possibly this young man should take a trip to an animal shelter or maybe thelocal pound. If he was given the truth about euthanasia ,he might switch to selling People Magazine. Obviously, animal lovers will be boycotting the magazine . You can`t put a price on a dogs love. I pity this boy.
Please let your readers know about the horrors of puppy mills, and the thousands of people across the country who work to rescue the tens of thousands of abandoned, unwanted but healthy dogs, often produced by puppy mills, which would be put to sleep otherwise. Visit www.springerrescue.org for information on the dedicated people rescuing springer spaniels in the United States and Canada.
You should visit a puppy mill, or go to some rescue sites to see the conditions these dogs are in. You would change your mind about this type of breeding. I own and show my dogs. In twenty years, I have had one (1) litter of puppies. If everyone was not concerned about money, we would not have this problem.
Who monitors the conditons these dogs are kept in while waiting for sale (in the "teen's" home)? What qualifications does this family have to care for them?
I am horrified that your magazine would "feature" a teeenager engaging in this cruel and unethical activity. Why not feature cockfighting, dogfighting or any of the other myriad unethical animal businesses in this country. Please allow an article in your magazine as a rebuttal of this article.
The editor & kid should visit the puppymills. If that doesn't change their mind, they should both be shoved into a small cage and treated like one of these poor furbabies that lead a life of pain & agony until their slow painful death! Really ticks me off! Totally changes my view of this magazine!
I volunteer at a Rescue Shelter. No more puppy mills until all shelters are empty all of the time! Never mind money, these animals are creatures of God's and we need to respect them as such.
What could you possibly be thinking in printing an article such as this? Did you do any background investigating on what this means for animals or is it just yet another cutsie story to grab headlines. What a tragic piece of reporting.
This is so inhumane. The dogs are in horrible health and encouraging people to buy dogs is just helping to kill good, healthy dogs in shelters. It is just plain irresponsible.
I am TRULY disappoimted in the lack of depth and values reflected in your coverage of this young man. Peoples level of consciousness regarding the inappropriateness of perpetuating exploitation of this nature has raised...but evidently NOT amongst your editorial staff who should have vetoed this article in favor of one on a child who had shown entrepreneurial qualities...WITHOUT EXPLOITATION.
VERY bad moral stance on your part!
I really feel that doing an article on pet stpres and puppy mills would go a long way towards redeeming your magazine, which , after all, represents our country and its values.
WAKE UP!!!
The year is 2004!
203-967-3500
This is a disgusting display of exploitation of poor animals without a voice! We as ethical and responsible breeders have been trying to eliminate puppy mills altogether, and you print this article praising this young man's total disregard for animal life. I demand you print the other side of the 'story' in your very next edition!
Lori E. Tracy, Image Aussies, Loriet Pomeranians
Please allow this article to be printed about these horrible puppymills. I am really disappointed in People Magazine for even printing such an article of this Teen Titan, and his mother who approves. These internet breeders must be shut down. Animals should be given some rights too. It's about time!
As a proud owner of 4 dogs all which have been saved from a city pound, think its very irresponsible to let people sell dogs like furniture or clothes,
In the past three years we have fostered St Bernards for rescue. These dogs were mostly puppy mill dogs. Their new owners were not educated as to their needs. There are enough dogs on the planet. Please do an article on rescues and spaying and neutering.
This is absolutely disgusting. No one should breed or purchase pets until the euthanization of thousands of animals a day ends. Ours is a "Disposable Society" which should be educated not encouraged.
Pauline D. Harshberger
pharshberger@yahoo.com
Advisory Director of Basenji Rescue & Transport, Inc.
This is a horrific practice. Dogs should be bred only if there is already a buyer and NEVER sold to an unknown person. People Magazine just lost my support - how stupid !!!!!
Anyone who thinks puppy mills are a good idea should vist the shelters around the country. there are plenty of purebreed abandoned and abused dogs out there, why should we encourage more puppy mills.
I'm glad someone started this petition... I was furious after reading this in PEOPLE magazine!
I admire the young man's work ethic but he needs to find a different line of business... promoting puppy mills and selling animals over the internet is a horrible thing to do.
It is unexcusable to sell living creatures to anyone without checking to see if the potential owner is responsible and credible. Humans are not the only animals who feel pain, fear, hunger, and thirst. The Editor of People should held accountable for articles that lead to animal cruelty.
Perhaps People should have a follow-up "Teen Titans" article about teenage volunteers who work with their local animal rescue groups!!
Teenagers who are not doing it for the money, but out of love for the animals! I could recommend a few teenagers, if People is unable to find any (which I doubt!).
Please help to educate readers about what happens at puppy mills and what kind of lives those poor animals have. Educate about the importance of rescue and shelters, and encourage adoption and financial support for shelters.
This article rushes headlong into an infatuation for money with no regard for the callous treatment of animals and the subsequent pain, emotinal and health problems, and ultimately early death many of this "entrepreneur's" charges will suffer. Commerce is only laudable when it is moral, educated and beneficial to all parties involved, in this case especially the innocent animals.
Doesn't it break your heart to see these poor innocent puppies. This is animal cruelty,when these puppies suffer because of all the health problems they end up with.
STOP PUPPYMILLS
Put this 16 year old entrepreneur - with his Mother, Father and any siblings - in a car, then drive them to the local kill-shelter. At that shelter, make them walk through the facility where they will take in the sounds, smells and sights of dogs that parallel those this 16 year old "Teen Titan" is promoting. Have each family member aid in the disposal process, all the way from selecting the dogs that will die, to holding the animals at their last breath, then placing them in the garbage where their kinsmen already lie. Show this young man what his "guarantee" looks like in reality.
Don't stop there. Take heed to previous suggestions, and transport the family to some local puppymills. Have them walk through the pens - unless the pens are so cramped a human must crawl through them - and see the misery born there. Let them look at the deformed dogs that are simply "puppy machines," producing "guaranteed healthy puppies." Let them smell the feces and urine, and stench from internal and external infections carried by this fine breeding stock! Now, convince me I should give credence to the works of this "Teen Titan!"
As for People Magazine? They have simply shown their idiocy. I hope the person who initiated this bright idea is squirming in their chair, as some VIP of People Magazine asks some direct, hard, and fast-fired questions on the "research" done before this sorry subject went to print!
Please run an article on puppy mills, rescues, and the overpopulation problem caused by people out just to make a buck instead of thinking of the consequences of breeding. There are so many volunteers giving so much time and effort to solve this problem that another view of this situation is warranted. I am sure you could find teenagers/children and the parents who are just as dedicated to solving this problem instead of contributing to it like the people you featured are.
It's great that he has this motivation,BUT, he needs to take a field trip to the breeders to check out the conditions...also watch Animal Planet's Animal Precinct, etc.
Animals are NOT chattel. They are living, breathing creatures of God. What a travesty for our dear friends the animals and the public who get unknown animals with unknown care.
I am very involved in Rescue work,and found your article on cuddlypuppy.com repulsive to say the least.This teenager and his mother should be educated on the impact of their thoughtless regard for the animals lives,for gain of profit only. More-so,People magazine should be ASHAMED of themselves for glorifing such a PUPPYMILL!
Connie Bartlett
BTCR Rescue
