A man’s best friend is claimed to be a dog. National Puppy Day shows a pups’ company is everyone’s greatest pal. Thursday March 23, 2017 is the day when pet owners are showing extra appreciation to their furry friends. This celebration for the young canines is not to be confused with National Dog Day which is celebrated on August 26, 2017. National Puppy Day is a day all about celebrating and raising awareness for the adoption of puppies.
Adoption for these orphaned dogs is a necessity. 2.7 million dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States a year. By adopting these pets, anyone can be a lifesaver. National Puppy Day makes citizens aware of how many puppies are homeless and are nearly-euthanized. This day tries to prompt people towards giving a puppy a new loving home.
National Puppy Day exists to show the cruelness of puppy mills. 8,000 to 10,000 mills are in the United States currently. According to ASPCA, “Puppy mills usually house dogs in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions without adequate veterinary care, food, water or socialization. In order to maximize profits, female dogs are bred at every opportunity with little-to-no recovery time between litters. Puppy mill puppies, often as young as eight weeks of age, are sold to pet shops or directly to the public over the Internet, through newspaper ads and at swap meets and flea markets. In a puppy mill, dogs are often kept in cages with wire flooring that injures their paws and legs—and it is not unusual for cages to be stacked in columns. When female breeding dogs reach a point of physical depletion and can no longer reproduce, they are often killed. Because puppy mills focus on profit, dogs are often bred with little regard for genetic quality. Puppy mill puppies are prone to congenital and hereditary conditions including heart disease and blood and respiratory disorders. In addition, puppy mill puppies often arrive in pet stores and in their new homes with diseases or infirmities ranging from parasites to pneumonia. Because puppies are removed from their littermates and mothers at a young age, they also often suffer from fear, anxiety and other behavioral problems.”
The number of these mills just in Nebraska alone is staggering. Heath Francke from Sand Creek Kennels & Sporting Dogs received official warning from the state for puppies found shivering in the cold, no veterinary plan and poor housing. Linda Hager and Edward Ruyle from Crab Orchard Kennel are repeat offenders after the USDA (United States Department Of Agriculture) filed complaints in court after the pair continued to sell hundreds of puppies to pet stores after dropping their USDA license. Daniel and Jaynell Schaaf from Kuddly Kritters Kennel are repeat offenders because they were fined by USDA for dogs with veterinary problems, unsanitary conditions, failure to have enough employees. These puppy mills in Nebraska are still open to this day even after failing safety requirements.
The creator of National Puppy Day, Colleen Paige, stresses that individuals should be adopting their new pets and not buying them. Puppies should not be purchased online or from stores because these are the places where puppy mills tend to sell their animals. Puppy mills are not illegal everywhere in the United States, this includesNebraska. According to The Human Society, “In most states, a breeding kennel can legally keep dozens, even hundreds, of dogs in cages for their entire lives, as long as the dogs are given the basics of food, water, and shelter.” Supporting political candidates that value animals rights and getting the word out about puppy mills is the only way to see a decrease in these torturous mills.
A major problem facing dogs today is over population. Combating this issue is easy because all that must be done is the spaying or neutering of a pet. This way less and less dogs will find themselves homeless or in cages about to be euthanized just for not being able to find a loving home.
After finding a puppy pal, there are many ways to spoil them for National Puppy Day. Donate to local animal shelters, organize a peaceful demonstration in front of your community pet store that sells puppies, write your Congressman and ask that he/she support the ban of puppy mills in your state, buy your pet a new toy or install a fence around your unfenced yard so your puppy can run and enjoy some freedom at home. There is an unlimited amount of kind things you can do for your puppy or any puppies in your community.