Do You Think Oprah's Show May Have Brought More Awareness of The Puppy Mills?
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
April 4, 2008 10:58pm CST
Some six months ago I started a discussion about the puppy mill "industry" as I had gotten an alert from the Humane Society of the US. To be honest as much of an animal lover I am and a tad bit of the animal activist (LOL) even I wasn't aware of the horrendous conditions of the puppy mills that are all over this country, and no doubt worldwide. After reading up on it more I even wrote an article about the puppy mill business over at Associated Content, but you can at least see my original discussion here
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1301037.aspx
Well I kept thinking too bad more and more people aren't aware of the autrocities about the puppy mill business..that most cute cuddly puppies in pet shops are indeed puppies that have been breed at such mills..most are sickly, and were kept in horrible conditions before being shipped to pet stores.
Well I had gotten another alert from nearly all my animal sites I belong to, plus the Oprah website itself as I belong there also announcing that just today, Oprah Winfrey did a special show about the puppy mill industry...I didn't get to watch it when it was on it's regular time (at 4 p.m. near me) but plan to watch it when it is re-broadcast much later tonight (around 1:00a.m.)
You can also see it listed here on her site
http://www2.oprah.com/world/global/slide/200804/global_20080404_101.jhtml
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200804/tows_past_20080404.jhtml?promocode=HP21
http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml
Since Oprah does have such a large viewing audience, and has a lot of influence and appeal not to mention clout...do you think maybe FINALLY more and more people will get active somehow, even from a political standpoint to get these puppy (and kitten) mills out of business once and for all? I'm sure hoping so
Oh...for a little more pleasant but sad tearjerker subject, where one where one needs a lot of tissues...watch Oprah's tribute to Sophie, her furbaby companion of about 14 years who recently passed into Rainbow Bridge on March 10th
Hope those links work!
Hope those links work!2 people like this
11 responses
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
6 Apr 08
I was wondering about the kitten mills myself while watching Oprah. I never see anything pertaining to kitten mills, even on the society website. Always puppy mills.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Apr 08
What kind of irks me a bit though is that all the attention is just on puppy mills and they never show kitten mills..wonder why??
1 person likes this
@Aurone (4755)
• United States
6 Apr 08
Cats and Kittens get overlooked all the time. There are more things to buy in store for dogs, more advice, people take them to the vet more often and you never hear about the Kitty mills for pure bred cats either--and the thing about it all is that there are more cats as pets in the US then dogs. I think its time that people starting giving cats the attention they deserve!
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
9 Apr 08
Unfortunately I've known and been aware of puppy mills for a long time...there are kitten mills too just as bad
1 person likes this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
I just saw Oprahs show on puppy mills and it broke my heart to see what some so called humans put beauful gog through, I was so upset I immediately put a petition on my wenpage for people to sign, and i though to bring back to life a topic on this subject just might make a few more people think of all the little puupies and beautiful dogs being mistreated...oh we must try to stop this money making at the expense of our beautiful four legged friends...
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
As you can see by my spelling I am still mega upset....
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Jun 08
I don't even think a lot of people were aware of what puppy mills were like and I'm glad she exposed them for what they really are like....More and more puppy mills are being closed down...it would be great the day that ALL are put out of business.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Apr 08
I wish there was attention placed on kitten mills as well though
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
5 Apr 08
I am glad she did a show on this, I hope it helps to get more people to adopt a pet rather than buy one that comes from a puppy mill. How sad the way those poor animals are treated especially the mother dogs who are more like birth machines.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Apr 08
I know...that was fantastic and yes probably Silina's happiest few months of her life..honestly if I could I'd rush out and adopt a score of unwanted pets from animal shelters...uh, don't think my landlord would agree to that though..only can have my two kitties...wonder if they my two cats ever realize how lucky they are??...
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
5 Apr 08
I had tears in my eyes when Oprah had that tribute to her furbaby as well. It's great she is changed person now cause of her show. The conditions they showed is very real and some ppl were just finding out about it for the first time. I was almost late to the dr. this morning because I didn't want to miss any part of the show.
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
6 Apr 08
That guy was awesome alright and Shrimp came out a totally different dog and will prolly be thankful for him for life taking the lil guy out of that hellhole. I'm praying that ppl will think twice when they see that next puppy in the window and it's tugging at their heartstrings. I still can't believe that some ppl are so willing to shell out so much money for 'designer' dogs when the pounds and humane societies are full of them for a lot less money.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Apr 08
I know I was crying buckets with her tribute to Sophie. I'm really hoping that her show will definitely bring more people aware of the true conditions of puppy mills..I thought that guy of the Main Line Rescue was fantastic..he's saved so many pets and has found great new homes for them...did you see how great that one dog that he now owns "shrimp" looked?
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
6 Apr 08
yes I do think she is doing a wonderful service, for public awareness on a myriad of topics, I like her show it is very informative.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Apr 08
I never used to watch her show until a friend told me about her...Now I'm hooked and watch it all the time...I love it when she has Dr. Oz on in particular
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
7 Apr 08
I don't watch TV, but I am glad that Oprah is going to work on Puppy mills problem.
She has huge influence on many people and seeing her involved makes me feel better....
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Apr 08
I don't watch much TV either, Oprah is just about the only thing I do watch though...and yes, with her influence more people might get involved to put an end to puppy mills
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
5 Apr 08
I have seen various shows exposing puppy mills and that is why I no longer would ever get an animal from a pet store or a breeder unless I could see his facilities. Actually for the past 15 years I have only adopted/rescued my pets. I did intend to watch Oprah's show yesterday but I was already crying 5 minutes into the show I had to quit watching it was absolutely heartbreaking just in the few minutes I could suffer watching. I am sure that with the advanced publicity Oprah's show received she must had reached millions of viewers and I truly hope this will raise awareness and people will shun these type of operations.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Apr 08
I know whiteheather, watching how dogs/puppies are treated is horrendous in these mills...it is something very hard to watch--so I do hope her show did some good and more people will take action against them
@dobyladysaturn (151)
• United States
10 Apr 08
I am sure it will raise awareness of puppy mills. If they are your money makers it seems you would take care of them better than that. They don't though.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Jun 08
It seems I hear more and more puppy mills are being closed down...thank goodness!
@dvschic (1795)
• United States
5 Apr 08
i will never eVEr buy an animal from a pet shop, its just too horrible. i'm glad places like petco have stopped carrying puppies and instead hold adoption events for local rescues, thats where i got my baby floppy (see my picture) for a 100 dollar donation, i got a neutered, flea bathed, adorable potty trained lil kitten to come home with me, it was a tax write off and i plan on going to the same rescue for my next pet! i wish more people would stop caring about the pedigree of their animal and more about the conditions in which their pet came from.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Apr 08
I think more and more people need to know that if they buy a pet at a pet shop they are only contributing to the misery of the "mill" business...glad to hear how you adopted Floppy...he's a beauty
