Just more proof that the god of this world is MONEY. Technology is a good thing, but this young man and his irresponsible mother are using it for ill-gotten gains. How disgusting, People magazine. You should know better. Gandhi said that 'a people's moral progress can be judged from how they treat their animals.' How about some powerful articles on animal rescue, and some strong information on anti-puppymills!
I think this is totally disgusting. I can not believe People magazine would promote something like this. I would hope Youy would write a retraction, if not I hope alot of people stop buying your magazine. Bill Smith
I have fostered numerous dogs through a rescue organization in Texas and seen first hand just how many unwanted pets there are. Shame on you for endorsing a teenage dog breeder! Maybe you should do your research and include an article on the overpopulation of pets in this country!
The public needs more education on the cause and effect of this type of activity. We as committed Breeders and pet owners along with willing media need to strive for more coverage and education.
To accompany an article regarding puppy mills, I believe they should have several pages of pictures of puppy mills and the condition of the poor animals, as well as, statistics on dogs euthanized daily because of overbreeding and overpopulation.
As a volunteer for my local SPCA, I have seen hundreds of "unwanted" pets come through the doors of the shelter, many of which are cruelty cases that have been rescued from puppy mills. It is truly heartbreaking that animals are viewed as money makers, then treated so poorly and inhumanely in return. To the editors of People magazine, please reconsider the next time you choose to endorse such "entrepreneurs"...there is always 2 sides to every story; unfortunately, the animals suffering can't tell theirs.
Buying puppies via the internet? What's next? Going on line to buy babies? What the... This just encourages the puppy mills to grind out more puppies! And the mother supports this. Shame!
To me People Magazine just glorified "greed" of the worst kind in your praise of Timothy Hampson. I have been a People magazine fan up until now.
Since you just gave him the biggest publicity endorsement; please start by investigating his operation.
I received my issue in the mail yesterday, and it is one of the trial issues they were sending me, to see if I wanted a subscription. I was sickened by their ignorant article related to cuddlypuppy.com, and needless to say, won't be subscribing at this rate!!
I am appalled that PEOPLE would support/promote such a thing. Seems to me they need to do a little more research on what a puppymiller is before publishing an article! This kid is nothing more than a juvenile puppymiller! I & my parents have the products of these mills...DEAF dogs! We love our babies but most who are deaf aren't so lucky to find homes...these "people" still see fit to use them for breeding or they are killed. They don't care about the quality of the pup, only about making a buck! And what does this kid do about precautions in shipping! What about extreme heat! As far as I am concerned the only good breeder is one who does it simply for the love of the breed, not to make a buck! They don't breed their dogs till the die. If this kid has such a good mind for business, I'm sure he could find something else to sell and be just as successful!
"God had Noah build the ARK for the animals. We should care as much." Why doesn't this young man put his efforts into rescuing homeless animals and FINDING them FUR-EVER HOMES instead of creating more animals just to leave the one's that really need help still in need.
What were you thinking? How irresponsible! I have lost faith in your journalism. The only article this deserves is a mention to chastise it & make people aware of why it is wrong (about 1000 reasons) & the irrepairable damage that he & his ilk (your magazine now included) does. You need to put out a special issue
on this enormous problem to help educate people as to redeem yourselves for this immense blunder in taste & oversight in judgement. I never thought your magazine would sink so low...
Kay Rosenberg
Too many animals are already dying in this country's animal shelters for lack of homes. How can you celebrate the actions of some that promotes the continued indiscriminate breeding of more dogs? Please do your research and educate your readers about the plight of the animals in America's shelters.
Please refrain from including any articles that promote the sale of animals over the internet and without a proper home inspection, background check of the individual buying the animal, or any other information that would cause harm to the animals for sale. In rescue we work hard in educating the ignorant - your magazine needs to be included in that grouping.
Instead, try to find out more informed facts about the terrible conditions of puppy mills and the great strides that rescue organizations are taking in helping the adoption of thousands of unwanted pets each year and how we promote sterilization as an attempt to prevent the overpopulation of animals in the world. Thank you.
I too am horrified to hear that People magazine has helped to promote what appears to be essentially a backyard breeder, albeit in the form of an entrepreneurial teenager. The pet overpopulation problem in this country is out of control. Further, having witnessed firsthand the abuse and neglect of animals who have come through my rescue organization, I can vouch for the importance of carefully screening adopters. To just sell these poor helpless puppies over the internet for profit, especially during the holidays, is begging for disastrous results. But what will the kid care - he'll have the bucks in his pocket while we in rescue clean up his mess.
This teen "merchant" and People magazine need a reality check on animal overpopulation and the way breeding enables millions of wonderful dogs just like these to be killed every year in the US. People Magazine - please inform the public and enterprising but ignorant young "enterpreneurs" about all the amazing homeless dogs needing homes - not the puppies being churned out by the thousands of so-called "breeders".
Maybe your magazine can make a large donation to a local shelter or humane society in an effort to reverse the damage you've surely done in promoting this kids business.
Althoguh People magazine appears to be applauding an enterprising young man, in reality they are condoning a practice that responsible breeders and pet owners are working diligently to erridicateand to save more animals from suffering needlessly- as a volunteer I see "purebreds" in shelters everyday- and it breaks my heart to know that many, unfortunately, will be euthanized- responsible breeders- which this young man is not- would never allow a puppy to be bred, sold or held in such a manner- shame on you People-instead you should be giving public accolades to all the young volunteers who work to resolve the issues of unwanted animals, as well as those of irresponisble breeders such as this young man
There are 500 pets and hour euthanized in the shelters in the US. We need to stop the excessive breeding in puppy mills, Amish, and back yard irresponsible breeding all together. It is just to put a buck in their pockets at the poor dogs expense. It is just plain selfish and narcissistic.
By running this article, you are contributing to a very serious problem. I can only pray that your readers were not inspired to follow in the footsteps of this teen.
This makes me sick to think that People magazine would give recommendations that people (teens) start a puppymill! What is wrong with them??? We have so many dying in shelters now, this will only make the matter worse. People magazine, please retrack this and do an article on rescues!
I am very saddened and ashamed that People magazine would promote a puppy mill / broker! Please tell the other side of the story - all of the deaths by gas / injection that happen to all the animals in the shelters. And tell about RESPONSIBLE breeders!
I adopted a rescued mill mommy.
She was so afraid of people they were going to put her to sleep.
I can't imagine life with out her.
Please stop this painful and cruel treatment of our furry friends.
And what happens to these dogs once they're sold and the people don't want them anymore because the dog got sick, they don't have time for it, etc? They end up in shelters where they are often put down. Why not do a story about the teenagers who volunteer at shelters helping save these animals lives, instead of a story about a kid who's in it for the money and could care less about what happens to these dogs, even if he's got a "lifetime guarantee" on them.
Let this young man spend a week walking shelters and seeing the number of dogs that are killed everyday. Will he like a good breeder that the puppies back if the placement does not work out? Or will his cute Christmas puppies become another throw away dog? I am very sad that People would glorify such behavior.
Please educate yourselves before letting an article like this happen again. As a rescue volunteer it is heartrenching to see the numbers of dogs put to sleep unnecessarily each year.
Thank You
Pamela Civile
Staley North Carolina
To have an article like that with the pet population as it is is poor editing. he should not be congratulated for his "business" and praised. Please retract what is written and put in a big article about the horror of this business.
Do not advertise, or make a big deal the selling of puppies or dogs to people for a 16 year old boy that is a burgeing puppymill in the making. Some people think it's cute to see this, it is morally, and ethicly wrong, wrong, wrong. Just ask your "stars" like Pam Anderson, or any of the other ones you tote around so much. They will tell you. You are advertising for a kids puppymill in the making.Shame
Rewarding a child for exploiting helpless animals is reprehensible. With millions of dogs euthanized in the US annually, for any one to profit from contributing to that problem is beyond reproach, let alone encouraging a child in such a business. Shame on People Magazine for idolizing this practice.
I find it horrifying that People Magazine would advocate for a teen who has no business breeding any dog. Does this person know the consequences and what happens when the dogs they produce are unwanted? Does this person know what certifications the parents should have before breeding? Someone needs to stop this so called breeder. People Magazine should be ashamed of itself.
Rather than featuring a kid irresponsibly breeding dogs, why not report on the work of the animal shelters seeking homes for millions of unwanted dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.
How many of his dogs will end up in animal shelters? Buying off the internet is often a spontaneous act. What happens when the buyer does not like the puppy or cannot take care of it? You guessed it! It goes to the pound.
STOP this Puppy Mill immediately!!!! This is horrendous!! And, to think that "People Magazine" would actually put an article in their magazine about Timothy Hampson and calling him an "entrepreneur" is absolutely DEPLORABLE!!!!!
Please consider a retraction and an article on responsible breeding and the role that a responsible breeder plays in a world that has too many unwanted and unloved pets already. This is not a healthy enterprize for young people to consider!
