I work with my local Humane Society, Gulf South Golden Retriever Rescue and Pointer Rescue Organization because I believe in helping animals that can not help themselves !
I do hope that a follow up article will be printer to educate the public about the suffering that goes on behind the scenec of that cute " LITTLE DOGGY IN THE WINDOW "
Jan
I support this petition 100%. I fully understand what it take to raise and care for a pet and readily assume its position as family. Using puppies as a commodity frightens me. It always has.
I am disgusted!! If you want a dog and don't care what kind, fine, got to the pound. So many breeders put so much time, consern and money in breeding to the most perfect breed standard, so that dog people, like me, who appreciate the lineage and breed specific qualities can have one. I see so many people with dogs with behavioral problems that are not the standard of the animal. I recently got a new dog and because of the problems with the popular dogs, I got a pretty rare breed because I know they haven't been over bred.I saw the article last week but didn't read it because I didn't want to read about this mislead kid.
I volunteer at a Humane Society and it breaks my heart every time another puppy mill is closed down. While I am thrilled to see it shut down, it means that I have to see these poor little dogs. Dogs that are kept in cages, and bred every time they are in heat, just so someone can make some money. GET A REAL JOB AND LEAVE THESE POOR DOGS ALONE!!!
People Magazine should not be contributing to the miseducation of the public.Perhaps they will compensate in small part for such an error by publishing an article about the inhumanity of puppy mill operations thereby educating Timothy Hampson, his mother and the thousands of others who feel that the commodification of animals is acceptable.
Your article is disgusting. I come from the No. #1 Puppy Mill State and it is our SHAME!
This boy has no interest in the welfare of the animals ONLY in how to make a Fast Buck!
Shame on YOU!
PEOPLE magazine needs to take responsibility for what it prints. In this article they are promoting the support of puppy mills which means they ARE supporting animal abuse. They should print a retraction.
I'm sure the fact tha a young boy is trying to make money and learn a business makes a good story, but it would be better if you would investigate the business before supporting it. I hope that this young boy will be enlightened about the terrible consequences of puppymills. Can you do an article about some of the wonderful rescue groups who pick up the pieces every day from these puppymills?
Entrepreneurs my foot! Look at what happened to the pet stores at the malls for selling puppies coming out of places such as these! And the people buying from them should be made to volunteer at a shelter that puts to sleep the remnants of these puppymillers, give them hands on experience as to what "life" is for so many 'innocent' lives that start out in the puppymills. Breeding should be left to those who do it to IMPROVE the breeds, not to make a buck!!!!
I am an certified cruelty investigator with the Humane Society of Pulaski County. You have no idea what I have seen regarding "puppy mills" Our shelter houses between 250-300 "unwanted animals" some that come from these mills. I have prosecuted "puppy millers" that have no regard for the care, welfare or breeding of animals, only for the money. I have no problem with reputable breeders that care for their animals however when you have animals breeding only for money, never having companionship, love or one on one care...just for the money...I find this a very sad situation for the animals.
Shame on you people magazine. What happens to all those cute and cuddly pups when they grow up? Check out a shelter.
And what happens to all those dogs that are born just trying to come up with the "perfect puppy?" They are born blind, deaf and sometimes both. Then they are tossed out with the trash at a shelter somewhere.
Rescues all over the world work 24/7 to save the lives of these animals that people like this young man is putting out.
How about a story on the horror of the life of a puppymill dog. They never see the sun, or feel the grass under their feet. They never know the love of sleeping next to someone who loves them or playing ball with a child. All they know is the wire between their toes and loneliness all their lives. To do nothing in life but stay inside and cage and give birth to puppies is horrible.
When 10,000 dogs die every single day why would you promote another puppymill to put out even more unwanted puppies?
Although the site looks good, and he seems to want the best for the puppies, I wholeheartedly disagree with the lame "application" one has to fill out, and the fact that they ship nationwide. So you're sticking a little puppy on a plane to go and meet god-only-knows-who-they-a re owner??? So, so wrong. Hopefully People will post another story on puppy mills.
If an adult were doing this it would be his name in SHAME...yet you glorify a kid for being a broker for puppy mills. Reputable breeders do not send their dogs to resellers. This kid has learned one lesson, The US pet buying public is easly duped by a cute face & a "guarentee". What a joke. Generations of testing
and careful selection takes so long, Gee I didn't know I only needed a NuVet vitamin.
And it protects against congenital health problems - WOW impressive (not
genetic, congenital! - impossible to protect against something "present at birth" by definition.
Maybe MR. Hampson can grow up & be an exec for for the HUNT CORP.
Please take the time to do some research into just what this kid is up to. What looks like an enterprising young person is really just someone making money off of misery. Animals don't deserve to be profit makers. Any reputable breeder is in the business not to turn a profit but to better a breed. Please present the truth to your readers! Oh, and his advice on his website to look into rescue before buying a dog is lame at best.
I am an owner of the rare breed, the Coton de Tulear. It is upsetting enough when I see PEOPLE publicize Debra Messing and Barbra Streisand's ownership of this rare breed, but to publicize a PUPPY BROKER in your magazine is over the top inexcusable, reprehensible, deplorable and totally abhorrent to me.
I am also a breeder. And trust me when I say that the only "breeders" that would work with a child like this would be only the most disreputable ones. A reputable breeder will ALWAYS screen EVERY family that buys one of their pups. This is a scam. Shame on you People Magazine, for your ignorance in not knowing about this teenage puppy broker who has a marketing scam to sell doggie vitamins along with the pup for $19.95 a month.
Possibly this young man started this puppymill "business"out of ignorance. Please help to not perpetuate and even glorify this kind of exploitation of innocent animals.
I think selling young puppies over the Internet is wrong. The dogs involved are often mistreated, get no medical care and then get tossed out on the street when they are too old to breed.
Children should find other, more constructive ways to make money -- like SAVING dogs in need!
We need to shut down puppy mills not encourage them. Stop animal cruelty!! Call a few animal shelters and see what is happening to all this over population of animals you seem to think is a good thing.
how can there still be so much ignorance about the pet trade , trade is about making money , those that trade in animals can not afford to worry about their welfare .
true breeders would never sell er with out , first a referance , second meeting the people in person .
People magazine has alot to apologise for
This "TEEN TITAN" is making thousands of dollars of which I'm sure most is taking from encouraging mother. Parent, child and PEOPLE should be ashamed on glorifying puppy mills!!
This is so bad-we don't need young people getting into this kind of trade-do an artical on rescue of the thousands of dogs that come out of these puppy mills
I think Timothy Hampson & his mother should be made to work in a puppymill rescue situation. Maybe then they would understand what a horrible thing they are doing.
You should be ashamed of yourself People Magazine for publicizing and thus promoting this venture! As a current vet student and therefore future veterinarian, I am greatly disappointed by your lack of concern for and/or research into the epidemic pet overpopulation problem in the United States. You can rest assured I will not be offering your magazine in my waiting room any time in the near future.
I have nothing against small business, but animals have no business being bought and sold in this manner. They deserve alot better than the treatment your magazine has given them. Being that you have such a
wide distributor ship, your magazine should have a much more responsible attitude to such sensitive issues.
This type of "business" is straight out of the Dark Ages. As an enlightened society, we should seek to help animals, not treat them like commodities and profit from our disregard for their welfare.
Whoever approved of publishing this article should be forced to live in the conditions that puppy mill dogs live in. Then they would see they are glorifying animal cruelty. Instead, People should feature those who are involved animal rescue and animal shelters who selflessly give their time, effort and money to picking up the shattered pieces of dogs forced to live in puppy mills.
It is a shame that people see companion animals as a convenient cash crop. People should show the other side of the story...where many of these puppies will end up after having been abandoned.
Please let's get the word out about these puppymill people. I believe that even some of the stores that sell dogs get them from puppymills. Let's hear the other side of the story, from the rescue groups out there.
This is horrible!! This Timothy is not an entrepreneur, he is a BIG PuppyMiller! It's sad people are still buying from this type of a person. This boy needs to get a life and be worthwhile.
How can anyone in good conscience praise a person that is exploiting poor helpless animals? And for People Magazine to be proud of this young person? Shame on you!
GREED... what a true crime. To make the innocent suffer for the sake of MONEY, a piece of paper for that's all it is. Hard to believe the cold and dark hearts out there!!
What a let down from the editors at People Magazine. They need to do a follow-up article on all the puppies this kid had bred. How many have died or ended up in a shelter, unwanted?
Please show the "other side" of the story - puppymills and breeders are contributors to the overpopulation problem that is rampant in our country. People Magazine, please do your research!
It breaks my heart especially for all the puppies, kittens and for all the people who are working so hard to stop Puppy Mills and all the horrors that go along with them.
Puppymills should be outlawed and People should have done better homework! I truly hope they'll consider publishing an article that educates people on the dangers of reckless breeding and the damage that this does to the animals. There are myriad other ways to earn an honest buck and the business described in the article is a disgrace!
Shame on your staff and editor for glorifying this beginning venture which is sure to grow into a big time puppy mill. What a terrible way for these poor animals to live. The public should be learning about how to stop this sort of activity and People magazine shouldn't be part of the problem.
It is up to parents to teach their kids right from wrong. Apprently, his parent needs taught also. NEVER buy a puppy from anyone other than a excellent breeder.
This is not a cute little story about a cute little entreprenuer. This is a sad story that will unfortunately hurt many poor animals. How about doing a story on the many rescue groups consisting of volunteers that devote their time, energy & tears into finding permanent homes for many forgotten animals, often produced at puppymills.
I find this situation abhorable. This kid is not an entrepreneur. He's encouring the indiscrimate breeding of dogs. There is already a pet overpopulation problem in the US. This person is contributing to that population. How could you possible feature a story like this in your magazine?
People Shame on you for giving coverage to something as insensative as this. Many of us work overtime to prevent this abuse and you promote it. Stop ALL PUPPYMILLS!!!
Please print an article showing the puppy mills that this young man is getting the dogs from. If they are reputable breeders, they would welcome a story on their operations. If not, they need to be expossed for whar they are. Animal abusers. The young man probably doesn't even know the poor conditions these animals are kept in. Female dogs breeding one litter after another as young as they can and as often as they can. Slave sex??
