin Rd. Suite 105, Marietta 30067
• Atlanta Humane Society-*low cost veterinarian* www.atlantahumane.org 770-830-2763- address-981 Howell Mill Rd. Atlanta, 30318
• Dekalb County Humane- www.dekalbhumane.org 770-593-1155-address: 5287 Covington Hwy. Decatur, 30035
• Woods Animal Hospital * low cost veterinarian*- (770) 448-6735- address: 11 Thrasher Street, Norcross
• West Georgia Spay/Neuter Clinic- www.westgeorgiaspayneuter.com – 678-840-8072- address: 525 E. Montgomery St. Suite B, Villa Rica, 30180
• Athens Regional Spay and Neuter Clinic- www.athenshumanesociety.org – 706-353-CATS- address: 1781 Mars Hill Road, Watkinsville
• Crossroads Veterinary Services- *low cost veterinarian* www.crossroadsveterinaryservices.com – (706) 224-3200 or (706) 743-7614- address: 210 West Main St., Lexington, 30648
• Friends of Animals- http://www.friendsofanimals.org/programs/spay-neuter/index.html – 1-800-321-PETS
• The Georgia Animal Project- www.theanimalproject.org – 770-704-PAWS- address: P.O. Box 689, Holly Springs, GA 30142-0689
• Humane Society of Cobb County- www.humanecobb.org – 770-428-5678
• Leftover Pets, Inc.- www.leftoverpets.org – 800-978-5226
• · Pit Bull Rescue Central- www.pbrc.net
• Project Catsnip- www.projectcatsnip.org – 770-455-7077
• Spay Elijay- www.homeward.petfinder.com – (706) 698-HOME
• Save Our Strays, Inc.- http://www.saveourstraysatlanta.com- 770-972-5067
• Cherokee County Humane Society- www.cchumanesociety.org – 770-928-5115
• Pet Assistance and Welfare Society of Athens (PAWS)- Email: operations@pawsofathens.com – 706-310-0663
• Cat Care Hospital (Marietta) - 770-424-6369
• Casper’s Fund- www.caspersfund.org – 678-318-1886
• Forsyth County Project Spay Neuter- www.projectspayneuter.com – 770-887-1565
• Helping Prevent Homeless Pets, Inc.- 770-887-1565
• SNAP (Spay Neuter Assistance Program)- http://www.fultonanimalservices.com- 404-794-0358
• Peach Pets Animal Hospital *low cost veterinarian*- www.peachpets.com – (770)814-9000- address: 6955 McGinnis Ferry Rd, Suite 104, Johns Creek , GA 30097
• Society of Humane Friends of Lawrenceville- www.societyofhumanefriends.com – 770-962-4301
• Humane Society of Hall County Low Income Spay and Neuter Clinic- 770-532-6617, E-mail: hshc1@bellsouth.net
• Madison-Oglethorpe Animal Shelter, Inc.- www.moas.org – 706-795-2868, address: 1888 Colbert-Danielsville Rd.  Danielsville, GA 30633
• Humane Society of Morgan County- www.humanesocietyofmorgancounty.org – 706-343-9977
• Paradox Farm Spay and Neuter (Conyers/Oxford)- 770-972-5067
• Paulding County Animal Control- 770-445-1511- E-mail: animalcontrol@paulding.gov
• Paulding County Humane Society- www.pauldinghumanesociety.org – 770-443-3565
• Conyers/Rockdale Humane Society- 770-922-4618

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.  ~Dalai Lama

It’s amazing to me how many dog loving people that I meet who don’t know what a puppy mill is. If you buy a dog (instead of adoption or rescue), and the breeder doesn’t want to come to your home or at least ask you a million and one questions, you need to question THEM. In fact, you need to question them anyway. You need to ask to see where the puppies were born, to meet the mother and father (at least the mother), what health tests have been done on the mother and father, is the breeder active in any breed clubs, what temperament testing and socialization has been  done,  what food have the puppies been receiving, what inoculations have been given, ask for references from previous puppy buyers, can you have your own vet check the puppy out before committing, and well, you get the point.

At these puppy stores, the breeder isn’t even present. In fact, most of them will tell you they can’t even give you the address to the breeder’s home. This should be a HUGE red flag. The article below is something that I got from the Humane Society of the United States. I hope that you read this and think about adoption or at least a very reputable breeder before going to these puppy stores. We need to take a stand against this cruelty.

Puppy Mills

Can you imagine forcing your pet dog to live his or her entire life in a small wire cage with no human companionship, toys or comfort, and little hope of ever becoming part of a family? That is what life is like for a puppy mill breeding dog. Help us stop this cycle of cruelty that contributes to pet overpopulation and the suffering of countless dogs.

Puppy mills have been around for decades. They continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for-words puppies in pet store windows and on legitimate-seeming websites. Puppy mills house dogs in shockingly poor conditions. After their fertility wanes, breeding animals are often killed, abandoned or sold cheaply to another mill to try and get “one more litter” out of the dog. The annual result of all this breeding is millions of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.

Buying A Puppy

Questions to ask yourself, and how to prepare for a new pup

The first step on the road to pet ownership is to ask yourself some tough questions: Why do you want a puppy? Can you afford one? Are you prepared to take care of a dog every day for his entire life?

If you’ve decided you’re ready for a dog, follow The HSUS’ top five puppy buying tips and you’ll be far more likely to secure a healthy, well-socialized dog who doesn’t drain your emotions or your pocketbook. One, in other words, who doesn’t come from a puppy mill.

1. Consider adoption. Adopting a dog instead of buying one is one of the surest ways to strike a blow against puppy mills. To find the perfect match, you’ll want to choose the right one for you and your lifestyle. Animal shelters have dozens of dogs, many of them purebreds, just waiting for homes. There are also breed specific rescue groups for every breed of dog, including “designer” or “hybrids” like Labradoodles and Puggles. Mixed-breed dogs also make wonderful pets. Read more about adopting a puppy through a shelter or breed rescue group »

2. Find a responsible breeder and visit their premises. Responsible breeders provide a loving and healthy environment for their canine companions, one that they will be proud to show you. Never buy a puppy without seeing where they and their parents are raised and housed with your own eyes. Read more on how to find a good dog breeder »

3. Don’t be fooled by common claims made by pet stores when pushing their puppies. Despite what they may tell you, pet stores do sell puppy mill puppies. Read more about the false claims commonly made by pet stores at the Pet Store Doublespeak page »

4. Don’t be swayed by a great website or ad. Just because a website says great things about their “home raised” or “family raised” puppies doesn’t make it true. Many puppy millers pose as small family breeders online and in newspaper and magazine ads. For many years The HSUS has aided local authorities in the rescue of puppy mill dogs across the nation. In almost all cases the puppy mills sold puppies via the Internet using legitimate-looking ads or websites that made claims that couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

5. Avoid the temptation to “rescue” a puppy mill puppy by buying him. Even though your intentions may be good, don’t buy a puppy with the idea that you are “rescuing” him or her. Your “rescue” opens up space for another puppy mill puppy and puts money into the pockets of the puppy mill industry. Pet stores won’t leave their cages empty and websites won’t leave their pages blank. The money you spend on your puppy goes right back to the puppy mill operator and ensures they will continue breeding and treating dogs inhumanely. If you see someone keeping puppies in poor conditions, alert your local animal control authorities instead of buying.

What You Can Do to Stop Puppy Mills

Help stop the cycle of cruelty

Check out this list of things you can do to help stop puppy mills:

Get an education

Whether you’re thinking about getting a dog, want to educate others about puppy mills or just want to learn more, check out FAQs about puppy mills and puppy buying tips.

Kids and teens: help stop puppy mills with A Cause for Paws.

Go online

Stop puppy mills by visiting our pages on Facebook and MySpace.

Help make your local pet store “puppy friendly”

The Puppy Friendly Pet Stores initiative asks dog lovers everywhere to work with their local pet stores to encourage them to develop and implement “puppy friendly” policies by refusing to sell puppies in their store and supporting homeless pet adoptions instead. Stores that already do not sell puppies can sign up to show that they are taking a stand against puppy mills and to “make official” their policy of not selling puppies. Learn more here »

Be an advocate

There are many things you can do to help dogs in puppy mills. “An Advocate’s Guide to Stopping Puppy Mills“ is a good place to start with many ideas that can propel you into action. ”A Guide to Using Local Ordinances to Combat Puppy Mills” is designed to help you work for the passage of local laws in your own community that will improve the lives of dogs in puppy mills.

Download “An Advocate’s Guide to Stopping Puppy Mills” »
Download “A Guide to Using Local Ordinances to Combat Puppy Mills” »

Or, you may order the more extensive kit that includes the guide as well as everything you’ll need to start spreading the word about puppy mills in your community, including printed materials, letter templates, tips for developing legislation and activity ideas. The kit is designed to help you discuss the puppy mill issue accurately and intelligently, whether speaking to friends and family or the local media: $3 each. Download the order form »

Lobby for better laws

Contact your federal and state legislators and let them know that you’re concerned about the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills and want the puppy mill issue to be a priority for Congress. Ask them to expand the reach of the Animal Welfare Act to include kennels that sell large numbers of puppies directly to the public.

Get “Stop Puppy Mills” stuff

Spread the word about puppy mills wherever you go with stickers, T-shirts, bookmarks, dog collars, and flyers, or download a banner or badge for your website or blog »

Speak up

Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper is a great way to get the word out about puppy mills in your community. Write your own version—a short, polite letter is most effective—or download a Microsoft Word version of the template that you can alter.

Furnish your vet with flyers

Download and print these flyers and bring them to your veterinarian or groomer’s office: “Getting a Puppy?” and “How to Find a Good Dog Breeder” are designed to help potential pet owners avoid puppy mills.

Donate

Help The HSUS in our ongoing campaign to stop puppy mills. Please make a donation today.

I don`t hold animals superior or even equal to humans. The whole case for behaving decently to animals rests on the fact that we are the superior species. We are the species uniquely capable of imagination, rationality, and moral choice – and that is precisely why we are under an obligation to recognize and respect the rights of animals.
– Brigid Brophy

The following article was written by Laura Fields, who is part owner and operator of Baby Steps, and teaches classes on subjects such as First Trimester Essentials, Intuitive Birth, Preparing for Your Birth, Postpartum & Your New Family, Breastfeeding Your Baby, Why Choose Homebirth?, The Circumcision Decision and The Green Baby. Laura, her husband Chad and children, Maddie and Grace (featured in the photos) are the proud parents of 3 dogs, 2 cats and 2 cockatiels and live in Powder Springs, GA.

Kids and Pets

By: Laura Fields

Incorporating kids and pets into the same family can be more of a challenge than you may think if you’ve never tried it yourself.  It’s very common for the most avid animal lovers to grow tired of their pets after a baby is born.  Babies require constant touching and holding, and mothers may experience the feeling of being “touched out.”  Babies and toddlers require so much attention and love that moms often feel they have nothing left for anyone else, including once-beloved pets.  A lot of previously adored pets find themselves in shelters after the baby comes along.

Instead of getting rid of your pets, try to decrease the amount of time and attention they require or hire a professional dog walker or pet sitter to pay attention to your pets when you don’t have the time.  When my kids were very small, the dogs had to spend more time outside.  Eventually, the most physically needy phases passed, and I was able to enjoy my pets again.  If you once loved animals but feel that they’re just a nuisance since the kids were born, just know that this is a common feeling and it will pass as the kids grow more independent.  Pets can add a great deal to a child’s life: love, responsibility, lessons about loyalty and commitment.  If you hang in there with your pet through the hard times when the kids are little, when they’re older they will better understand that you don’t give up on someone just because it gets difficult.  We can begin to change society’s throw-away views of pets one child at a time.

If you already have kids and want to add pets, think hard about what kind you want.  Puppies and kids seem to go together like peanut butter and chocolate, but puppies require a great deal of time and training.  They take longer to housebreak than adult dogs, and they love to chew on things.  They don’t understand that kids’ toys (or fingers!) are not acceptable chew toys.  If you’ve never had a puppy before, it’s a better idea to go through a rescue group and adopt an adult dog who has been tested with children.  Look into various breeds to determine how they typically behave.  Small dogs tend to be popular, but often larger breeds are better family dogs.  Then make sure to evaluate the individual dog’s temperament.  Some rescue groups allow a trial period, so you can bring the dog home for a week or two to determine if it’s a good fit before committing.

When it comes to pets and kids, our children’s safety always comes first.  Always supervise children and pets, for the protection of both.  If you have a pet with behavioral problems, seek help from a professional.

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.  -Robert Benchley

The following blog lists several of the pet shelters and rescues in the Gwinnett County area, including Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Dacula, Duluth, Snellville and Lilburn. Whether you are looking for a certain breed or just the “perfect” pet for you, there are plenty of rescue groups and shelters in the area to find the pet you are looking for… and you’re saving a life. 90,000 dogs and cats die in Atlanta area shelters every year! Please, consider adoptions instead of purchasing a pet. If I’ve left any shelters or rescues out, please let me know and I will happily add it to this list.

Dacula

Canine Pet Rescue

Duluth

Cindy’s K-9 Angels

Companion Animal Rescue League

Lawrenceville

Gwinnett County Animal Control and Welfare

Gwinnett Humane Society

Society of Humane Friends

Lilburn

Alcovy Pet Rescue

Atlanta Boxer Rescue

Pets To Be

Snellville

Hightower Farm and Animal Sanctuary

Stone Moutain

Boston Terrier Rescue

Suwanee

English Springer Rescue America

Georgia Humane Society

Georgia SPCA

Southeast Pug Rescue and Adoption

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.” – Anonymous