Oprah Exposes Puppy Mills

Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue, pleaded with Oprah last month through a billboard just off the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago that read, "Oprah: Do a show on puppy mills. The dogs need you."

"Every year, Bill and several volunteers rescue hundreds of abused, unwanted or abandoned animals, rehabilitate them and adopt them out to families. Many of the animals Bill rescues come from puppy mills, which he describes as places where bad breeders care more about the profit they make from puppies than the health or welfare of the animals. He says the dogs in puppy mills face deplorable conditions including inbreeding, minimal or no vet care, limited shelter and overcrowded cages" (oprah.com).


Oprah along with Lisa Ling and Bill Smith exposed the horrifying world of puppy mills on her show yesterday. Why are we supporting a trade that pumps out little puppies, when there are SO MANY dogs in shelters just waiting for good homes? Not to mention the thousands that are euthanized every day? We do have a responsibility to protect these animals and it just makes me sick to know this is not only happening but LEGAL too.

Check out these beauties! Rescued from certain death and here they are thriving! These three doggies were saved by Bill, who says several of the dogs he and Lisa rescued were named in honor of their appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. "We have a 'Gayle' (pictured, on the right)and we have an 'Oprah' (left) and we have a 'Stedman (middle),'" he says.

Resources from Oprah's site to help us fight puppy mills:

Main Line Animal Rescue
The Humane Society of the United States
Lange Foundation
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Petfinder
Adoption service associated with the Animal Planet television series, including links to shelters across North America.
Dogs in Danger
Pets 911
Features searchable lost and found dogs and information about neutering, adoption and training.
World Animal Net
Search for local shelters and adoptable pets.
PetHarbor
Search for local shelters, rescues and adoptable pets.
Best Friends Animal Society
Largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the country

Visit Oprah's website for more information.