Puppy mills are factory-like breeding operations where dogs suffer most of their lives, if not their entire lives in stacked, overcrowded cages being bred over and over to supply pet stores with puppies and for online sales as well. They receive little to no exercise and socialization and minimal veterinary care. When these breeding dogs are no longer "useful" they are auctioned off, dumped at shelters or destroyed.
Puppy mill puppies often have a host of health problems due to the overbreeding and neglect of their parents, yet pet stores continue to sell them for large sums of money. Many people who purchase these sick dogs can't afford the medical bills and end up giving them up to shelters.
Due to the recent trend in "teacup" and hybrid breeds (made popular by certain celebrities), new pet stores have sprung up that sell puppies, further enabling puppy mills to stay in business. Unfortunately "teacup" just means a dog that was deliberately bred to be undersized and likely has health problems.
A good way to enlighten the public about the harsh realities of puppy mills and the merits of adoption from shelters and rescues is to organize a protest at a store that sells dogs. By getting people not to patronize these stores, the demand will stop and in turn puppy mills will be forced to shut down. The following are ways to make your demonstration successful.
Instructions
Choose a store that sells puppies from puppy mills as the location for your demonstration. It should have good visibility from the street and parking available nearby.
Alert your local police department. You may need to obtain permission or a special permit and be asked to provide the basic details such as date, time and location of the demonstration. Different cities have different regulations--but it is within your First Amendment rights--and it's free to assemble.
Contact local animal welfare and rescue organizations to get their input. They can also provide you with email lists of people to invite to participate. Register with Bestfriends.org (see Resources below). It's free to join, and as a member you will have access to a state-by-state network of thousands of rescue organizations.
Email an action alert to animal organizations and individuals who support animal causes. Also send out Facebook and MySpace bulletins. Include the details such as date, time and place. Ask people to make signs, bring poop scoopers/baggies for cleanup, and perhaps their dogs and/or dogs up for adoption.
Place ads in local newspapers and on websites such as Craigslist, Citysearch and others that are local to your area. Put fliers up at dog parks, public parks, libraries, school bulletin boards, markets and veterinarians' offices announcing the demonstration.
Alert the local news outlets including TV stations, radio stations and newspapers. You might want to schedule guest speakers such as animal organization spokespersons. It always helps to have local and/or national celebrity guests. Find out if your city allows the use of microphones, bullhorns and/or PA systems; many do not.
Bring literature, such as pamphlets to pass out, in order to educate people about puppy mills. Be prepared to share your knowledge with those who pass by and express curiosity or interest. You can download information from an animal welfare organization's website such as Best Friends "Puppies Aren't Products" campaign, Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), Last Chance for Animals (LCA) and Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Check with animal welfare organizations including the volunteer coordinator at Last Chance for Animals ([email protected]), Companion Animal Protection Society and Best Friends Animal Society; most would be happy to supply you with signs and materials for your pet store demonstration to educate the public and create change in your area.