I recently adopted a puppy from my local animal shelter here in Laredo,Texas. She is now 6 months old, she was found walking in the streets hungry and untreated. I have taken her to my work at a Veterinary Clinic she had a few problems but now she is fine after I bought her all her medication. She is a loving hyper little hairball puppy. Shouts out to everyone who has adopted a dog/cat and any other animal who has been mistreated, it is good to know there is still people out there who care for our animals!

My wife and i adopted our third dog Liza from a shelter in Conn. It has taken over 2+ years for her to get over what we call the scared stage. After we got her we brought her to our vet to get checked out. The vet extracted 6 teeth that could not be saved and referred us to a specialest to take care of her impaired vision because no body else took care of this little angel. She is only 4 years of age. Well now she gets all the love she needs.

I adopted a 5 year old lemon beagle puppy mill dog a few years ago. She was afraid of everything but her father (who I adopted too, at age 14), in the world. 3 years old, she still is afraid of most things in the world...except for everything in my house (including her new brother, and 2 cats). I kinda gave up with exposing her to new things (like play dates, nice people, etc.), because it was so traumatic for her. So, I figured, if she was happy and secure in my house, and she was ok with that, so am I. I just love her so much...she is an awesome dog...so loving and gentle.

Our cocker spaniel Taxi was rescued after being discarded from an Amish puppy mill. She is sweet, affectionate and obedient, with impeccable house manners! It's all thanks to the rescue who saved her, Katzenwoofers Pet Rescue out of Sheridan, MI. Sidenote: When we gave Taxi a sister, Trolley (a shelter rescue) the competition between the girls has resulted in Taxi learning several new tricks, AND finally playing with toys! Don't give up hope on your puppy mill rescues...with enough patience and love, they will flourish!

I had a sweet puppy mill girl for about 2 years and sadly had to give her up to another family but she made so much progress in that time. She must have been more traumatized than some. She never spoke for at least a few months so it brought me much joy everytime she would mouth off when she felt safer. She found safety in a small bathroom but eventually would lie in the living room if things were quiet but would run back there everytime I stood up. She eventually learned to go outside but would only run around in a big circle. You could tell she loved it though. She also loved her blankies. I realized that she liked the softer ones more than the one I was given with her because she would sprawl out more on them so I got her some baby blankets. She never did really get to where I think she enjoyed me petting her. Sometimes I thought I could see it a little though. She was a beautiful sweet girl who didn't deserved to be so traumatized with whatever they did to her. So sad. I hope that her life kept improving.

I also adopted a puppymill rescue straight off the transport. Rosie has been with us for one year now and is doing better than expected. I always remind friends and family she will always be a work in progress and to be patient in her presence. Roadie is a 4 yr old Boston who was used as a breeder. I always tell people she is like a little alien in a domesticated new world. Even though she has grown into such a wonderful little girl, her scars will always remind me of what this precious soul has been through. She doesnt play with toys and actually is afraid of the squeakers. It's such a joy to watch her experience things for the first time. It's like having a toddler all over again. House training is getting better. We have accidents now and then. She loves her boston brother who has been with us for 14 yrs. She loves to lick and clean his ears and lips. He is loosing his hearing and I think she knows it. She lets me know when he has to go out by spinning around to get my attention. Rosie loves to snuggle in bed and wants to be held like a baby all of the time. My boyfriend tells me she knows we saved her and gave her broken spirit a second chance. But her most favorite activity is rubbing her face, head and back all over the soft blankets I leave for her on our sectional. I think God! That must feel so good!

I am so glad that Sophie received the second chance that she (and all animals) deserve. This is a wonderful story. It makes me happy to know that there are still some kind and caring people in this world.

My rescue dog came from a mill/hoarding situation. I volunterred to foster while the court case was going on. I named her Mimi. She was so thin! As the weeks dragged on for court, I was so proud that Mimi was gaining weight....until the day i picked her up and realized that it was not food and love that was plumping her up, but a belly full of puppies! So, one pup became 6. Mimi was an experienced mother and proudly showed off the new family, trusting me with the new borns like she had always been with me. A very humble experience for me.

I, too am an owner of 2 King Charles Spaniels...or should I say they own me. :-) Anyway, the very thought of the torture that these animals go through just breaks my heart. Not knowing what I was doing, I got a CKCS from the internet and only when I had this little puppy in my arms did I find out that she had been shipped from Ireland. I am positive that she was from a puppy mill. I will say that she has been a fabulous dog, perfect in every way. She is now 8+ years old which is old for this breed. Also, read the book Saving Gracie, it will open your eyes even further. I have just gotten a puppy (7 months) from a reputable breeder and I checked her very thoroughly!! Bless your heart for rescuing one of these very precious dogs.

My Lhasa Apso, Suzi, was also a puppy mill breeder for more than 7 years. Her first two adoptions failed because she was so severely damaged emotionally. When she first came to me she was nearly catatonic from fear despite two good foster homes who loved her. Four years later, she is still shy around new environments and people, and toys are mostly ignored or, at best, gnawed on rather than played with, but she plays with us (chase me, wrestle the blanket), greets us joyously when we come home, dances and spings in circles for her dinner, and actively seeks affection. She's the sweetest dog I've ever had!

You are awesome people!! Thanks for making Sophia's life complete for her senior years!!

Thanks to all the good people who rescue these poor animals who don't deserve this! I rescued a "runaway" from a local animal shelter..she was pregnant and hemorrhaging so i took her to the vet and had her spayed and she never left our home. These are the most loving, caring animals because they are so thankful.

It seems all our stories are nearly the same, with the same moral being that these special rescues are amazing and loving and the most worthy creatures and they do mostly come around to normal behaviors in time. I have two mill dogs from MO, both yorkies, both breeders and neither can be housebroken. But, they wear diapers and have a life of love, freedom, warmth, food, and vetting and believe me, my Dutchess and Arthur are lucky, as well as all the other dogs here, I just wish that more people understood what mills are all about so we can get all adoptions in a loving home like ours.

Sharon - The answer to your question is that it is NOT illegal for the puppy miller to treat their dogs the way they do. Laws vary from state to state, but generally require that the millers do very little to care for their dogs. Look at what happened with Prop B in Missouri. The people there came out in record numbers to pass this law, which endeavored to make the puppy millers provide their dogs with the most basic of needs, such as solid cage bottoms instead of chicken wire and regular exposure to sunlight and grass. The law did pass, but Missouri legislature overturned it, ignoring the will of the people and now the laws governing the treatment of puppies in Missouri mills are even worse than they were prior to the passage of Prop B. In short, our government feels that puppy mills provide people with a way to make a living. Most politicians don't care.

I too adopted a puppy mill survivor, Joy. She lives up to her name as she has brought Joy to us. Like all the stories before and sadly the ones that still need to be told, my poor girl had litter after litter. She was very skiddish at first but has found the "joy" of walks, rolling around in the grass, good food and clean water. Each time I hold her, I let her know how much she is loved. It is a sad commentary on our country that this kind of abuse, known to so many, continues. It simply must stop. It should be ILLEGAL to sell a cat or a dog in a pet store. It should be ILLEGAl for any individual to be breeding more than two dogs at a time. It should be ILLEGAL for any dog to have more that two or three litters of puppies. It's got to stop! For all of you out there considering a dog...please adopt. The love you receive from this special pups cannot be measured. OPT TO ADOPT!

I am a foster for Boston's and just adopted out a little girl from a Puppy mill who was forced to have litter after litter for 5 long years. It took her 7 months to trust humans and may never learn to play with toys or other dogs, but has come to learn that not all humans are cruel. She now has a forever home with lots of love and attention.

My little'dog'Arthur was a puppy mill Res ue too. He's a Chinese Crested Powder Puff who spent his first two years in the puppy mill before being bought by a resvue group at an auction. I found him through a free to good home ad in the paper. (His original adopter became overwhelmed with two many dogs.) We got him at age 4 and he is now 12. He doesn't know how to play with balls or toys, has not been good zt learning things like how to sit, and was a little hard to get potty trained. But he is the sweetest, most loving little cuddly lsp dog, and even I. His old age he is happy and energetic. What a joy he is!

We also rescued two Cavis. Ginger was a puppymill survivor. Atrophied on one side from being left on one side to nurse over & over again, she had never stepped on grass in 7 years! Today, her favourite thing is to sun herself in the grass. Gemma was a puppy who had been thrown into a box after she suffered a broken leg. The intention of the pet store was to have her put down. Luckily, we found her & had the store closed down! GOD BLESS YOU!

I'm so glad Sophie has a good home now. My parents adopted a puppy mill survivor and she is very shy but is the sweetest little dog! I just don't understand how these mills can hold these auctions with sick and mistreated animals up for sale?! Is there no oversight of these events where local authorities can then go after the mill owners? It just breaks my heart that these animals live such horrible lives!

Mr. Howell Schisler and all the other wonderful people who have rescued, I just was to thank you all for being wonderful and a pure gift to these sweet fur babies.

My heart goes out to Sophie. Thank you for taking a chance on her. Patience, Love and Kindness is all she deserves and the biggest kicker is that she will never ask you for any of that and will love you unconditionally. I also came to foster and then adopt a Yorkie, a surrender from a breeder in Missouri. Molly came to us last November and she was a mess. All she could do was run in circles and scared of everything. We decided to adopt her and make sure she had a good life. It took her 3 months before she ever made a sound and even longer to trust us. She is now a happy little girl, she just had her 4th birthday and she has become the biggest lap dog you have ever met. My terrier mix, Sissy, taught her how to be a dog and to run and jump and play. She still runs in circles but now she runs because she is happy. Good luck and much happiness to you and Sophie.

I have a dog named Sophie too! We got her from our local shelter. She was so scared of everyone except me at first. She would even growl at my husband and not let him come near her. However, he was patient with her and it's been almost 2 months now. She greets him with a wagging tail and curls up with him. It's so amazing how wonderful shelter/rescue dogs are. Congrats on your new fur baby.

I also have a puppy mill mommy, an english lab named Taffy. She came to me 20lbs underweight, all her front teeth are broken off, but like your little Sophie, amazingly she has the most loving spirit! She just wants to be near me, and wants to be touched and loved by everyone she meets. She is learning from my other dog Moose how to play (she still doesn't really understand what she's doing, but Moose is a good "big sister" even though she's younger and always lets Taffy "win") Their spirit is amazing, and I'm so proud to have her in my life.

This is wonderful news! I rescued a 2 year old puppy mill breeder and found a terrified dog who knew nothing about life other than being in a box. She is now a well adjusted happy girl, Sophie too will learn to play. It is a wonderful thing to see. Thank you for rescuing the puppy mill pup.

Similar story with my dog Zoe who I adopted from a Springdale, Arkansas shelter. She is a full-breed Lhasa-Apso who they found walking the streets at 2 and a half years old. She was so shaky and scared, they had to put her in a kennel in a room by herself. Like you all mentioed, she didnt know how to walk on a leash (I had to carry her out of the shelter) or what to do but hide. She was so scared. The first time I saw her tail go up, my heart melted. Now she is the sweetest thing, greats me with such happiness when I come home from work. These poor poor dogs - these puppy mills need to be shut down.

She looks like a lovely little girl. It makes my day to hear stories such as yours. Thank you for that. Have a wonderful life Sophie.

I don't know you, but I love you for what you have done for Sophie and the love you are giving to her. Thank you!

This could have been written about our Tea, a tiny Maltese who was also a puppy mill rescue. We also had to have her shaved, and her teeth removed. She doesn't play, with other dogs or toys, but after almost a year she's starting to play with us. Right now, its the Zoomes, where she runs around then plows into our legs, only to be off running again. She is the sweetest dog! Congrats on your new family member!

Thank you for sharing your story. We too adopted a puppy mill rescue. She is not a Cavalier, but a Pomeranian named, Shayne. When we first adopted her, she didn't know how to play or walk on a leash. It took a good 6 mos. to a year for her to fully open up. She adores her walks now and absolutely loves to play with the dryer sheets when they fall out of laundry basket. It was so cool to see her develope and grow from such a rotten beginning. Good luck to you and Sophie!

i'am so happy that you guys are taking care of her, she looks like a sweet dog.if you guys need still somebody to care for her let me know.

what I do not understand is why haven't the puppuy mill owners been prosecuted for the inhuman treatment of animals whether it is their business or not. pls someone reply. I too have a rescued shih tzu puppy

Thank you so much for adopting and loving Sophie. Kudos to others who have also adopted puppy mill dogs. I have an older shelter Beagle that has been the joy of my life and her wagging tales tells me "Thank You" in her own way for rescuing her.

This reminds me of one of my dogs, her name was Daisy. She was a Cavalier Spaniel who was rescued from a puppy mill also. She had basically gone through the exact same thing Sophie went through, including all of her teeth had to be removed. Daisy just recently passed on last week. She was the sweetest, happy- go- lucky dogs I have ever had.