Update: Here's some more food for thought about dogs and cats in shelters nation-wide:
An estimated 4 to 6 million dogs and cats are euthanized in America's
animal shelters each year because they are not wanted by anyone,
anywhere. We used 5 million to be safe. (Reference: HSUS Pet
Overpopulation)
Divide 5,000,000 by 365 to find out how many pets are killed each day
(13,698.63)
Divide 13,698.63 by 24 to find out how many pets are killed each hour
(570.776)
Divide the number of pets killed per hour by 60 to find out how many
pets are killed per minute (9.51)
Divide 9.51 by 60 to find out how many pets are killed per second -
that total is 0.15855
------------------------- ------------------------
Approximate number of animal shelters in the U.S.: 4,000 to 6,000 .
Average number of animals handled by an animal shelter in the U.S.
each year: 5 to 7% of the human population of a community (5,000 to 7,000
animals per year in a community of 100,000 people).
Estimated number of animals entering U.S. animal shelters annually: 8
to 12 million
------------------------- -------------------------
****Estimated number of animals euthanized by U.S. animal shelters each
year because homes are not available: 4 to 6 million. Although the number
of animals euthanized varies by geographic region, approximately 30-60%
of all animals brought into animal shelters are euthanized nationwide.
*****
Together, we can make a difference. Let our voices be heard...let the truth be told!
I cannot believe that People Magazine would encourage breeding in this manner, there are millions of animals locked up in shelters waiting to be adopted, and they mostly end up being put down.
I am sickened by your choice to include this in your magazine, and will NEVER purchase it again.
I've always enjoyed your magazine but am very surprised you would promote a puppy mill in your Nov. issue.
Anyone can buy one of those dogs and use them for "bait" dogs for fighting dogs. Anyone that is a sick individual that enjoys torturing animals could get one of these puppies.
Puppies bred like this usually have some type of medical problem, puppy mills do not bother to try and keep the lines pure. Instead any medical problem a dog may have is passed down.
The puppies are not spayed or neutered before they are sold. I can't uses the word adoption because it does not apply.
I think it's time for an article on the thousands of dogs that are put to sleep every day due to irresponsible ownership, puppy mill breeders and people who just get tired of owning a pet. Then you could also talk about the many rescues across the country trying to save these same puppy mill dogs, the dumped dogs and the ones in shelters waiting to die. You would be surprised at how many are purebred.
Please get the facts on what is going on in our society regarding animals before promoting puppy mills.
This is unbelievable. That this magazine would congratulate this boy for being a successful businessman. How about all the hard work volunteers do to reverse the effect of the wrong people mistreating and having pets!
The media can do an excellent job of showcasing what's wrong with our first world nations, doing expose stories and shining a light on espionage, fraud and terror, now let's see if they will be responsible enough to shine a light on this reprehensible bit of irresponsible jouralism and give a voice to the animals who can't be heard.
This is horrible. Where are the morals of the younger generation these days? Mass quanity is the goal here, it should be QUALITY. By a loving breeder!!!
Traffic in live animals is nothing to be proud of and articles such as these serve as encouragement and aids in escalating the problem. PEOPLE magazine should rather expose the truth about puppy mills and the sad fate awaiting the majority of these animals at the hands of their "loving" owners.
This business rewards poor breeding practices and a lack of responsibility on the part of the breeders involved.
People magazine should be ashamed for promoting it.
I believe it's better to show the good and bad when writing a story. By focusing on his money-making, you're removing the focus from the real victims: the animals.
I was very surprised by this article in People magazine. I was hoping that this teen, shown with a group of "toy" puppies was NOT what he seemed - a new generation of what I like to call "puppy pushers".
I was hoping to see a young person promoting adoption, shelters, or a rescue program. That would have been a more noteworthy story.
This is a disgrace! These are living, breathing creatures, they are GODS creatures, just as we are. Would you want to caged up without any love, affection, clean water or decent food? Would you want someone to put you to sleep just because you are no longer of any use to them? Its our job to speak for them. How can you care so little about these creatures who bring so much love & joy to our lives. SHAME ON YOU PEOPLE MAGAZINE!
Puppymills should not be legal. They are the primary source of so many unwanted pets in America and the huge medical bills to save those that are rescued. Please make people aware of the consequences of puppymillers and brokers.
This is nothing but a fancy puppy mill. There is no way this kid or his family can know what conditions these poor animals are going to be living in or subjected to. Shame on him, his family & People Magazine for thinking this is an ok business. Shut it down!
Far too many dogs are being produced by people that sacrifice quality care in the interest of making money. This business is further propagating the problem by supporting such enterprises.
Puppys are dying in animal shelters all over the country due to irrisponsible breeders and owners. When they grow up they aren't so cure any more and are often discarded. These recycled animals need your attention far more than the puppy mill "product" -for profit explotation of living creatures.
This is teaching the kids that it's ok to sell these puppies and make lots of money and who cares what happens to the dog as long as the kids are making a buck
As this petition states, I am a passionate animal advocate. By these teens using living, breathing creatures to make money is ludicrous. They can't even take care of themselves, let alone other lives ! Their 'business' will surely contribute to more unwanted, homeless animals in this world, which will add to the burden placed on the animal rescue organizations today. The mission of the Humane Society where I volunteer is to encourage spay/ neuter to help prevent the number of unwanted animals in shelters today ! I implore you to help us help the animals by doing articles on the rescue organizations and the puppymills to help make people aware that we don't need teenagers adding to the overpopulation. Thank you for your time. And I'm sure you will consider our plea and help our cause. Sincerely,
Sherry Pinson
People Magazine-Shame on you. Puppy mills must be shut down. Your responsibily is now to do a follow up article of these puppies and educate the caring public.
Puppies are not a product. They are companions. He does not even know if he his seeling to labs!!! He has no regard for the pups, who or where they go. What are their "shipping"experiences like??? When did writers stop writing stories and start promoting stuff like this just to fill a page. The animal suffers long after.
I can't believe yet another magazine is encouraging this behavior. AARP and now people! Is it ignorance or do you just not care how many animals die? Keep in mind the numbers in this petition don't even count those that are dumped and die on the streets!
How much research into the breeders, the genetic background, the health of the pup does this boy do? Does he follow up on the placement of the pups? Demand they be returned to him in case dog doesn't work out and land in a shelter. Responsible breeders do lots of work and research before breeding and even more follow up after the sale. Dogs are no commodities; the are living creatures that need to be placed, not sold, to responsible loving homes. This support of this type of selling is wrong!
Please expose the true horrors of puppymills. Shame on People Mag for highlighting a teenager making money off of selling live beings over the internet! Not to mention the fact that the dogs that are being bred for this teen's profit aren't exactly shining examples of their breeds! They look sickly.
From someone who volunteers for rescue, this type of brokering of dogs is one of the worst ways, morally, for a teenager to be making money. If Timothy would spend even one day at our shelter and see all the wonderful and deserving dogs who have been dumped within the first 6-12 months of their lives, I'd hope that he'd think twice about the damage he's doing. Dogs are living, breathing beings, and we as the human race have designated ourselves their caretakers when we domesticated them. Timothy's business and website promote puppy mills who think nothing of locking a dog in a cage so small they can barely move, leaving them for their entire lives with little to no human contact. For a pack animal, this is a lonely, horrible existence. And People magazine should be ASHAMED to help this child promote a "business" that most everyone in the dog fancy cringes at.
I have a dog that is in fear or anyone coming to the house because of where he was placed and 3 years of abuse. People who buy off these sites are often people who cannot get puppies or any dog from reputable rescues. It is an animal form of slavery that is ignored (easily) by these webhosters. Would you give away or sell your own dog on those sites with a clear conscience?
I have been a subscriber to People for many years, and I will most surely not be renewing if some sort of rebuttal to this story is not printed. This is a case of irresponsible journalism if I've ever seen one.
I work at a Humane Society & at an Animal Shelter. I find it offencive that somebody be prasied for making money off the suffering of these little dogs. So many pets die each year in shelters, it's just plain wrong to make it sound good that there are more made on purpose, just to make money.
