You go into your local pet store and see the cuddly little puppies, so cute you just can’t resist taking one home, but I wonder if people give any thought to the conditions which produce these adorable creatures. Pet store puppies come from puppy mills, regardless of what the owners will tell you. These designer puppies, selling for $1,000 or more, are born in the most deplorable of conditions.

Puppy mills are a serious problem in this country, and one our law makers are having great difficulty combating. We, as consumers, can help in this battle. DO NOT BUY PUPPIES FROM PET STORES, AND DO NOT GIVE YOUR BUSINESS TO PET STORES THAT SELL PUPPIES. Puppy mill dogs live in wire cages that are stacked one upon the other. These dogs are half crazed, never taken out, cages are never cleaned, hair is matted, disease is rampant and no thought is given to insuring congenital defects are not passed along.

The Humane Society of the United States offers information and tips at the Web site: Stop Puppy Mills You can also view heart breaking videos of these disgraceful puppy mills. A number of the large pet store chains do not sell dogs and cats for this reason. Instead they support the growing number of pet rescue organizations by allowing them room to show their dogs for adoption. The next time you are in the market for a puppy, please consider adoption. A good resource is www.petfinder.org. Or visit your local Humane Society or animal shelter.

If you want a pure bred dog complete with AKC papers, find a reputable breeder. A reputable breeder will never sell puppies to pet stores, will not ship puppies, will allow you to inspect their kennels, and typically will offer a limited number of breeds. They will ask that you return the dog to them at any time in the future if you find you cannot take care of the animal or no longer want it. But beware, all registrations are not the same. Some registrations can be bought online, and one uses the same initials as the Canadian Kennel Club. We, as consumers and pet lovers, have the ability to put these people out of business. It’s simple. Change your buying habits and consider pet adoption. Almost 4.5 million unwanted dogs are euthanized annually in the United States alone. This is a truly inexcusable statistic.