# Nightline investigation on puppy mills tonight - 3/27/09



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

This just came through my e-mail lists.


> Well friends, once again, the cat is out of the bag - or should we say the dog out of the hutch! This Friday night, *March 27*, ABC's Nightline will be investigating puppy mills!
> 
> ABC Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and investigators from Nightline travel the byways and back roads of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania -visiting numerous puppy mills and filming Main Line Animal Rescue's volunteers as they rescue breeding dogs and puppies from Lancaster County's notorious Amish commercial breeding facilities.
> 
> ...


Bold emphasis mine.


----------



## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

I'll ask DH to TIVO it for me.


----------



## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Thanks Kimberly. I hadn't heard about this, I'll make sure to watch and pass the info on to as many people as possible.


----------



## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

With all the legislation they're trying to pass I'm worried that this will add fuel to the fire and cross over to good breeders. We seem to be paying the price for idiots like this.


----------



## a10rivera (Jan 23, 2009)

Thank you so much for this. The key to eradicate this disgusting problem is to expose it to as many people as we possible can. I'll be sure to tune in! Thx


----------



## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Thank you SO much, Kimberly! I have passed the info on to everyone I can. I just printed out a copy of it and will post it at the store. I'm working from 3-8 so will let customers know about the show.


----------



## Tritia (Nov 17, 2007)

I'll be sure to watch this, too.

something like 350 dogs rescued this wk from a mill here in Arkansas. 29 of those dogs are at the shelter I volenteer at. I haven't been by, and kind of don't want to


----------



## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I will have to record it. Have to get up early for work tomorrow. Thanks for the info.


----------



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Jan, unfortunately, it's a double-edged sword. Oprah's show last year came during the midst of our fight against AB1634 and helped to educate a lot of people about puppy mills. Now maybe this one can do the same.


----------



## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

I got my DVR set to record the show. Thanks.


----------



## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

Thanks Kimberly,

I just set it to record so the whole family could watch.
Gina


----------



## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

I know that this may sound mean, but I cannot watch it. I see enough of the mills in Madeline's eyes when she looks at us in fear!! I would only end up crying all night!!


----------



## Posh's Mom (Dec 20, 2007)

Thanks for the info Kimberly. I'll post this to Facebook with the heading: if you're thinking about getting a puppy from Amaze N Farmyard (our local puppy broker/shop) watch this first. I hope it will grab someone other than our "choir" members' attention...


----------



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I have read in the newspaper many times in the last month about rescues on puppy mills. It sickens me that people are allowed to do this to any animal. 

Thanks for letting us know about the show, I will look for it, so I can tape it.


----------



## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I'll start to watch it. Not sure I can make it through though. It's so tough to see, bad enough to hear about and know about. I'd so love to see the people who run those things locked in cages with too little food, in all kinds of weather, separated from the rest of the world and never to hear a kind word or feel the touch of a loving hand. There must be a special place in hell for people like that.


----------



## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

I can't watch it, sorry. The visual image will just stay with me. 
Carole


----------



## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I taped it, but don't know if I will be able to watch it. I wish I would have known about this years ago. I used to visit Lancaster alot because I quilted and it is so pretty there. But knowing this, I don't know if I will go back.


----------



## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

For anyone who missed it, it is up already...
http://abcnews.go.com/NIGHTLINE

Okay, I was disappointed in it to say the least but I was expecting that as I don't think most people want to see what really goes on there. They started of the get go with a line about selfish breeders which was far from what puppy mills are. At least they showed the amish area of western Pennsylvania as petland is centered within a 2 hour drive of them. What they should have done is said that is the Beverly Hills of puppy mills though when going thru that mill. Those dogs have it a lot cleaner and nicer than most of the puppy mill dogs and that is still a horrible way for a dog to live. Him bragging about plastic grating v. chicken wire and dogs get hurt playing outside.... do you think dogs are bred for health and temperament? I really wish they would show people the difference. Interview some people who have gotten dogs from the petstore, mill dogs, etc. and then interview me who got a happy healthy dog from a good breeder.

I did like that they included a rescuer but wish they would have focused more time on what really happens in a puppy mill and show some of the dogs that come out of there- what their health and personalities are like

Here is also their feedback section
http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3052660


----------



## Julie (Feb 8, 2007)

I thought it was alot like what Oprah did....only even less in-depth. I wish it had went deeper into it,explained more about pet shop puppies etc. The time went quickly too.....needs to be on every channel hour long shows to really educate the people. How about bringing as much light to this issue as some of the politics and all the other garbage that fills news hours? Just a thought--------eace:


----------



## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

I was disappointed too. I thought they rushed through it and didn't make enough of a link to Pet Stores. Oprah actually linked puppies in the pet stores to the mills. I thought that was very impactful. I agree too that that was one of the nicer puppy mills around, yet still terrible!!!! I don't know if you could truly get a feel for just how horrible it was. I would have like to have seen them talk to Bill Smith more too. He has been rescuing from puppy mills forever and truly has some vision into the problem. It was good to see it exposed on another show though. There clearly needs to be more education taking place regarding puppy mills and pet stores. I think we have all seen how uneducated some people are regarding this. People just don't make the connection between the cute puppy and the sad, horrible environment it's parents are living in.


----------



## Posh's Mom (Dec 20, 2007)

Amanda well said, I thought the EXACT same thing about the program. Come on folks!


----------



## hedygs (May 23, 2007)

I was so disappointed in the portrayal of puppy mills. I don't know but they made it seem that this mill was an acceptable breeding operation with his plastic floors and exercise solution.

Actually I wasn't disappointed but rather angry after watching it.


----------



## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

That was my reaction as well. I was so angry when it was over. And they didn't give enough time to the poor animals resccued who couldn't even walk because of being in cages all their lives. 

I'm not by any stretch of the imagination a militant person, but this subject could make me militant.


----------



## Lilly's mom (Aug 10, 2007)

I also was disappointed in the piece. It really made puppy mills look like they were ok which they are NOT. Anyone who saw that might think that buying from their local pet store would be ok the segment on the rescue was way too brief. I filled out a comment and sent it to ABC news. I felt angry.


----------



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Oh wow - your comments sound very disappointing. My cable has been out for two days, so I couldn't watch or record it. I was hoping to read some good comments this morning.


----------



## hedygs (May 23, 2007)

Havtahava said:


> Oh wow - your comments sound very disappointing. My cable has been out for two days, so I couldn't watch or record it. I was hoping to read some good comments this morning.


Kimberly I went to their homepage:

http://abcnews.go.com/NIGHTLINE

and there is a link to the Puppy Mill segment. I think it is the whole thing because it is 7 minutes long. Check it out in case they pull it.


----------



## hedygs (May 23, 2007)

I watched it again and it makes me even angrier. Nightline took all of two minutes to talk about the horrors of puppy mills, and frankly they weren't clear about how truly horrific it is for these little puppies and their mothers, and then went to show this "gentleman" puppy miller who does it so much better then the usual.

Total distortion and misrepresentation of the reality.


----------



## baxterboy (Mar 17, 2009)

How about the breeder trying to convince her that his exercise wheel was actually better than running around! I thought that was pretty telling.... Someone breeding dogs who clearly knows nothing about them. It's not just the actual 'running' that dogs need.... The same reason why just letting your dog run around your fenced in yard isn't enough: They need to walk to satisfy their canine instincts to sniff (hunt), roam, etc.
That dog might be a little more tired after running on the wheel, but he's certainly not satisfied or happy.


----------



## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

I agree with everyone's comments. It was pretty disappointing segment and was not long at all. 
DH asked me when it was over if I was sad seeing that, but in all honesty, I've seen worse videos and I felt more angry about them not not having enough information. I felt like they were trying not to be biased as to not offend the breeder that they talked to. 

Maybe another program will focus on a the true consequences of puppy mills.


----------



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

baxterboy said:


> The same reason why just letting your dog run around your fenced in yard isn't enough: They need to walk to satisfy their canine instincts to sniff (hunt), roam, etc.


I didn't see the show, so I'm not sure what you mean by this, but at face value I wouldn't agree with you on this one, especially when talking about a domesticated toy breed.


----------



## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

I agree with everybody else - I was really disappointed. I didn't feel like they gave any story at all and I was afraid that many people, unfamiliar with dogs, would come away thinking "I don't know why people make such a big deal - that place wasn't so bad". The piece on de-barking was short so quickly forgotten - it just felt like a bunch of snipits without any message.


----------



## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Hedy, thank you. I just watched it. (My browser shut down on the first attempt.)

Jill, that's a good description. It did seem like a bunch of snippets. I found myself cringing at a few parts, but since the focal point was on that one man's set-up, it really did seem to come across as "not so bad". Too bad. That's not what I expected when I heard that it would be showing.


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Thanks for the heads-up Kimberly. I was also disappointed. It was a mild representation to say the least. The guy trying to downplay it was pathetic, showing how they exercised the dogs on a wheel type apparatus. The dog was not enjoying it at all -classic signs of stress. If people could spend a day in one of these places ,there would be a better outcry. My friend is an inspector for our local Humane Society. He has a lot of stress and sleepless nights dealing with this ****.


----------



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I was also very disappointed in the Puppy Mill segment....that's all it was...a segment!

Someone needs to do an "Undercover Story on Puppy Mills," that lasts at least an hour on TV. We need to see the conditions on the puppy mills when some of these breeders get caught. 

The running wheel was a joke! The whole segment on the Puppy Mills was not realistic. The show did come across saying that puppy mills were not so bad, which is far from the truth.


----------



## Maxmom (Jul 22, 2008)

I watched it, too, and was also disappointed. Very poorly edited. If they intended to give a message, it was lost.


----------



## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I loved the part with the puppy miller with 200 dogs that he and his wife alone can manage (hmph!). He said dogs don't have rights but should be treated humanely and they were treated the way he would want to be treated. So, in all fairness, I think someone should lock him in one of those cages, let him pee and poop in there (preferably in an upper cage so it could descend on his wife's head in the cage below) and then put him in one of those wheels to exercise. Now here's the really humane part. Only leave him (and her) in there for a month, not years as his dogs have had to suffer and see if he still feels the same way about how happy or comfortable they are.

Can you see the smoke coming out of my ears?


----------



## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Well, pooh!! That was very disappointing! :frusty: I've seen so much worse, sad to say and yes, I agree with you completely Amanda. 

Geri, now you're talking my kind of language!!!!! :whoo:


----------



## Lynn (Jan 2, 2007)

HavaneseSoon said:


> I was also very disappointed in the Puppy Mill segment....that's all it was...a segment!
> 
> *Someone needs to do an "Undercover Story on Puppy Mills," that lasts at least an hour on TV. We need to see the conditions on the puppy mills when some of these breeders get caught. *
> 
> The running wheel was a joke! The whole segment on the Puppy Mills was not realistic. The show did come across saying that puppy mills were not so bad, which is far from the truth.


Maybe we should e-mail Dateline and tell them Nightline's Puppy Mill story was a joke and challenge them to do a follow up of an Undercover Story on Puppy Mills????? With that guy that does great under cover stories.

Just a thought....

I agree with all of you, it was a very poor representation of the puppy mills. I wish they could just be shut down!!!


----------

