I have been rescuing these small dogs for close to 25 years now. I have seen some of the worse abuse you can imagine. This boy has no idea if he is selling his pups to be sacrificed or stomped to pieces (like one of my rescues) or to be loved as a member of the household.
I can't imagine that an adult would encourage this. Much less help.
Many animals perish in transport due to being overheated, frozen or just plain fear.
I can't believe that People Magazine would run this articule and toot the horn of someone with no conscience of what they are doing, just to make a dollar.
When a puppy is small there is no grantee that it will be very small. What happens when they sell a pup on the internet and it does not fit the dream of the byer? Most of the time they beat it to death or put it on the street to fend for itself, which it can't. They are too small and domesticated to survive, which means a very slow and painful end to life from stravation and cruelity.
I beg of you, stop encouraging this type of thing by putting this in print. The Bible says 'Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.' Animals have a greater purpose than to be reproduced by numbers for sheer profit with no though as to the welfare of the animal.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Van Doren
These are living creatures, they sohuldn't be exploited as a profit with feet. I normally love People magazine but this it is irresponsible and low to praise this kind of depraved indifference for life.
I sincerely hope PEOPLE magazine would, in the future, do an article on rescue groups. As a rescue group member, I love to help in placing dogs, many from these puppymillers. You would help educate people on adopting from reputable rescue groups, rather than buying from these so called "breeders" and the pet stores they also supply. PLEASE HELP US EDUCATE THE PUBLIC!!
I do not feel that was the best use of space for your magazine! I'm very glad I don't normally spend my hard earned money on your product.
And for a mother to allow her son to exploit all of these helpless puppies sicken's me.All in the name of the allmighty dollar!!! You tell me if life is fair for these animal's.
Please offer the public the opportunity to learn aboutthe true side of puppy mills and the general populations "breeding" of dogs. There are plenty of dogs that could use a home that do not benefit carelessness. If timmy was a true entrepreneur, he would use his creative thinking to help find the shelter dogs a home!
I raise & show dogs. I also do rescue and I am as dedicated to rescue as I am to my show dogs. I believe people should be responsible for the dogs they produce and that responsibility should be for the lifetime of every puppy. Then there would be no need for rescue. As rescuers, we clean up after the puppy mills and the 'breeding for profit' people. The dogs pay the price and often their payment is death. If not for rescue, many more would die everyday. To sell even one puppy without knowing anything about the person buying it other than that they have the price of the dog to send is not to be admired. To produce puppies just to make a dollar is without conscience.
Shame on you, PEOPLE! You shyould know better than to glorify this kid who is CLEARLY doing something very bad.
In the interest of balance, you need to do a story on puppy mills and/or rescue.
Meantime, SHAME on you!
I am very disappointed and shocked that my all time favorite magazine, People, is supporting puppy mills. I believe the editors need to post an immediate explanation for this terrible decision.
They do have this on their website, but still:
Before Buying A Puppy Please Check Out
Pets For Adoption Online at www.petfinder.com !
Our breeders breed for QUALITY and not QUANTITY.
We highly encourage spaying/ neutering your pet to stop over population of animals.
We ask people who visit our website to please visit www.petfinder.org before purchasing a puppy.
As someone who has devoted my life to educating the public about the tragedy of pet overpopulation, I am horrified to learn that People Magazine is still living in the Dark Ages when it comes to animal suffering. Editors, you need to undo the damage that you have done by promoting this boy's "hobby" which contributes to the deaths of millions of animals every year.
For once and for all we need to stop thinking household pets can make money for people..
If you spent one day in animal rescue and had to walk that walk to put down that cute little pup or the dog wagging his tail as the needle goes in for there is no more time left in the cell that the dogs live in...
Please consider doing a large front page article on Comercial Kennels and Backyard breeders and rescue...Dateline did...
This child needs to have respect for life instead of the horrors of the parents of these pups he brokers on the internet... People Magazine wake up and see the injustice of our pets that come from this horrible place called a puppy mill...
To portray this kind of irresponsible business in People Magazine is an Outrage !No reputable breeders would allow their puppies to go to a broker no matter their age!He is selling very poor quality puppymill bred puppies.
Puppy mills are mass dog-breeding operations that have been around for decades, but continue to be a problem because unsuspecting consumers keep buying those adorable puppies in the pet store window, through ads in trusted newspapers, or on slick Internet sites such as this one.
But behind the friendly façade of these pet shops, web sites, and newspaper ads, there often lies a puppy mill. These canine breeding facilities frequently house dogs in shockingly poor conditions, particularly for "breeding stock" animals who are caged and continually bred for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever becoming part of a family. After their fertility wanes, breeding animals are commonly killed, abandoned or sold to another mill. The annual result of all this breeding is hundreds of thousands of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.
The puppies will be shipped cross country by truck to be sold in pet shops, but many are also sold via newspaper classifieds or Internet
sites — and are often accompanied by false claims such as, "We'd never sell puppies from a puppy mill."
Because a puppy mill is a business, the facility is designed purely for profit, not comfort. Laws are on the books to provide minimum-care standards for puppy-mill animals, but enforcement has historically been spotty at best. The USDA licenses and inspects puppy mills for violations of the Animal Welfare Act; likewise, some state laws are designed to protect the charges in the average puppy mill. But puppy mills can successfully navigate around these laws, whether by selling directly to consumers (thereby avoiding USDA licensing requirements) or simply by avoiding the reach of law enforcement (with so few USDA inspectors and minor fines, it's easy to stay in business).
Help us stop the cruelty that lies behind cuddlypuppy.com, and teach the public that animals are not objects that can be sold to anyone willing to pay the price. T
I think that People Magazine should produce a Very Special publication about animals & their care & help educate the public about this serious cruel behavior that is happening because of "PUPPY MILL BROKERS" that are they are giving Great Cudos to via their article about the Teenage Titan!!!
What a horrible family her must have to have raised such a son!!!
AND the mother is "employed by this Kid, Timothy...To help him SELL these innocent mill dogs???
What kind of Texas Trash is this!!!???
Name: Timothy Hampson
Location: Missouri City, TX 77459
Phone: 832-253-1155
Website: www.cuddlypuppy.com
Just makes us ALL SICK that you would promote this!!!!
This is disgusting everyday I wait and most days hear from someone who bought a mill bred puppy. I operate a small dog rescue. This is a disgrace. How can a 16 year old understand the importance of proper breeding and care of animals.
This is sick and I will not support any company or enterprise that endorses this kind of travesty
Christine Coulter
Old Dominion Boston Terrier Rescue
Oh my~ People needs to now publish the OTHER SIDE! There is capital B Breeders and lower case b breeders....Capital B breeders care about the breed as a whole not just their own dogs....lower case b breeders don't care about anything but the money! The dogs/puppies suffer in the puppy mills~
I am appalled that a national magazine would honor anyone who ran a puppy mill. People Magazine should do the right thing and educate about the cruelty of breeders like Timothy Hampson instead of providing them free advertising.
A magazine as informed as "People Magizine" is about news around the world should know about the dog mills in their own back yard. Rescues like ours get the majority of these mass produced puppies once they grow out of their cute puppy stage and the genetic breeding problems show up. We spend our own money, time and hard work to right the wrong of others. I am just floored that you are not better informed especially after the out cry at the olympics. I can tell you as a rescue organization of these poor animals that if you walk in our shoes you are never the same again. It changes the nature of your soul to see what human beings can do to animals in the name of a buck. The blackness and lack of accountability is something I will never understand. When you see that blackness in another human being it changes your life forever. It may start as just a buisness for this young man and his mother now but it will callouse his soul for who he will be in the future. I challenge you to research the other side of the issue.You are to smart not to get it.
I believe it's possible this family may not know any better, I'm not sure...but PEOPLE MAGAZINE??? COME ON!! I would expect more from you and NOW I EXPECT that you will do what is RIGHT and EDUCATE the public AND this family about PUPPYMILLS and cruelty to animals! I say to PEOPLE Magazine, the only way you can redeem your reputation is to cite this boy's very website as an example of irresponsible puppy-milling!! Maybe then, I'll entertain an issue of PEOPLE Magazine again! (PS THANK YOU for bringing this to our attention!) Wendy
I live in the UK and have to say this totally appalled me .That a child has set himself up in Business as a Pupper Farmer I am Totally, Totally Sickened
People Magazine, I am disappointed! I challenge you to volunteer at an area shelter and see how many unwanted animals are destroyed in your area. Most of these animals are perfect companions. We just do not have enough homes for all of them. Do a story on them! Do a story on being a responsible pet owner. Do a story on rescue efforts. BE THE VOICE for these unwanted animals that are destroyed every minute because the public does not see the importance of spaying and neutering. Spend some time in the shelter and you will see what I see. You will be disappointed in yourself for allowing the promotion of this article to have been in your magazine. You will ask yourself the same question I ask myself everyday...."WHY?" It all goes back to the lack of education. You are in the postion to make a difference. It is now your turn to make it right. I look forward to your article on this topic and your response.
Please include an article informing the public about what puppy mills do to the dog population,as well as how one can be a responsible knowledgeable breeder/exhibitor.
Please give all of us "rescuers" a chance to tell our side of the story! Every weekend the "products" of these puppymills are dumped into shelters and pounds. Many of them never make it out. Those that do, find the "first love" that they have never experienced before. Every weekend there are many of us that donate our time to transport these dogs to new homes.
This is a mindless exploitation of puppies purely for monetary gain and is an afront to decency. This kid ought to be educated and his other horse-whipped.
I abhor the publicity that People is giving this puppy milling young man! He may be too young to realize his actions, but your magazine should be responsible enough and informed enough not to aid in this puppymillers success! Jan
What a horrible example you are setting by glorifying the peddling of live animals on the internet. Different breeds have special needs and need compatible homes. There are many genetic defects in the breeds listed and the puppy-mills that supply this mislabelled "Titan " have no regard for health. Money is their only concern. I enjoyed People weekly, but I won't be reading it again. What you need to cover in your magazine is the obscene business of the puppy mills and the toll they take on innocent canines and the uneducated people that buy their products. Several of the " Breeds" listed do not even exist. They are simply crossbreds that can be found everywhere in dog pounds and shelters hoping for homes. And not at the ridiculous prices your tennage con man wants to charge. you are misleading the public and doing a tremndous disservice with this misguided story.
I am president of our local humane society and we just rescues 82 dogs and 28 cats from a puppymill in my area.It is a horrible life for the dogs and cats and we must put a stop to these "entrepreneurs"
This makes me sick. I have a dog that was going to be put to sleep in the pound because people got it from a pet shop because it was cute. It came from H & H pet shop in MO the biggest puppy mill. I do rescue. What is wrong with people magazine to promote this. We just had a shop open up in up state New York that has pups from goodman MO. All this does is end up with more pups in the pound that have to put to sleep. And People Magazine you just help them sell more. I hope you can live with that.You need to be educated about what a puppy mill is.You need to write a article about all the puppy mills and how the dogs live and where they end up. And all the medical problems they have.
I adopted a dog through a rescue organization. He was used as a stud dog in a puppy mill, and HE is the one that has to pay for these humans' stupid, selfish actions. He is blind, and has severe dry eye, liver disease, hip dysplasia, arthritis, constantly blocked anal glands that have to be expressed by a vet regularly, and was hit by a car when he was abandoned at approximatly 8 years of age. He is on medicine for the arthritis and for the liver disease FOR LIFE, and he has to get prescription eye drops twice a day, and regular eye drops about 5 times a day because of the dry eye. When I first got him, he was so sick, I ended up taking him to the vet 2 or more times a week every week for the first few months, not to mention the after hours vet ER trips. He is the sweetest little furbaby ever, and he did not dserve that life at all. He is now safe with me, living out his retirement years in luxury. But there are many more out there. Rescue organizations are doing all they can to help these abused, neglected and abandoned animals, but the real cure is stopping it at the source - and that means putting an end to these horrible puppy mills.
I can forgive the teenager - perhaps he doesn't really understand at what goes on at these so-called commercial breeders. Because he's young, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. But seriously, what are his parents thinking??? They really need to educate this boy. And what was People magazine thinking when they decided to promote this???
People - Please, please, please run an article about the true nature of puppy mills. People will continue to buy from these millers unless we create awareness about the horrors that take place at these terrible and inhumane places. You are a strong presence in the media and you have a chance to really make a difference by raising awareness of this issue. Please let your readers know how awful puppy mills really are, and how hard rescue organizations work, one
Shame on you, People Magazine. There is a horrible over population problem of unwanted animals in this country as it is, mainly beacause of the PUPPYMILLS this kid is using to get rich. And shame on this kid, I hope one day he will understand the horrible thing he is doing.
This "teen titan" needs to witness dogs dying in the gas chambers or by the needle in shelters... this happens by the THOUSANDS daily. Not sickly dogs, MANY MANY *purebreds* just like the ones he "sells". Clearly this child and his family are uneducated about the animal overpopulation crisis. Timothy, if you love animals, please volunteer at a shelter or foster dogs.
And, NO MORE People magazines in my home, EVER. I will never buy another one of those rags again, and will encourage my friends to do the same.
I will be watching to see how People magazine handles this one. I hope my money has been well spent and that they will react responsibly. An article about puppy mills, etc. should only be the first step. I hope to see spotlights of rescues and shelters as well!
People magazine looks very unenlightened, at best, or very callous, at worst, with the publication of this story. Have you not heard of the horrors that result from overbreeding of dogs and cats in our country? I would hope that a follow-up story that shows the magazine to be more compassionate and less shallow will soon be published.
PLEASE STOP THIS CRUEL PUNISHMENT.IT MAKES ME SO SICK THAT PEOPLE ARE MAKING MONEY HURTING THESE INNOCENT DOGS & PUPPIES. THEY MUST BE STOP & FINED & JAILED...
'People', do some reasearch on the pet population and puppy mills. This teen is on the verge of becoming a miller. With this article, you are encouraging young adults to profit from something that is not a benefit to our society. Please do not label us Animal Rights Activists or Extremists like some other 'groups'. I'm certain the people signing this petition are those never recognized who are alweays there to take in and find homes for unwanted dogs. THESE people who open their hearts and homes to strays and unwanted pets are the ones who should have articles written about them.
People Magazine: PLEASE follow up with an article that educates people as to the horrible things that go on in puppy mills and how awful the breeder dogs are treated when they are no longer useful. Doesn't ANYONE watch Animal Cops to see some of the atrocities that go on? Puppy mills are for money purposes only.
Dogs are NOT livestock, heck livestock are probably treated better than 99.9% of the dogs kept by millers, they actually have to be healthy at the time of slaughter oops, I mean sale. $700 for a mixed breed puppy?!?! You can go to a local shelter and adopt one for less than $100 most of the time. There's nothing wrong with wanting a pure-bred dog just get one from a RESPONSIBLE breeder. Shame on People magazine for promoting this misery!
I can't believe People magazine is promoting this irresponsible business practice in their magazine! And even worse, the mother who should've stopped her son from having this business, is instead helping him! Jeesh!
People need to see the way these puppy mill dogs are so often treated...like garbage. Not only are they bred over and over, they are not given the minimum of veterinary care and loving human attention. These so-called breeders need to be stopped.
I am absolutely disgusted that this article was put into your magazine with no regard for the poor animals. You successfully glorified puppymills and probably caused a large of amount of money to be given to these breeders so that they might have more incentive to torture animals as they mass produce puppies and distribute them. You owe it to the innocent animals that are tortured in the mills to shed light on their suffering.
Puppy Mills are the worst form of animal cruelty in the canine world. The editor of People Magazine should not only print a story on the truth of Puppy Mills but should spend the day at one himself.
Puppy Mills are a far cry from what your paper & staffs think they are. They sure as heck do not need your support saying it is good business. If you and your staff only knew what Mills were all about, your article would NEVER have made it to print. I can send you pictures of an ex-Mill Mum which I now have in our home. Her paws are so badly deformed that she cannot run. She was a Mill Mum for approx 5 to 7 years... if you want to see her Vet bills, I'd be so happy to forward a copy to you. If you want to view the video of the raid on this Puppy Mill I'd be very happy to forward it to you. If you and your staff have any compasion for animals, you would put a correction in your magazine.
L.Savoie New Bruswick Canada
