People Magazine, this was very irresponsible journalism. Please redeem yourself by publishing a well-researched article on shelters, rescue organizations, and responsible, reputible breeders who consider the health and welfare of animals of the utmost importance.
People Mag has ceased to be my favourite read. This article is despicable and this kid needs to be shaken up and taught about what damage he is doing to innocent puppies. His parents need to have their heads banged together for encouraging and supporting his profiting from the suffering of dogs in puppy mills. I challenge you, People mag, to put right the damage you have done by running this tasteless article, and show the other side of back yard operations and puppy mills.
Shame on you People Magazine!!!! I have rescued dogs for the last 10 years and many of them have been castoffs from pupple mills around the country. It is a sad state of affairs when a nationaly recognized magazine would print and therefore support such an endevor by a young man. Maybe People magazine should do an article on the horrors of puppy mills and the conditions the dogs and puppies have to put up with until they are sold or are shot when their puppy making days are over.!!!
I don't know how your magazine could be so niave with regard to Puppy Mills and the fact that this teen is getting his puppies from there. The teen himself may not realize how ugly puppy mills truly are - I hope that something good can come out of this article, but it is a shame that it has been put in a major magazine that any freak can buy a puppy over the net.
Although I applaud the young mans enterpreneureal efforts, the venue he has chosen is that which perpetuates and supports the horrendous life of the dog in the puppy mill. Countless animals are put to sleep each day because of too many being bred.
This is a disgrace. People magazine should be ashamed of promoting such a horror. Maybe all the staff of People should visit the local dog pound and see how many furbabes have to be put down every day. They should have promoted doing a rescue instead of some kid selling more dogs that may end up at the pound.
Did you know that truly reputable breeders do NOT advertise! It's all word of mouth, through dog shows. trainers, vets, etc. A real breeder is NOT in it for the money, they are in it for the purpose of promoting the strength and integrity of the breed, for the love of the breed. No one should be buying from a franchise or mill (the greedy guy with seemingly every beed on his premises) or a website! How stupid can PEOPLE mag be?
What could the editors at People possibly have been thinking?
The internet sale of puppies is a national shame and disgrace, a shame and disgrace which People is now a willing participant.
The only thing more irresponsible than a family teaching a child entrepreneurship through irresponsible dog breeding is a respected national magazine glorifying it. Shame on People Magazine.
I was very sad to see this article in People. You may want to do an article on all the rescues that do such hard work to try and save these poor puppymill animals when they end up dumped at the local shelters or dropped off on the side of the road!!!
Puppymills should NOT be glorified!!!
Think People!!!
this is incredibly irresponsible of you. i expect to see an apology and an article on how to select the right bred for your family and where to get a dog with an emphasis on breed rescue and shelters.
I am appauled that People would print such a story thinking it was okay to have such a business when there are so many animal rights activists out there fighting every second of the day for animals to be treated the way they should be treated. How could you???????
When will people realize that just because they are animals doesn't mean they were put here for humans to exploit! I find it disgustingly irresponsible that People Magazine would promote a business where the lives and happiness of so many defenseless animals are at stake.
Too bad People Magazine didn't do their research properly. I challenge this magazine to make amends by doing an in-depth article on puppy mills and backyard breeders. I just hope other teens do not jump on the bandwagon.
One should NOT buy living creatures, soon to be family members, over the internet! DUH. Shame on you - someone slipped up big time in allowing this "entrepreneur" to be held up as a positive example.
Please give those people who participate in rescue a chance to voice our concern with puppy mills. Why not let us have a voice after the recent story regarding the kid and his mom selling pups. What about us, who use every penny to rescue dogs?
I am absolutely disgusted with People magazine for promoting this kind of abusive treatment of animals as being something to be proud of. It is the exact opposite. People and Timothy Hampson should be embarrassed, ashamed and humiliated that they are promoting such a "business". It's a repulsive puppy mill and nothing more.
Please stop the promotion of puppy mills!! If you MUST have a purebred buy from a reputable breeder and have your pet neutered. Do not buy from an internet site or a pet shop! The best gift you could give yourself would be to adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue. If People Magazine wants to do something educational for young people they need to do an article on puppy mills and put these places out of business.
Condoning such a disaster. What are you nuts? The Humane Societies are turning away animals because of puppy-mill type operations (for many other pets) and are having to euthanize them. The no-kill groups refuse to take unwanted animals and just let them die.
As a past owner of mixed breed and present owner of purebred dogs, I am hoping People will wake up and use their wide circulation to help educate the public about the horror of puppy mills. These businesses breed heartbreak for puppies and owners alike. Breeding dogs is a huge responsibility . Good breeders take personal responsibility for the future of every puppy they breed/sell/place with an owner. They must " be there" for the full lifetime of every puppy they breed.
PUPPY MILLS SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN ASAP!!! DO YOU KNOW THE CONDITIONS THESE ANIMALS LIVE IN? IT IS SUCH A SAD SIGHT....THIS IS ONLY DONE FOR A FAST DOLLAR. AND WHAT BECOMES OF THE POOR LITTLE PUPS WHEN NO ONE WANTS TO BUY THEM? SHAME ON YOU!!! SHAME ON YOUR PARENTS FOR ALLOWING THIS TO TAKE PLACE...
People Magazine, I have been a true and loyal reader for many years. This article is not news or entertainment, its simply giving the puppy mills and exporters a thumbs up. Why not do an article on www.petfinders.com ?
People magazine should be ashamed. Breeders have put DECADES of work into bettering their breed, and people will buy from this "entrepenuer" because his puppies are cheaper, and always available. Disgusting
This story was as sad as it is disgusting.....Puppy Mills are BAD. DON'T support puppy mills....this kid is breeding purely for money not for the love or improvement of any breed. This is WRONG! Try doing a story on a child who selflessly dedicates thier time to finding the 1000's of homeless pets forever families.
We have to get people to understand how difficult it is to shut down these brokers who are keeping the puppy mills in business. As a Humane Officer I have found the brokers who think they are doing well and their animals are sick and kept in crates and not allowed to be puppies until they are purchased the 2nd time.
This is so disgusting and irresposible to promote a teenage kid who is peddling puppies with his mother. These innocent animals are vitims of millers wanting to make a quick buck. Please support us in shutting this websight down. It's run by unqualified, greedy people.
We receive People in my office for patients to read. As a dog lover, I hate to think patients might think we support puppy mills in any way. Please at least give equal time to the cause of education and rescue.
You could undo some of the damage you have done by running an article on the horrors of puppymills- you don't need to look very far to see the deplorable conditions these dogs suffer in, because of uninformed people who just want a "cuddly puppy". These ill-bred dogs end up costing their owners thousands of dollars due to the genetic problems inherent to the breeds- true breeders screen for these conditions to avoid the unnecessary heartbreak of dealing with hip problems, deafness, blindness, that effect puppy mill dogs- please help educate others instead of continuing to encourage "entrepreneaurs" such as this kid that was featured.
Hopefully this can be stopped before any more innocent puppies suffer. I'll NOT be purchasing this magazine any longer when this is the kind of thing they endorse.
Shame, shame People magazine. Lets hear the "rest of the story". Poor breeding, poor health, poor tempermants & lots of dogs with no homes & having to be put down.
There are plenty of animals at your local shelters that need good, loving homes. Please go there first~I'm sure you'll fall in love with every animal there!
I hope that your magazine will be "fair and balanced" and feature an article aboutadopting/rescueing dogs, AND the inhumane conditions in puppy mills, as well as the genetic defects that come from indiscriminate breeding. Do the dfective puppies get "deleted"?
I'm so disappointed in People Magazine! This teenage boy "entrepreneur" is, plain and simple, running a puppy brokering and puppymill business!I work with a Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network, a dog rescue group, and have seen the kinds of dogs that come from these mills and brokers. This article, promoting puppy mills is a disgrace, and though I've always enjoyed reading People, never again!
The vitamin part of the gaurantee could downright harm some dogs, esp large breeds. Although some parts of this webpage seem legit, others are very, very wrong and something I battle everyday in the veterinary world!
Dear People Magazine,
Please send a reporter to any local animal shelter to witness the harm that puppy mills and "entrepreneurs" that support them are doing. It's a crime that shelters in this country have to kill millions of "disposable" pets every year.
You should do a story about the thousands of dedicated volunteers that support animal rescue societies throughout the country.
We need to teach our children the value of creating sustainable business practices, and help them realize that running a business is more than just "making a buck."
Rewarding a child for such a crime. People magazine; you should be ashamed. I can't fathom why you think that this teenager should be rewarded for doing something so detrimental to such a kind and loving species.
The editor at People Magazine must have been asleep on this one!! If you wish to own a healthy, well cared for dog look for a local breeder that you can visit, talk with,and see how the animals are treated and raised before you buy. Ask about health guarantees, shots, worming etc. Insist on a visit to a vet before purchase becomes final. If all is above board with the breeder he should be proud to stand behind his breeding methods. Please don't support these hit and miss mass production Internet breeders. Would you buy a child on line?
This is attrocious that your magazine would laud this type of actvity. Too many rescue groups are working hard to stop this from happening and they are not makig one thin dime.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. ~Gandhi
Your magazine proves we have not progressed much.
Ask the boy to find another way to make money while you are at it. Shame on People Magazine for publishing anything that promotes puppy mills!!!! More research was needed before this article was written.
If we do not educate our children how can they learn to be responsible pet owners. If a magazine of your reputation offers the other side of the coin, maybe someone will learn and listen. Ines Pena
