Debbie Louise—New York
Takes a Stand Against Puppy Mills
Ten years ago I went into a local pet store to buy some dog food and met a puppy who would change my life forever. I had taken Roxy out of her cage to play, when I noticed her collar was way too tight. They hadn’t changed it since she was a tiny puppy, and her skin was growing up over the collar, choking her. When the pet store owner didn’t respond to my alarm, I took Roxy home—there was no doubt in my mind that she would have died within a few days. Soon after rescuing Roxy I started researching how things could have gotten so bad at the pet store. I learned that most dogs sold in pet stores come from puppy mills, and that they are basically dispensable when they begin to get older as Roxy had. Since then, I have been working to educate everyone I know on the horrors of the puppy mill trade. I also vigorously support legislation that would affect this horrible industry.