How could a magazine post such a horrible article with praise?! This is a disgrace and a slap in the face to all animal shelters and rescue groups. I volunteer in the Intake department for a local animal shelter. This boy and his family should volunteer there for one day.... they would then realize the problems shelters and rescues face. On average, the shelter that I volunteer for receives 50 - 60 surrendered animals on a SATURDAY alone - this does not include the balance of the week. 75% of the animals taken in are faced with euthanasia due to the lack of homes or the abuse they’ve endured. There are so many homeless animals - why create more?
As the owner of four rescue Pugs,an article like this would be a wonderful way to get the word out about the value of rescued animal and the disservice of puppymills.
cuddlypuppy.com is nothing more than another puppymill that we people in rescue fight so hard everyday to stop. An investigation should be made by your magazine to find out exactly what is happening within these puppymills.They are horrible & no living creature should have to endure what these puppymill animals endure.Hundreds of animals die a needless death each month because of people like this.Volunteer just one month with a shelter or rescue group & you will truly understand what is happening
Over 16 million dogs and cats were euthenized last year! This kid is really adding to the problem. I am sure he will NOT be responsible for the puppies he brings into this world!
It is wonderful this kids wants to have his own business, But it is appauling that he is exploting small puppies--True good breeders would never sell to a place like this. Puppymills or even just someone out to make a $$$ would. I would not encourage this..
While I admire Timothy's entrepreneurial spirit, he seems to be a bit misguided. I do notice to his credit that there is a link to petfinders suggesting that before you BUY a puppy you check out the homeless dogs. However, the guarantee gives me a bit of a laugh ... no vitamin will protect the dogs against congenital defects, ... and NO REPUTABLE breeder would sell puppies through a broker. If you are in the market for a puppy yourself a favor and buy your puppy from a reputable breeder who is preferably a member of the parent club and breeds for good health, temperament and breed type.
Puppy mill breeding should be ended immediately. A child should not be taught that this is a "good" business. What does this "entrepreneur" do with sick and disabled pups? These animals are living and breating creatures and should not be "shipped" to just anyone!!!!
I truly hope that the article celebrating cuddlypuppy.com was merely a horrible oversight on the part of People Magazine that will be rectified immediately!! It's hard to believe that a reputable editor and publisher would knowingly support a business that treats innocent puppies as mass marketed products, with no care whatsoever for their health, wellbeing or happiness. Shame on People Magazine for this dramatic error in judgement!
I am astounded that "People" magazine would give praise to a boy that is basically running a puppy mill! What in the world was your magazine thinking?? Maybe you ought to do an article showing the physical and behavioral effects that a dog that lives in a small cage, without exercise, or human attention is made to have litter after litter for many many years, most of their adult lives!! I am truly disgusted with People magazine encouraging this idea. Given the superficiality in this case, and other articles about people in your magazine, is why I rarely even read your magazine!
These aren't ChiaPets! They are living creatures and no internet market can make sure that the buyers are capable of providing good homes - only a big check! Bad idea to honor this young man! Honor someone who does rescue!
That article you ran for Teen Titans on cuddlypuppy.com, was in poor taste. There are thousands of puppies and dogs in shelters all over the country that need homes. You and the teen are just adding to the problem. Please allow an article to be put in your magazine about puppymills and rescue dogs. We need both sides of the story here.
I volunteer in a animal shelter and this article was very disturbing. Why would people magizine promote a puppy mill. That is not being a entrepenural that is being sick! Thousands of animals are put to sleep every year in shelters, many come from places just like this!
I am part of a rescue group, Sophie's Isle of York Rescue. I find the article mentioned despicable. Please promote rescue work rather than encouraging the breeding of even more poor animals that will wind up being euthanized.
Your choice of examples of teen entrepeneurs was very misguided. Puppy mills need to be exposed for what they really are: puppy factories. Theses animals live in horrible conditions and are fored to produce litter after litter because volume is everything. [Think Wal-Mart and cheap goods from China] These puppies are mostly inferior animals breed with little concern for temperment, genetic deformities, or overall health. They are sold to unsuspecting consumers who pay a lot of money for a cute, but poor quality puppy whos lifetime of ills is probably just beginning. But, you would already know all of this if only you had done your research. People magazine needs to set the record straight!
what are you thinking allowing an article on selling living breathing creatures on the internet for profit. there are 6-8million dogs being killed and dumped. This glorification of profit is typical of the fluff being published. You need to address the
root problem and the solutions, neuter and spay. Maybe someone should
dump a 55gallon drum
of carcasses, including puppies that were gassed on this kid's bed. Reality check drastically needed here
I work in rescue and see the worst of the worst, and it's people like this boy and his family who do nothing but proliferate an already outrageous number of animals who are euthanized each year. If PEOPLE sees fit to publish "this" kind of article, then the other side should be represented as well. How about someone on your staff doing some research into the world of rescue--Welcome to my World!!!
Please do not showcase what is essentially a puppymill at worst and a BYB at best as an example of American entrepeneurial savvy. This type of breeding of pet animals, is exactly what so many of us our trying to educate the public against.
As a rescue and foster person, I can state, without a doubt, that the vast majority of our rescue come from 'breeders' like this; those who are bring new dog (and cat) lives into the world in order to make a profit.
Pet animals deserve btter and so do we.
PERHAPS YOU NEED TO DO AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ON THE HORRORS OF PUPPYMILLS TO FIRST APPRECIATE THE SUFFERING THAT GOES ON IN THESE PUPPY FACTORIES. THEN TO PROMOTE THE SALE OF THESE PUPPIES OVER THE INTERNET AND SUGGEST TO YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THE BREEDING AND SALES OF LIVE ANIMALS IS A GREAT WAY TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR IS APALLING. DO YOU KNOW THAT 10,000,000 HOMELESS AND UNWANTED ANIMALS ARE EUTHANIZED EVERY YEAR FOR LACK OF HOMES? DO WE REALLY NEED TEENAGERS SELLING ANIMALS OVER THE INTERNET. SHAME ON YOU!!!
The mom is the one needing counseling here. Help this bright, energetic son to find a way to raise money that could benefit helpless animals and not put them at risk.
i work in a animal shelter and when i read this i was very disappointed. people know about puppies, they need to read and find out about where these puppies come from, and where they end up when people no longer want them.
I always thought PEOPLE was about the rich and famous/not so famous... shame on you PEOPLE for glorifying what this kid is doing. How about an article about rescue organizations?!
As someone who rescues animals when people just dump them on my property, this article breaks my heart. I have 2 children who work tirelessly with me to help these animals recover from starvation, mange, etc and trust people again. My kids know what it's like on the other side of the fence, and they willingly do it for nothing!
People Magazine must be desperate for story's.This is a disgusting artical.Thousamds of puppy's die in the hands like this idiot and his idiot parents.These poor souls are kept in small cages and this is how they spend the rest of ther lives.Just breeding over and over.Go and do some research and get educated on puppy mills!!!!
Please, PEOPLE, do the right thing and run an article about the plight of homeless and abused animals who need loving homes that are dying to get out of City Shelters throughout the nation!! Shame on you for highlighting this young moneyhungry teen who does a disservice to animals by SELLING them to unseen buyers through the internet.
My only reason for signing this petition is the fact that there was not much research put into the care of the dogs in the puppy mill. I am not against the breeding of dogs, but it must be done with care and respect towards the dogs.
My hope is that People Magazine will be educated about what is appropriate breeding and pet care practice and promote that instead of those individuals who are making money from the poor treatment of innocent animals:puppymills!
I admire People Magazine's support of kids who seek creative outlets like entrepreneurship in their teenage years. Indeed, such risk-taking is a positive substitute for the risk-taking that average teenagers feel inclined to pursue. Such ventures can be valuable and viable substitutes for more dangerous forms of risk-taking--excessive drinking and drug-taking, for example--which ruin so many lives. However, for People to feature Timothy Hampson's marketing of miniature dogs on the Internet ("Teen Titans," November 4, 2004, p. 128) as an example of such creativity is a profoundly misguided step on the part of People's editorial staff. Hampson is no doubt a gifted young entrepreneur, and his family no doubt wants to stand by him. But for People to endorse a business venture that ultimately puts the lives of animals at risk, and to do so without making any critical, research-based remarks about such ventures, is to engage in irresponsible journalism, the likes of which I have not seen in my 15 years of subscribing to People Magazine. I implore People to balance out the Timothy Hampson story with a fact-based story that could serve to enlighten your readers, as well as the Hampson family. it is crucial to understand, at the very least that: 1) encouraging "network(s) of breeders" translates as encouraging puppy mills, which are never healthy environments for newborn dogs; and 2) encouraging the breeding of miniature dogs translates as encouraging the breeding of susceptibility to heartbreaking canine disease and disability. I am quite certain that if People, your readers, Timothy Hampson, and the Hampson family knew and understood these basic facts that they would not support entrepreneurial ventures of this sort ... or at least do so and be able to sleep at night. I join others signing this petition in imploring People Magazine to balance out the feature on Timothy Hampson with stories of the thousands of dedicated rescue workers on the
Aparently People Magazine put ZERO effort and reserch into this disgusting article. How could a respected magazine endorse such unethicle and cruel breeding practices!?! SHAME SHAME on you people magazine. Shame on this child parents for having NO morals and HELPING their child perpetuate the suffering of our helpless canine companions!
Puppymills should be made illegal. The dogs in these places live horrible lives and the puppies are usually in ill health and have many genetic disorders. This teen should not be praised but informed of what he is supporting.
I am very disappointed in the writers of People Magazine. I have been subscribing for 8 yrs. to this magazine and couldn't believe what I read. Don't you check out stories before you publish them? This is a young boy making money puppy mills dogs. I would hope to see an article in the near future educating people about puppy mills and how these poor animals are used and abused.
Shame on you, People Magazine for promoting this kind of business!
Please do not support puppy mills, or any breeding program that does not provide animals with a HEALTHY and LOVING environment.
No matter what this website says, these puppies come from puppy mills. No caring breeder would market their puppies this way. If you don't know about puppy mills, take the time to learn about them, and the environment these puppies come from.
Hopefully Timothy Hampson is intelligent enough to become educated and to use his entrepreneurial energy towards eliminating the industry that profits from his current website.
And from a consumer perspective, I believe you'll pay less up front for a healthy puppy from a reputable breeder ... and you'll probably pay less in vet bills over the years. Supporting ethical, intelligent breeding is a win-win situation for everybody ... except the puppy millers.
This article just makes me sick! This poor innocent animals suffer. Puppy mills need to be stopped. I will never pick up another People Magazine again! And just to think, I was going to get a subscription for someone this year for Xmas. I am just appalled at this whole situation!!
I am terribly disappointed that you would give such exposure to another disgusting puppy mill. What a lesson for a 16 yr. old.I was considering re-newing my subscribtion but now I will not.
Please show the other side of the story - what happens to commercially bred puppies. Puppy mills are a big source of the pet over population in the US. Take it from a trainer/behavioral consultant with 22 years in dogs and a rescue volunteer, this child is no role model and People would do far better showing the reality of puppy mills and the hard work good breeders do to prevent dogs from being mass produced. I deal every day with the fall out from mills: behavioral issues, health issues, dogs being dumped when that impulse buy goes sour. The Sheltie rescue I volunteer with is taking in at least two dogs a week now if not more. Last year we broke all intake records and may surpass that this year. We are lucky to find a home for two dogs a month. Where do most come from? Millers like this child and breeders breeding just for the sake of it without focus for the bettering of a breed. I am disgusted at People magazine.
