Why are there so many dogs listed on Petfinder.com and getting put to sleep daily??? Because of places like cuddlypuppy and the like. DO NOT endorse puppymills with articles like this!
Did your reporters even investigate?This is shameful.How can you gloryfy DEATH?Do you have any idea what puppymills are?To many Puppies and Dogs are on Death Row as I type this due to the ignorance of people who only want to make a dollar.
I wish all of the loving pets in the shelters had a warm home to live in instead of a cold cement floor. I rescued a few and they have so much unconditional love to give. The puppy mills add to the pet over population problem. Please do not encourage people to put loving animals in hopeless situations.
What's a shame is this wasn't used as a moment of education for everyone involved. Anyone who raises dogs properly knows there is little to no profit over time. So poor reporting all the way around, and poor research to boot!
To think of the tens of thousands of pets that sleep on concrete floors and wonder what they did so wrong to not be loved, I cannot believe People magazine would encourage the senseless over-population of animals for a buck.
Go to a web site called Hearts United for Animals and look what it looks like to come from a puppymill. They can show you firsthand. It's horrible. You will have to answer someday.
This just makes me sick. There are more than 100,000 dogs on www.petfinder.com needing homes, and people do things like this. I have been fostering a wonderful dog for the past 3 months that had been abandoned because he outgrew the cute puppy stage. He would make a great dog for a family with kids. He even gets along with cats! But he is constantly passed over for the cute little puppies that are overflowing at the local shelters and out of pet stores.
The government should put a ban on all backyard breeding until all shelter and unwanted animals have homes.
I am appalled that the editorial staff has absolutely no caring about animal welfare or abuse. To "promote" the worthiness of an obvious puppymill as a worthy example of a "budding merchant teenager" is abhorrant. People Magazine has certainly taken a downward slide to the bottom of the list of worthwhile magazines in my mind.....How could you promote such horror? I certainly hope you will give equal time to the education of the public about puppymills....Or do you dare??
I would rather see People magazine highlight the people who devote their lives to saving the poor, defenseless creatures who wind up as part of somebody's money machine, rather than in loving, responsible homes.
The damage is done. With a circulation as big as the one People magazine has, the cuddlypuppy site will enjoy huge success and countless animals will suffer. There is no way People can make up for that, even if they agree to do an article about puppymills and rescues, which they likely will not.
What a shame that People magazine cares only that this boy is making money selling pups on the internet, but doesn't care that animals are being euthanized in record numbers because of this boy and others like him in this disgusting 'industry'.
There are enough poor dogs in shelters in rescues that need good homes without people breeding. What happens if the people are not satisfied with the puppy? Do the breeders and sellers care where the puppy ends up? Well, I can tell you most likely that poor, little puppy will probably end up on the streets or in a shelter somewhere.
And People Magazine, you are actually advertising this!? Are you trying to encourage puppy mills?
I am VERY angry and concerned that People Magazine has chosen to focus on Timothy Hampson's home business of selling puppies on the Internet.
Does he have all puppies neutered or spayed before placement?
Does he personally check references and do a thorough examination of families who he sells puppies to?
Are they up on shots?
Does he have a good complete history of each puppy's genetic history?
Just WHO is he buying these puppies from in the first place?
He is acting like nothing more than a puppymill...selling live animals to make a monetary profit with no regard for the effects this has on the dogs AND people who buy them.
I can guarantee that NO reputable breeder in ANY breed of dog, large or small, would EVER sell to a kid with this kind of business.
I wish People would do a follow up and find out exactly WHERE he is getting these pups from?
I bet they are raised in puppymills.
The web site says they are "home raised". Just what does this mean?
Just because they are in cages in the kitchen and laundry room doesn't mean they are "home raised". It means they are in cages, with NO appropriate efforts made to socialize these dogs before they go to homes.
AND is he selling to homes..just ANYONE who wants one with no responsiblity of knowing whether or not the new homes are only buying to supply their OWN puppmill breedings?
This is dusgusting to say the least!
This kid has NO idea what harm he is doing to the world of dogs.
PLEASE don't praise him for using live helpless animals as a basis to become rich!
He is no better than the puppy mills seen where animals are not cared for or loved properly.
He does not get my support, and I will continue to spread this article to everyone I know in the dog world.
I'm VERY disappointed and angry that People, a magazine I've been getting for years, is supportive of this kid.
He must be stopped as he is only contributing to the over population of dogs who en
I think it's irresponsible for a magazine like People to even consider putting a puppy mill in your magazine. Didn't any of you do any research on puppy mills? He's 16 years old and sells dogs over the internet. If that doesn't sound like a puppy mill, I don't know what it is. I hope People learns from their mistake. There thousands of dogs and cats in shelters!
As a voulenteer for Boston Terrier Rescue, I see the victims of this kind of "Titan" every day. Dumped in shelters by the dozens, sick, scared and not understanding why their beloved people are never coming back to take them home. A companion animal should never be an impulse buy and internet sites like cuddlypuppy.com encourage this kind of mentality. The unconditional love in dog's heart is forever. Please encourage your readers to think of this before buying a cute little pup like a pair of shoes or a toy from people who treat them like cash machines. Encourage them to think of the lonely and hopless mother dog whose life of caged slavery made that impulse buy possible.
How dare you. This is sick. Thank God my wife fights this kind of bull crap. We rescue dogs, we don't sell them...I can't believe someone would commend this boy.
I don't understand where some people get the idea that animals are commodities to be sold and shipped to wherever. Puppy mills and those who profit from them are absolutely disgusting. When will they learn?
I agree that this is unacceptable.
It's another instance of reinforcing the idea that animals are commodities, to be sold and used like cast off clothing.
shame on this "entrepeneur". shame on his mother and sister and most of all-Shame on People Magazine!
Parents should be teaching responsibility not irresponsibility.
Puppies are living creatures and deserve to be treated in a humane manner not as a comodity. There are just too many dogs out there that need homes You can visit any animal shelter or contact one of the many rescue groups, and there you will find dogs (and cats, and other animals) that have been discarded because they were thought of as "property".
Why not applaud the efforts of teens that do "Juniors" and handling at dog shows? They take the time to properlly care for, show and handle their own and others dogs for a fee? It's also a "business" but a much more humane one than someone selling dogs for profit over the internet with no regard for what kinds of homes they are going to. Junior handlers work hard and do it the RIGHT way....
It's unfortunate that most people don't understand about puppy mills and how they are bad for everyone -- especially the dogs! People Mag should be more responsible in their reports and not promote selling dogs over the internet!
This absurdly disgusting! Do these people even feel the least bit sorry for the lives that they helped create and then just brush them off when not bought...? Is america becoming Ebinezer Scrooge-ville? It's sad to think what extents (animal rights) people will go for the sake of making a measily penny. This is not China and if it were- one pup per household thank you. People take for grant what rights we have, and as for the dogs- they should be at least part of your concern...do they not have a future? Life? and then death? Do they not have emotions and share love? Think about it the next time he jumps on the couch only to be next to you...
I can't believe you people at such a large company are praising this sick sick person. Don't you know how many puppymills like this one are being held on high for being good people?? My family and I, a total of 5,000 people who buy your magazine, will nolonger buy it. You people are sick and should burn in Hell for helping people like this teenager make a name. Yes there are 5,000 people in my family, and yes that is a lot of money. You should all be sick to your stomachs for this one. How dare you.
I commend the young person for teaching himself 'business however considering the overwhelming numbers of dogs in shelters, waiting to be killed, he should focus his business sense towards a real career. Perhaps one that offers benefits, insurance, dentla... etc...
I can't help but wonder if this young man was selling babies, would People Magazine be commending him as "entreprenuerial"? Somehow I think not!
Puppy brokering is just as bad and all for the sake of making a buck!
Wonder if this young man, or his mother, for that matter, have ever visited the "breeders" who supply them with their puppies. If they haven't they should and hopefully would be revulsed with what they would see. If they have, shame on them for helping the continuation of the suffering of all the animals at these puppy mills who will live and die in cages!
People Not just the magazine ALL need a good education about puppy mills.I was like alot of other people until my eyes were opened wide. You see alittle story on the news and think how awful. Ok but seeing is believing. I never ever thought I could ever use the word HATE in my vocabulary but I can very very easy talking about and seeing these kids coming from there, anyone with feelings at all would cry and I do my share for the people who have no Idea. Has any one ever seen a 10 yr. old puppy on grass for the first time?
Or a precious little girl who has had herr puppies ripped away from her and has no idea what a gentle hold of love is. Their scared to death legs are stiff get the picture? Then you have the ones who can't speake at all or cry out because of whats happened to them and NOT MEDICALLY.
Any one with a half a heart would cry for this and all kids for what sooooo many have been through.This type of stuff needs to STOP and STOP NOW. PLease with the coverage you have help the ones who can't speake for themselves or in some cases can't speake at all.
It is sad that a magazine that reaches so many, and has coffers to afford to hire intelligent staff, have stumbled so badly with a piece that displays either the ignorance of the editors and/or the disregard of humane practices.
The behavior and health issues of puppies bred purely to be sold to someone with a credit line and an internet connection are well-documented. The hell the breeding dogs live in daily simply so they can be used for income is even better documented. Come visit some of the dogs in my home who are the product of such stupidity and cruelty, visit any of the websites of the rescue groups, and then tell me you are justified to give credit to this young man.
The efforts made by thousands of us to ease this suffering and to offer a second chance to the products of this greed are rudely disregarded and degraded by your "honoring" someone who earned a mention based on the suffering of animals. What he does is not admirable.
This is so sad. Shame on this magazine for fostering puppymills. Have you actually visited this website? It is disgusting how the little ones are sold like an appliance, including a "Lifetime Warranty". What? if it doesn't work, you can return them? Why don't you use your magazine to educate the population about how degrading puppymills are? Yeah, this young man is going to grow up to be a productive citizen...NOT!
Social responsibility is imperative in controlling popualations of companion animals--many of whom find themselves, through no fault of their own, in city pounds and animal shelters, with assured death sentences, weekly, in the thousands. Why celebrate a business that has as its basis the perpetuation of one of the most challenging--and sad--societal dysfunctions?
Please don't buy puppies from puppy mills. They don't treat the animals nicely. There has got to be another way for you to go into business and make some money than selling dogs.
What a sad day for rescue groups-I'm done reading People until they publish an article on puppymills and rescue groups and what really goes on. Someone needs to educate that boy and his mother.
How can you approve of such an activity? Have you no ethics? Please take a look at the cruelty these animals live with because of people like the one you profiled.
Shame on you People Magazine!!! The editor should have had better sense than to run an article praising someone who is running a business that promotes such a horrible practice as a puppy mill. Someone needs to do their homework a little better before allowing them the position as powerful as that of an editor of a national magazine.
People like this should be held up as bad examples. We don't need any more dogs! Shelters are full and if anyone wants a pet they should adopt from a shelter or rescue group.
SHAME ON YOU! In an era when thousands of pets are euthanized daily because there is a lack of homes, you are actually PROMOTING someone who is adding to the overpopulation?
People Magazine -- FOR SHAME!
It's a shame to encourage people to make their money by selling animals over the internet, if animals are sold it is imperative to screen the new owners carefully...People Mag. should do an article about rescue and the hard work involved instead.
To the editors of People Magazine: I am confident that the article printed in your magazine titled "Teen Titans" was intended to convey a positive message about our teens. Articles that show our youth in a positive light are too few and far between. Unfortunatly, this article also did a very good job of advertising for, and (because you are PEOPLE Magazine), endorsing a specific internet site, and in general, the sale of puppies via internet back-yard breeders and puppymills. The reality of these poor animals lives are often too terrible to ponder. Please interview some of these rescue coordinators. Any of them can give you first hand knowledge about the dogs they have rescued that originated from a backyard breeder or puppymill. Too many of these stories are unforgetably tragic. Horrific. Please consider printing an in-depth article or series of articles exposing the awful, and ugly, and inhumane business of a mass produced puppies for profit. The information your magazine could provide on this subject is important, timely, and so very necessary. Thank you.
I am disappointed that Timothy Hampson has learned at a young age how easy it can be to make a quick buck at the expense of one of God's creatures. There is no excuse for the abuse that goes on in puppymills and a lot of compassionate people, many of whom undoubtedly read your magazine, would stop buying from pet stores and over the internet if they saw how miserable these dogs are. Please take this opportunity to educate the public and run an article about all the wonderful rescue organizations and the horrors of puppymills.
This is totally disgusting. What the world doesn't need is more puppy mill brokers. It's bad enough that a teenager is doing this, but his mother not only thinks it's all right, but helps him. You should be ashamed of yourselves for encouraging the mass breeding of dogs and selling them over the internet.
People Mag should be ashamed of endorsing a puppymill broker.
Do articles on rescue work and shelters and get a better picture of what happens to pups like this.
Now that People Magazine is aware of the wrongfulness of this type of business, I would hope that the editorial staff would take the opportunity to correct its mistake and to educate the public. The breeders selling these puppies to this young man are irresponsible! The breeders should be carefully selecting homes for these puppies, so that their lives will be full of love, not ending up in a shelter because the animal has behavioral issues or health problems. People Magazine should be featuring the good works of rescues and no-kill shelters and people who have really committed their lives to helping animals, not putting them at a disadvantage right from the start. I urge you to research these issues and use your popularity to educate your loyal readers.
As a longtime reader of People this article is a mistake by the mag. An article on Puppy Mills and what happens to those poor dogs needs to be on your cover.
There are more than enough responsibile breeders who take great care to place their puppies in approriate homes without a teenage selling puppies on-line to people who he does not know which is the formula for more abandoned dogs.
I am all for teenagers starting small businesses but I think it is ridiculous to applaud the efforts of a teenager and his mother to produce dogs with no regard as to breed standards or health. The breeders listed on the site and producing thousands and thousands of dogs with no regard as to the health or happiness of the dogs. There are many many dogs in shelters that need loving homes that could be listed in this manner which would help alleviate the pet overpopulation problem without encouraging it. I think Mr. Hampson would greatly benefit with a mentorship and friendship with a reputable and experienced breeder who shows and breeds dogs to improve the standard and is ethical as well.
