Puppy mill survivors find new adoptive homes

Last month, 10 puppy mill survivors confiscated in June by the L.A. County public health department became available for adoption. 

The puppies -- five Maltese and five Yorkshire terriers -- were the only survivors out of three confiscated shipments from a Seoul puppy mill. Ed Boks, general manager of the L.A. Department of Animal Services, gave the details:

These 8 week old animals arrived at LAX ill and seriously dehydrated, having just survived over 14 hours of transport in tiny carriers with no food or water.

With interest high in the tiny puppies, an auction was held to determine who would take them home.  Hundreds of bidders turned out at the East Valley shelter on Dec. 20. NPR's "Morning Edition" reports that the event was a success:

One winning bidder was Debbie Garringer. "I was really lucky, and I'm happy, so happy, and I will take care of it so much and it will have a beautiful home," she said.

All 10 of the purebred puppy-mill survivors got new homes, as did 52 other pets from the shelter. In all, Animal Services raised more than $20,000 and got its message out: Adopt, don't shop.

Puppy mills have been a hot issue in L.A. of late, with local pet stores, including the Beverly Center's well-known Pet Love, facing eviction over allegations that they sell mill-purchased puppies.

--Lindsay Barnett

Photo: Rudolph, one of the puppy mill survivors, during a Dec. 11 news conference. Credit: Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times.

Comments

[rosekelly]

I guess I don't get it. How is auctioning them off to the highest bidders not shopping? Do these bidders have any idea what is involved with a puppy mill survivor?

[Kate Woodviolet]

Rose,

While I'm not a huge fan of Ed Boks, General Manager of L.A. Animal Services, fair's fair. Boks disclosed very clearly the potential problems with these puppy mill survivors prior to the auction.

The difference between bidding for the dogs at an LAAS auction (BTW, auctioning is LAAS standard practice for determining who gets a shelter animal when there is more than one potential adopter) and buying the animal at a store is who gets the money and what does it support? I would much rather that my money go to people who try to stop puppy mills than people who are making a fat living cruelly confining and torturing breeder dogs and selling sick puppies to an unsuspecting public.

No-brainer, really.

[whenpigsfly]

It's very telling that "hundreds turned out" to bid on the ten pups, but only 62 dogs found homes that day. Of course, it's wonderful news (hopefully) for all of the 62 rescues. But apparently there were "hundreds" of people who only wanted a celebrity dog and refused to consider a dog from LA.

[Jane]

These foreign and US born puppy mill puppies are getting sold online by Internet dealers that, thanks to loopholes in our federal law, don't even have to be licensed.

They put up lots of cute pictures, and falsely claim to be reputable breeders

They put up glitzy, deceptive websites and people don't even know they are buying puppy mill puppies!

We need regulation, licensing, inspections.

These dealers are also tax cheats thanks to lack of regulation.

[Renee]

Folks, it's all about MONEY. HSUS and PETA get millions in donations, but they are LOBBYING Groups (did anyone check their tax-status?) who spend the money to END ANIMAL OWNERSHIP! No meat, no clothing, no food, no companion animals because they want control to end breeding and animal husbandry. Control who breeds and then don't allow them to do so. Pagan societies elevated animal and plant life over human life. Think about it and research their websites as to how many shelters animals they truly save.