The "Teen Titan" story is appalling. Puppy mills are the worst of the worst and for People to promote and encourage this kind of business is disguisting.
I'm disappointed that you choose to highlight a situation of a teenage puppy miller. Why not focus on those who are forced too rescue those dogs once they get older?
WHy don't you help the rescues and shelters find homes for the abused, neglected and abandoned dogs rather than promote disreputable breeders and puppy mills. Shame on you for not doing your homework first!
Freedom of speech works both ways! Let's get out there and speak up against the careless breeders who make the rescue groups overworked and constantly dismayed at mans thoughtlessness for the almighty dollar.
It just confirms the need to educate everyone from all walks of life and professions about: one; the need to spay and neuter all dogs, two; adopting all dogs until every dog has the good life in their forever home, and three making all puppy mills a criminal offense.
After looking over this cuddlypuppy site, I am completely appalled that People magazine would publish this kind of thing. Did the writer or editor research this story at all!? These puppies are being sold for 3 to 6 times the amount you would pay a reputalbe breeder. Also note that none of these dogs are advertised as AKC registered. People magazine should look into what actually happens at puppy mills. Dogs living in 1ft. cages pooping on top of each other. Dogs being given Viagra and their genitals raw from being constantly erect. The owners of this site do this over the internet. Do you actually believe that they check all their breeders out? Anyone can just tell them what they want to hear and the site owners would add their pups to the site. Shame on People magazine!
The article about "Teen Titans" missed the mark! The teen running the puppy mill may have been making money but certainly was not running a sound business. The breeding dogs suffer, the puppies being bred are in all lilihood poor quality (what does a teen know about qualiy breeding?) and the people purchasing these dogs will suffer. Why doesn't PEOPLE Magazine show the other side of the picture? Cute puppies are great, Full animal shelters aren't so great!!
I can't believe you condone such things. Not doing a responsible check on who's getting a puppy or any live thing for that matter is just irresponsible. They weren't put here to make human rich but to give us comfort and companionship. What a horrible fate for these pups.
I find it morally reprehensible that your magazine would spotlight the activities of someone who is primarily interested in "pushing puppies" for profit. Please follow up(if you care or dare) with the honestly laudible story of the efforts of those people who put forth thier hearts and money and time rescuing the hundreds of thousands of "pets" cast off by people just as irresponsible as the one you highlighted
this is terrible. I cannot believe that people STILL haven't figured out the problem with the overpopulation of dogs and the number of them in dog pounds being put down every day. Advertising a puppy mill is just unbelievable. I cannot believe People Magazine actually published this story. Shame on you People magazine! why not do a story on the plight of shelter dogs? or a story on the life of a puppy mill puppy??
The public would be horrified to know the actual number of animals destroyed in America because of a lack of homes. I applaud the entrepreneurial spirit but not at the expense of innocent animals. Imagine what could be accomplished if these same skills were applied to something truly worthy of an article in People Magazine!
All puppy mills should be shut down at once. All these stupid people who breed without a thought to what happens to the puppies should be prosecuted and at the very least fined. I will no longer be purchasing People Magazine because of this disgusting article.
Please prove to be responsible and consider the consequences of the irresponsible breeding and placement of pets of all forms? or send the profits to the Rescue Organizations that clean up after these folks make a mess of the pets and the homes into which they go?
Puppymills are disgusting, I know that the child probably doesn't know what a HUGE impact he is making on the homeless dogs in the world. But as a Nationwide magazine you should know and have not published an article that glorifies this type of thing. You should be ashamed of youselves.
"People" should be ashamed for supporting puppymills by promoting commercial animal agents. Even worse that this is a youth run business- the ends (the $$) do NOT justify the means!
Shelters are flooded because of unethical commercial pet agents like this! FOR SHAME!
My son and his wife are active in rescue thanks to "breeders" like this child you wrote so proudly about. No mention of how he screens his buyers to be sure they are kind and caring. Nor does he stress the fact that each breed has it's own quirks and personalities and that they don't fit with every life style. This is how good breeds come to have bad reputations and how good breeds come to have severe health problems.
all of us have an obligation to stop what is happening to our beloved animals, i cannot imagine how this could ever make people magazine but maybe it is a blessing to raise awareness to what is happening
geri, ray, holly and prince
What was People Magazine thinking!? They should be educating the public on the evils of puppymills and brokers--not helping to advertise for them. Making money is fine, but not when it hurts innocent animals. A 15yr old should be taught to respect life, not exploit it.
Sick. Completely disgusting. Think of all the many dogs dying in shelters everyday with no home, and here is this "breeder" bringing in more and more poorly bred puppies only for the money. I hope this guy gets what he deserves. And shame on People Magazine!!
I have subscribed to this magazine for quite sometime and ma appalled by this teen showing that he sells over the internet.
he should be ashamed and so should People for putting this in their amgazine.
I would ask that the editors please reconsider encouraging "entrepreneurs", teenage or otherwose, to support the practice of puppy mill breeding. These dogs live a horrific life, and only when rescue groups save them do they get the chance to live full and happy lives outside of cages. Go visit one of these businesses, better yet, go to an auction where puppy millers buy their stock to breed! Then please do an article on what you see...it is then i might ever buy your magazine.
People Magazine should be ashamed. Promoting the pain and suffering of animals, at the hands of a teenage "entrepeneur" is beyond despicable. This kid should be volunteering at his local municipal shelter. How about featuring kids across the country who help homeless animals, not those who perpetuate companion animal overpopulation? I've just bought my last issue of People Magazine.
I can understand why some people may still be totally ignorant about puppy mills and mistreatment of animals but I cannot excuse a magazine of this calliber for publishing an article like this.This is devastating to the educating and rescuing and other efforts made by people who have animals well being in mind.So many of us are praying for the day when the horror stories end. This story doesn't help at all.
My perception of People Magazine just went down about 100 notches. Is there no one on your staff that is knowledgeable about pets and puppymills? These breeders have no concern for where their puppies are going. Why are they breeding crosses? Don't we have enough of mixes, as well as purebred dogs, in shelters already? A reputable breeder makes certain that their puppies go to good,solid homes. A reputable breeder does not NEED a broker for new puppies.
This is horrendous. This is a glorified puppy miller, a detriment to purebred dogs and those people who respect and value the purety of the various breed. "Teen Titen"....I think not. Money grubbing kid who cares nothing about dogs is more like it.
How irresponsible of People magazine to glorify this puppymill. As one of the most read publications, you should be more selective on whom you give 5 minutes of fame to. Reputible breeders do not advertise or sell puppies in this manner. You are promoting a puppymill program which could have similar effect that the Kansas puppymill had. VERY SAD for the helpless animals.
I cannot condone such reckless behavior and will not renew my subscription!
Not that I have high expectations from People magazine, but it is unconscionable to glorify this young man's exploitive and uncaring business of buying and selling sensitive, helpless, sentient beings as though they were a commodity. For shame.
This kid should not be commended for making money off of breeding and selling dogs!!! What was People magazine thinking when they published the article? There are already too many "back yard breeders" as well as dogs that need rescuing. And now, other kids/families will think they can "get rich" by breeding dogs - courtesy of People magazine!
