[Julie]

Woo hooo you go Doody. Can't stand this! Hate it.

After our dear Papillon died last year, all I wanted was another one for Christmas. I fell in love with one from a pet store, but knew that that 1200 bucks could be spent elsewhere. We stuck with Poochy our rescue dog who was the result of a breeder of Chows and Collies leaving a cage open.

This has to stop!!!!

[hsiw]

oh my... my mind is rambling and i hope i can say everything i am thinking, doody. i agree with you completely, and i always say that if i had my own house i would have so many pets you couldn't count. and all would come from the animal shelter. Two out of the three beagles I have owned have had epilepsy, including my dear Lucy who is now 14 and has been seizure free for a few years now. I am afraid since we are leaving Saturday to NY that the animal kennel I found may not treat them nicely, but I have no choice since the 5star place has been booked since last February . So they will get no human contact for 10 days and i will worry to no end about them. Ok back on topic...

I have actually never heard of pet mills before and didnt know that the pets in pet stores came from breeding factories! I somehow was under the illusion that most breeders were family owned and inhumane but that was all i knew. Thanks for all that info now. I will never buy a pet from a store when so many are being killed each day at the animal shelter. Which also ticks me off... I found a kitten last month under a dumpster and called the animal shelter and they said they do not pick up strays and I would have to pay someone from another company to get it. I tried my darnest and ended up getting an infected scratch from it- so i gave up. I called tons of numbers, pet stores, vets and no body cares to pick up strays because they are too busy breeding purebred puppies.

Which also reminds me... this sounds very familiar to me. With animal rights for the production of food. I know this is a touchy subject since most of us eat meat and poultry but you would not want to know or even believe the conditions the cows and chickens in US factories go through. I have seen films also Doody that are too gruesome to post or links to pictures too nasty. I read Fast Food Nation for a class which is turning into a movie soon, but I recommend it also. Cows eating other ground up hamburger, dirty conditions, cages too small, terrible terrible conditions. And why do they get away with it? Because they have strong political persuasion.

Well enough of what ticks me off. I was vegitarian for a long time and many times but unfortunately we are carnivores and well.. i dont have enough willpower for it, but i completely agree that the conditions for these animals should be better. i am there with you doody.

[Curious]

in the spirit of giving....

shelters and rescues need donations of blankets and towels this time of year. stuff to keep the animals warm. they can always use cash...and pet food.

[Alffe]

I keep trying not to read this thread because it is so heartbreaking to think about it. Doody this is your cause....this and breast cancer and you really step up to the plate, are really involved and I admire that.

I keep thinking about all the starving children in this world..I can do little about that but I can take blankets and towels to the Humane Society and I will do that today. They just opened a dog park in Mishawaka and you have to be a Society member to use it so I need to get that info also.

[Doody]

Triggering Yes, there are puppy mills out there, and a pet store puppy doesn't necessarily mean he came from a mass breeder. It's best to check their papers before buying.

If I could get through to a couple people that these things are out there and make 1 tiny difference, well... And of course we all worry about all different kinds of things!

But, these people are just cruel. Get a real job people and quit abusing these poor animals!!!!

[hsiw]

Another ticked off thing popped in my head... do you all have as much pet roadkill as we do here in South FL? It makes me angry to see all those pets on the road every day. I wish there was something about that that we could do.

[Doody]

Oh yes, in Iowa deer is the most. You have to be really careful. Everyday you hear about the deer/car collisions. The warning signs are everywhere. And then there's the poor little squirrels who get all twitterpated and run across the road when they shouldn't.