Please take the time to educate people about the cruelty of puppy mills instead of encouraging the growth of them. Let people know if they want a dog, even a purebreed, go online and search for the breed of their choice's rescue group. There are recue groups for every breed out there.
It's a shame, in light of the number of annually euthanized animals, to use Timothy Hampson as a positive example. Please explore the other side of the coin and do an expose on how these animals are kept, shipped and received on the other end. Also, it would be nice to show a few "nameless" faces from the local dog pound that will not be adopted because of the "cute" puppy syndrome that Timothy is contributing to.
This is so not good. As stated by others; run an article about kids helping shelter and homeless animals, not kids selling puppy mill dogs over the internet. There is nothing to be proud of in this type of adventure. Just shamefull
The article praising a person who is selling puppies over the internet is, I believe an irrisponsible one. Proper research by the writer,editer of People Magazine would have shown the damage these people have done to the world of pet owners. I have always respected People Magazine in their reporting, but this article was a careless piece of journalism.
I hope with this petiition, People Magazine will find it in their hearts to print an article showing the need for better policing of those who are in the business of breeding,selling and raising dogs.
Please don't allow this sort of thing to continue. It's harmful to the dogs, as well as potentially disastrous for those who buy the dogs without knowing any better.
I would like to see People Magazine run an article about the tireless efforts of teens who HELP rescue animals, not contribute to the problem. This is the magazine's social responsibility.
I can not believe anyone would write up an article on a puppymill, no he isn't the breeder, but he is encouraging people to breed without thinking for the all mighty dollar. Shame on People magazine, one of the biggest reasons I stopped reading the rag, very poor articles!!
Maybe you should take a look at all the animals waiting for loving homes on Petfinder.com and take a walk through you're local animal control. Maybe then you'll see what the problem is with a national magazine glorifying puppy mills.
I cannot believe a magazine such as yours would give "kudos" to this young man. You need to investigate puppymills & publish what you find. It seems everyone wants to turn their head & pretend these horrors don't exist!
The irresponsibility in glorifying this teenager for inflicting misery on so many dogs is mind boggling. You need to educate yourself about puppy (and kitten) mills and back yard breeders. Then you owe it to your readership to print a responsible article to try to help shut these mills down.
It sadddens me to see a magazine, that reaches so many, touting a puppy-mill middleman as an outstanding example of a youth entrepreneur. Perhaps the next issue could focus on the youth entrepreneurs who sell flesh and drugs. They are also doing quite well for themselves!
We have tried to prove to the rest of the world what we already know - that puppy mill breeders and their "sales fronts" like cuddlepuppy are perpetuating the inhumane treatment of animals. For People Magazine to further exploit this atrocity by lauding it is disgraceful and an error in judgement. People Magazine should review their policies and make changes in an effort to become a more responsible member of society.
People Magazine should be ashamed of this article. Now please follow up with an article following these puppies lives.
Responsible breeders have "take back" guarantees so that their puppies never end up in shelters. Responsible breeders health check the parents through such certification programs as OFA and CERF before breeding, and spay/neuter anything that doesn't pass (even though the same said dogs pass "health breeding checks by veterinarians, a real breeder goes further to insure the health future of their puppies.
A real breeder follows up on their puppies they have bred, and always maintains room for them should each and every puppy that they ever bred should all come home at once. They know what their puppies die of, of any temperament problems or any reason why breeding certain parentage SHOULD be discontinued. And if they do, they also warn their breeding offspring. Progeny followup is critical. I don't see this little boy doing this. It's a get rich scheme with NO responsibility.He should not be praised for doing suich, he should be spanked and put out of business.
I'm going to have to ask everyone I know to boycott subscription renewals to your magazine because of your irresponsible behavior in printing an article about a teenager selling dogs over the internet. What is he doing is animal abuse. He is not checking the quality of the potential homes, nor is he following up to be sure that the animals have not been abandonded. One only needs to look at the number of rescue groups needed for the breeds he sells to see that there is a problem here. I am very, very disappointed in you.
This is the kind of entrepreneurs that People wants to glorify? People who breed and sell puppies while literally millions of animals die each year in shelters? This young man's website promotes puppy mills, plain and simple. He should be ashamed of himself, as should People magazine for glorifying this kind of endeavor.
Please write an article about the dangers! A lot of people are very unaware to the harm puppy mills cause everyone! They make new owners not want a dog anymore and they fill out kennels up across america with a lot of sick puppies! Please tell people where they should get puppies from!
we need to shut down all puppy mills. I see what comes from there. They don't take care of their animals and it sicken me. Puppy mills are terrible plans and need to be gone for good.
I was appaled to hear you wrote a positive article about a young man who sells animals over the interent. In this day and ag I cannot imagine that noone on your staff is aware of the horror associated with selling animals over the internet.
PLEASE before you run information do at least a tiny bit of resaarch.
The selling of puppies without proper screening and health concerns results in abandoned dogs. The proper breeding and placing of puppies is a serious business not to be done casually over the internet to make money.
Honoring Mr Hampson's efforts was most irresponsible and was a poorly researched piece of journalism .It will serve only to increase a source eventually discarded and destroyed animals. Mr Hampson is not a breeder;any hillbilly can produce animals. It takes a caring ,informed person to be a good breeder and the last thing a good breeder thinks of when planning a litter is their profits. Also selling live animals over the internet is not even allowed at eBay. At least they have some standards.Jeers to you,People for honoring such an unworthy endeavor .
I'm a small time breeder who's 1st puppy unknownly came from a "puppymill." It gave me nothing but heart ach to see my puppy suffer from hip dysplasia, allergies, eye problems and more. I vowled to help put a stop to such practices. It makes me sick to think someone would praise this boy for his actions. He should be told what he is doing is WRONG.
Irresponsible publishing at its very best. For every litter this "entreprenuer"produces, another dies in a shelter somewhere. A real story would be about the efforts of Best Friends, Hearts United for Animals, Puppymill Rescues in Florida or any number of the rescues across the country who are trying their best to put an end to the countless deaths taking place across the country every day in thousands of "shelters" - all b/c there are simply not enough homes to go around. People indiscrimantly allow their pets to breed; backyard breeders look to turn a quick buck; puppymillers always going to the cash, and
the fact that people just don't understand that pets are not disposable - they are a lifetime commitment - contibute to this never ending cycle. Send one of your reporters to spend a day in a kill shelter on E-day or Blue Day as it it ofter referred to. I don't think this "entrepreneur"would get much coverage after that.
Puppies should only be sold by reputable breeders who know what they are doing. Amatuers are destroying pure bred bloodlines and so many health and behavioral problems are coming into play because of this.
Because of irresponsible & uncaring "breeders" like those pictured in the article, I will NEVER have to buy a pet but will only have to go to the pound and pick up one his products cast aside by an equally uncaring & ignorant "owner." It is vital to the well being of the US dog population that a rebutting article be printed.
Promoting a puppymill operation is saying its ok to abuse animals and throw them in shelters to be killed. I cannot believe People Mag would publish something so terrible. Guess I know not to renew!!
Run an article on a teen that assists at an animal shelter, helping those without homes find them, rather than a boy contributing the pet overpopulation.
Maybe People magazine was unaware, as so many are, of who and what constitute a puppy mill. Please, People Magazine, print an article to educate the general public about the horrific business of puppy mills and how John Q. Public can help stop the nightmare. The article can also bring into focus the plight of the many many many people who dedicate their time, money, hearts and home (I did say volunteer...meaning they DO NOT EARN ANY MONEY) in trying to save as many furbabies as they possibly can.
This article is an insult to those dedicated dog lovers who spend their lives rescueing the "puppies" puppymillers (such as this young man and his mother)"produce" in an effort to make money. It is disgusting and you at People Magazine should be ashamed that you have portrayed him as a budding "merchant".
Instead, print an article about the puppymillers out there and the rescuers who are the true heroes!
Candace Hanscom
It is sad that irresponsible breeding is showcased as a profession. Millions of animals die every day for this very reason, how could anyone think that is an honorable way to make a living?
Do you even realize what the ramifications of an article like this are? First, this child has no idea who he is selling these dogs to and what for. A responsible breeder looks into the families they sell to. Next, this kid makes no claims to where he gets the puppies. As a major publication, I would think you are familiar with puppy mills and the horrific conditions that they "store" their products in. If you want to do a magazine about someone outstanding, why not a teen who has helped raise money or found homes for stray and abused animals? Promoting someone who inadvertantly promotes the selling of sickly dogs to unsafe households is below the caliber of your publication and I hope you consider this in future issues.
