Set your Tivos, dog lovers! Oprah Winfrey takes on puppy mills!

Grrr! Sic 'em, Oprah!

Oprah Winfrey will dedicate a show on puppy mill horrors to her beloved cocker spaniel, Sophie, who died of kidney failure last month.

“Sophie gave me 13 years of unconditional love. She was a true love in my life,” Winfrey says on the broadcast scheduled to air Friday. The show features Lisa Ling's scathing investigation into puppy mills, an experience Ling calls “horrific” and “haunting.”

Puppy mills are not illegal. In every state, a breeding kennel can legally keep dozens, even hundreds, of dogs in cages for their entire lives, as long as the dogs are given the basics of food, water and shelter.  Winfrey says her show is “for anybody anywhere who loves a dog, has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic right to humane treatment.”

And it's especially important to reach people who may not know that puppies from these mass breeding mills are sold to Internet suppliers and chichi pet stores. By purchasing that doggy in the window -- or in a photo on the Web -- they may be perpetuating the pain and suffering of thousands of dogs. Click HERE for more information.

While Sophie was not a product of a puppy mill, and Winfrey’s three current dogs were adopted from breeders, Winfrey says in the future she will adopt from an animal shelter.

“I would never, ever adopt another pet now without going to a shelter to do it. I am a changed woman after seeing this show,” she says.

Click HERE to read some of Winfrey's supporters talking about this issue.

Photo: WireImage

Comments

[Diane]

God Bless you Oprah and Lisa Ling. Please help us to shut down the puppy mill business.
They Can't Speak for Themselves. We Must Speak for Them*** Please Do Not buy a puppy from a Pet Store"
If a human is capable of allowing this abuse to happen to dogs, they may well be capable to do it to humans.

[Michele]

God Bless you Oprah Winfrey and Lisa Ling for your work in exposing the puppy mills. You two are truly a blessing and all of your efforts are greatly appreciated.

May God continue to bless the both of you.

Love
Michele

[Shirley Rose]

As a volunteer with an animal rescue group I would like to say thank you, Oprah & Lisa, & God Bless for taking on the puppy mills!! It's long overdue! Maybe now changes will be made.

[Kay]

You think all those Amish & Mennonite people are so cute....guess who owns and runs the majority of the puppy mills in this country. And even worse, when the one down the road cleans their kennels, they wash ALL of the dog poo into the creek which feeds the Chesapeake Bay.

[Barbara vieira]

Thank You Oprah and Lisa
Thank you for caring about these helpless animals. Some one needs to be able to speak out for them. I adopt all My animals from shelters and rescues. Please spread the word DO NOT BUY from Pet stores. Shut down ALL puppy mills for good!!!
God Bless both of you for all the good you are doing in OUR world

Love Barbara

[Lauren]

I've seen what these puppy mills produce and in ignorance purchased one dog to "save" it. TOTAL NIGHTMARE. Maybe now people will listen. THANK YOU, OPRAH!

[anne]

A little late! What you have had purebreds and how many for 30 years? Do as I say not as I do. Hypocrite. You were a part of the problem. Thanks for a bit of attention on the subject now. Many of us have been adopting through shelters for years.

[Chris]

Perhaps we can neuter and spay the owners of these "puppy mills."

[Linda]

Volunteer at your local shelter. When you meet your first puppy mill rescue up close and personal it changes your life forever.
"A rightous man has regard for the life of his beast; but the mercy of the wicked is cruel."
-Probverbs 12.10

[Debbie]

THANK YOU OPRAH!!!! People must know that when they purchase the cute puppy from the pet store or over the internet, they are buying from horrid puppy mills in which the parents live lives of misery. This expose will help people understand that adoption is the best option. This abuse must end!

[lisa]

im sorry about your dog opera. i would like to know how to find my sons father. He has never met him . He is 26. thank you lisa shaffer

[David Reynolds]

Where has Oprah been? Or does she only watch her show? I believe this will be the 1000th episode on how bad these kennels are.

[liz]

When I had to have an orange tabby cat, I bought the first one I found in a pet store. He died 4 years later because he had started sucking on cloth & leather eventually ingesting some that killed him. Vet said this is common in animals that are weaned to early. Never again will I buy an animal froma pet store. NEVER!

[cracker]

Well, duh! It may be new news to Oprah since she lives in a bubble. Regardless of mills or not, the shelter should be the first place to look for a loving pet. If you think dog mills are bad, what about the hamster/rodent mills. They live in little buckets all strung across a laundry line. Breeding involves dumping one bucket into another.

[Sarah]

Did Oprah really "adopt" 3 dogs from a breeder? Or, is "purchase" the better verb? I always had understood that one "adopts" from shelters and "purchases" from breeders. Giving a home to an abandoned or stray animal is very different from buying a purebred puppy at a breeder.

[Radical Raul]

If people would show the same concern for there fellow human beings and focus their concerns on issues which truly make a difference, maybe just maybe we could bring this country out of it's downward spiral.

Now take yourself and your cherished pet to Runyon Park and act like you are hip and concerned.

[Melissa]

God Bless you Oprah! I cry every time I see something about Puppy mills. Its horrible what people do to those dogs! But like you before, I didnt know about Puppy Mills! I was in the dark about where the dogs in the pet store came from. I have never bought a dog from a pet store, but I have been tempted... that was before I found out of the horrors of Puppy Mills. There are alot more people out there who dont know about Puppy Mills. The more people who are aware of it, the better. We need to let people know and what a great way to do it.. on an Oprah show!!

[DIANE BANDY]

GOOD FOR OPRAH FOR DEDICATING THIS SHOW TO ANIMAL CRUELTY BY SELFISH INDIVIDUALS OUT FOR A DOLLAR (FINALLY) I POSTED FLYERS ABOUT HER UPCOMING BROADCAST AT MY LOCAL DOG OFF LEASH PARK AND PLACED SIGNS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ON MY WEBSITE WWW.DOGLICENSE.ORG FOR PEOPLE TO SEE. MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS FULL OF "BOUGHT WESTIES, DOXIES, PUGGLES, BOXERS AND THE LIKE. IF YOU LOVE DOGS, YOU WILL ADOPT.

ONLY SELFISH, IGNORANT PEOPLE BUY DOGS. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PUREBREED, GO TO THE INTERNET AND TYPE IN PETFINDER.COM OR LOOK UNDER A BREED SPECIFIC RESSCUE GROUP.

BY THE WAY, MOST BACKYARD BREEDERS ARE TAX EVADERS. I KNOW A WOMAN WHO BREEDS BOXERS AND MADE $3,500.00 OFF OF ONE LITTER AND DID NOT REPORT HER LUCRATIVE EARNINGS TO THE IRS OR STATE TREASURY. MONEY FROM BREEDING IS CONSIDERED HOBBY INCOME AND IS EXPECTED TO BE REPORTED.

MANY SUBURBANITES WILL BUY A CERTAIN PUPPY FOR THEIR OFFSPRING DUE TO INCESSANT BEGGING FROM YOUNG KIDS. THESE PARENTS ARE SETTING A POOR ROLE MODEL FOR THEIR CHILDREN. ADOPTION SAVES LIVES, PURCHASING DOGS PERPETUATES A CRUEL INDUSTRY.

OUR LAWS NEED CHANGING, ANIMALS NEED TO BE RANKED HIGHER THAN JUST PROPERTY AND THE LOCAL DOG LAW NEEDS SERIOUS REVAMPING.

I LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE MANY PUPPY MILLS ARE LOCATED. NEAR AMISH AREAS, THERE ARE HUGE BILLBOARDS THAT SPEAK OF THE HORRORS OF THE AMISH BREEDING FARMS. IF YOU TRAVEL THE INTERSTATE THROUGH HERSHEY OR HARRISBURG YOU WILL SEE THE BILLBOARDS. THE AMISH ARE GREEDY AND GUILTY OF SEVERE ANIMAL CRUELTY, NEGLECT AND UNMENTIONABLE HORRORS. THEY HAVE NO RESPECT FOR ANIMALS (SADLY MANY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE FIT THIS DESCRIPTION)

OPRAH CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF PEOPLE WILL LISTEN AND TAKE HEED. SOME WILL BE IN DENIAL AND JUST IGNORE HER SHOW, BUT I CANT WAIT TO SEE IT. THERE IS SO MUCH OF HER WORK DEDICATED TO PEOPLE AND SHE IS LONG OVERDUE ON MENTION OF HUMANKINDS BEST FRIEND WHOM "WE" HAVE DOMESTICATED FOR OUR OWN PURPOSE (FIGHTING, HUNTING, GUARDING, BREEDING, RACING)

ANIMALS HAVE NO VOICE AND ARE IN DIRE NEED OF SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY. THEY ARE AKIN TO HELPLESS BABIES, BUT EVEN MORE HELPLESS BECAUSE LAWS DO NOT PROTECT THEM AS THEY ARE CONSIDERED PROPERTY IN MOST STATES!!!!

LETS CHANGE THINGS. ADOPT, DONT BREED.

SPAY AND NEUTER BEFORE 6 MONTHS OF AGE

KEEP YOUR PETS UNTIL THEY DIE; DONT RELEASE THEM TO SHELTERS!!

BE PREPARED TO KEEP YOUR PETS WHEN YOU GIVE BIRTH TO YOUR OWN OFFSPRING!!!!!!!!!!!

[k.p.white]

Puppy mills often hire people who cannot work with the general public, this includes the serious mentally ill, ones with criminal backgrounds, substance abuse issues and addictions.It can be expected that they are abusing their wife and kids at home as well as the puppies they are in charge of.

People who are interested in stopping abuse towards other people and children should fight hard to incarcerate animal abusers and to penalize their infractions to the highest possible standards. Cruel people don't stop at animals-they escalate to children, wives, girlfriends and the elderly.

Animals cannot talk so their tortured lives remain a mystery to the public.

Dogs love freedom. Caged canines who are kept their entire lives without human affection or the ability to run, dig, chew and play is the same as a toddler growing up in a jail cell who did nothing wrong to deserve his maltreatment and punishment.

People who buy pet store pups are choosing to look the other way.......the parent stock of their expensive little dog is living a most unfortunate, miserable life of hell.

This Oprah show is REALITY TV, it is not sensational, drama, this is hard core reality.

Don't look the other way

[Carol]

Bravo to you Oprah and Lisa!!!!
I have worked in a Humane Society for years now, and see the most pitiful, sad, scared looking animals brought in by our Humane Officers. Some from puppy mills, some from bad owners. Their sight is unspeakable. I’ve seen and worked with Emaciated, Bitten Skin, Broken Bones, Furless, Flea Bitten, Ripped Ears, Scared, Vicious and the list of descriptions can go on. These animals DO get the medical treatment they deserve ASAP, are fed, bathed, groomed, even FOSTERED, and given Lots of Love (even the vicious ones are loved). After the dog is at our shelter for a couple days, I’ll eat my lunch outside their (cautious dogs) cage, and “Share” my sandwich with them. Do you realize (over time), these dogs change and become a puppy-at-heart again? Our staff takes turns walking the dog outside in a closed off area, and in return we have a dog who gives us endless licks. I have to add; after some time spend at our facility, some of these dogs even passed our Behavior Evaluation Test and were adopted to loving families. It’s a Wonderful Feeling… it really is!!!!!

Instead of the government raising taxes, I TRULY believe a guilty person should be fined $1,000 per abused animal in their household, care, or store and this money can go toward that state or county funds. For SURE the USA would be out of debt.

I’m looking forward to your program this evening and have also posted your upcoming program to all of my friends in e-mails and also bulletined it on MySpace.

I KNOW your program will reach a million viewers and I also pray to God that your program will raise awareness about puppy mills and will also put a halt to them.

15 years ago, before even hearing or learning about a Puppy Mill, I purchased my beautiful Teacup Yorkshire Terrier. I brought her to my Veterinarian the next day for her 1st visit and he brought to my attention her many problems. She had little deformities and internal problems but we loved and kept her. Tinsel had the best 13 years on this earth and with my family. She was our little Angel and we will NEVER forget her. What a JOY!!!
God Bless You Oprah and Lisa. YOU are the voices for our loving animals.

[Joan rosenberg]

Oprah, Thankyou for exposing the cruelty that goes on at these puppy mills. Animal cruelty in all forms needs to be addressed by our government. The solution is to pass laws and enforce them. Every person that commits animal cruelty needs to be punished harshly. Please have more shows like this until the legislators hear our voices. We can never stop speaking up for defenseless animals.You spoke for them today and I am very grateful. Thankyou.

[andrewku@pol.net]

Thanks OPRAH, one sho will only touch the surface. I was at the dog park in white rock lake today and most had purebred dogs!!! Shelter dogs are so loveable and needy. If you are on vacation to the Virgin Islands of Mexico, those babes need HELP. It is easy to adopt or take one home. THeir lives depend on it>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<

[Nicole]

As a former Humane Society employee for 6 years, a big 'Thank You' to Oprah and Lisa Ling for shedding light on the atrocities of puppy mills! Please visit a shelter first and adopt a cat or dog!

[Diane Bandy]

Well, I thought Oprah did a very comprehensive show and covered all of the bases about puppy mill problems.
I was pleasantly surprised at her showing of the euthanized, bagged dogs/cats who were dumped along with garbage at dumpsites. Will this shock the public into reality and cause them to deny purchasing at pet stores, internet sites and local papers? If you think so, you give human nature a lot of credit.

As I traveled to Texas last week to dog parks and to my own local dog parks in Pittsburgh, Pa, I noticed an alarming number of BOUGHT, purebred puppies and adults.

Middle America is responsible for the superfluous dog and cat problem. My local paper has "FREE" dog, cat,puppy and kitten ads in it- weekly (how many will go to a permanent home and to a home that will spay and neuter?)
There is NO shortage of people who BUY dogs, there is a shortage of those who adopt the homeless. This is the reason for high euthanasia rates.

There is NO reason to purposely breed or allow your pets to have a litter of offspring. It may shorten their life to boot!

The excuse of not having money to neuter is a lame one. If one cannot afford to neuter, they cannot afford to vaccinate, medicate, operate either and so they are poor representatives to keep any pet. If a person cannot properly take care of a pet, they are irresponsible to have one in the first place.

People in the 21st century who ignore the overpopulation problem, buy a breed specific dog or breed dogs are simply EXPLOITIVE and SELFISH, period.

[Lauryn Magnson]

thank god oprah.
this is a good thing for people to know whats actually going on in puppy mills.

my mom has a rescue group called "help a pooch" and we've been on a puppy mill. and its horrible. we've gotton at least 400 dogs in the past liek 2 years probably more.
and we had dogs that make really awesome pets and some that have diseases and some that just die on us over the first night there here cause their not strong enough to make it anymore and had enough. we have ones that have been abused and neglected. but not this one dog that we have her name is gracie and shes a whippet mix and she is so skinny cause she got neglected by her previous owner. she used to be thhis really skiddish dog that didnt really like any one. but now shes a running freak we both go to starbucks every morning and shes just a great dog not from her coming in thinking that shes going to die on us from just being this awesome high strong loving dog that just loves being around people. but some times she still growls at dogs but she just want to meet them and then shes fine. we have had so many awesome loving dogs that were from these puppy mills and most of them would just go hide and never come out until you left the room. but now there the best pets that you can have. their just so loving and gentle. they just make really good pets. and people think that their horrible dogs and that have problems just becasue they were on a mill or from breeders. i really think thats stupid cause there not horrible dogs there really nice and loving. i just want to say that dogs have the same right as humans do. there just like humans but with fur and four legs. they can be just as great as store bought dogs. but some times could be better. there just really sweet and have good personalities. there all good dogs. so please help them.