Pet lovers everywhere are no doubt absolutely thrilled that Oprah today has joined the HSUS to shine the spotlight on animal cruelty in puppy mills. Using her celebrity clout and her show, Oprah was able to bring a much-needed awareness to the American public about the inner-workings of the approximately 10,000 puppy mills across the nation.

Beautiful dogs just like this are put down every day!

Millions of adoptable wonderful pets in shelters are euthanised each year when adoption homes are not found. Thousands of pet rescue centers across America are trying to save pets from being killed. Shelters are overflowing with pets that need to be adopted.

Here are some of the tragic details revealed in this important Oprah show...

- Puppy mill dogs are shot when they can no longer produce litters.

- Puppy mill dogs are overbred, inbred and under fed.

- Puppy mill dogs are bred every season they are in heat.

- Puppy mill dogs live for approximately 8 to 10 years in a wire rabbit hutch.

- Puppy mill dogs are kept in wire cages with amost no room to stand up or even turn around.

- Puppy mill dogs have approximately 140 puppies during their time in a puppy mill.

- Puppy mill dogs do not even know how to walk as they live only in the wire cage.

- Puppy mill dogs may have a steel pipe shoved down their throats to stop them from being able to bark.

- Puppy mill dogs live with no care, no medical attention, poor food, no baths and little human contact.

- Puppy mill owners consider puppies to be a "cash crop" and so do not understand the need to be humane.

- Puppy mill owners are largely concentrated in the Lancaster County and other large agricultural areas.

- Puppy mill owners are using the Internet increasingly to sell their puppies.

- Puppy mill owners sell their puppies to pet stores... No responsible breeder would do this according to Wayne Pacelle of HSUS.

In the words of renowned animal activist Gretchen Wyler, "Cruelty can't stand the spotlight."

What you can do to stop the growing puppy mill trade... and to prevent pet overpopulation.

1. The American Kennel Club encourages you to find a responsible breeder, if you want to get a pure-bred.

2. The HSUS strongly recommends getting your dog from a rescue shelter.
This helps to prevent the needless killing of millions of animals throughout the nation... animals who are put down if they are not adopted within 5 days of arriving at a shelter. Shelters and rescue centers also have pure-breds or designer mixes if you are determined to have a pure-bred... more than one third of dogs are pure-breds.

3. Go to special breed rescue centers if you are looking for a particluar breed of dog or cat.

4. Do not buy pets from pet stores. This will cut off the demand for puppy mill pets.

5. Spay or neuter your pet so as not to add to the pet overpopulation... the operation helps your dog in many ways and directly helps with this problem.

6. Support animal shelters to save the lives of strays that would otherwise be killed.

7. Even if you do not want a pet, ever, donate to a pet shelter to save the life of a wonderful animal.

Bravo Oprah, Lisa Ling, Wayne Pacelle and Bill Smith for a great public service! Pet lovers everywhere are rejoicing in this help with public awareness.

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Copyright - Becca Ross - Freelance Contributor
http://www/MillionDollarPetPix.com

by Frasier II

If you've watched the busy goings-on at the Westminster Dog Show this week you'll have been watching the handlers/dog owners intently.

If, like me, you are a savvy and sophisticated canine looking for your chance to break into the big leagues and get a crack at being "best in show" at a major dog show like Crufts or Westminster, what you need is a first-rate person to help you.

A top-notch show-dog handler should be reliable, responsible, hard working, energetic, good-looking, well groomed, athletic, caring, and a sophisticated and noble being. Also got to be able to get up very early and require little sleep.

Where does the dog like us go to find such a pet person? I don't think it is that difficult to find a pet lover who is athletic, responsible and even hard-working, but when you get out there on the red carpet you want someone who is going to shine.

While the handler needs to be well-dressed and able to run and stop gracefully, they also need to be able to understand our gait to show us off at our best. They must also be able to take direction from the judges.

Of course, long before getting to the red carpet and big arena, a lot of preliminary work must go into taking care of us champion show dog wannabes.
The ideal pet person for me would be someone who is well-organized, unflappable, creative, and a detail person. Sounds like a tall order doesn't it?

Preparing for a major dog show is not puppy play. Long before the show ever occurs, there are I understand a million and one things to check off a to-do list. Actually registering for the show is one of the first, getting recent photographs done for the champ-to-be is another. Making hotel reservations, getting luggage organized, packing cases with toys, treats, leashes, grooming tools, pet shampoos, warm-up clothes, exercise equipment, and finding travel cages are all important. Then booking the all-important appointments with experienced massage people, exercise coaches, spa time, and professional groomers cannot be forgotten.

The ideal pet person will have to really care about me and be passionate in order to get all of these tasks done in a timely and calm manner. Once all the paperwork and packing and other arrangements are done the ideal pet person needs to spend time bonding with me to build up my confidence before the show.

Once in the ring, this pet person needs to be diligent about handing me treats, brushing my flowing mane and doing any last-minute adjustments before actually working with the judges.

My dream is to win best of class for the terrier group next year. Since there are so many different breeds of terriers in competition, I'll have my work cut out for me, as will my handler.

I'm just wondering when and where I'll find this perfect pet person since my current owner/handler is a cheery slow-moving grandmother. While she likes how I look, thinks I am a major star already and takes time to sit with me now and again, I do not believe for one wag of a tail that she really gets this show competition thingy at all.