Puppy Mills....................Helping the Helpless

I went to the shelter today to volunteer with some dogs from the most recent puppy mill rescue. I've been volunteering for 12 years and thought that I was immune to heartbreak. I try and focus on the positive and keep my chin up knowing that any animal that enters through our doors is at least guaranteed to have a happy life from here on out. However, today brought on emotions that are new to me, and I just need to share. Let me explain.

When you go to a pet store, dear reader and friend, you see a beautiful, seemingly healthy, well groomed puppy. What you don't see is the mommy and the daddy who are left behind at the mill. You don't see the abuse that goes on in order to get that puppy in the store that you are just dying to take home. Well, I've seen it. This is the third puppy mill rescue I was involved in, and it was by far the worst.

The momma is so matted that she can't even see in front of her. But, it doesn't really matter does it? Because there's not much for her to look at from her little 2X2 cage that she spends her life in. She has what we call cage paws, where her little toes look unnaturally separated and flat footed from walking on wire mesh day in and day out. Her teats are swollen and hang down permanently from her sad little belly. Her fur is stained from the iron in her saliva. She compulsively licks herself as a result of no other stimulation and boredom. Her teeth are rotted if she has any left. Who really cares about her teeth? They are not necessary for the production of puppies. In fact, it might be better if she has no teeth so that she cannot fight the male's advances when it is time to mate her again. Her one and only purpose in life is to produce puppies. And, it is something she will do time and time again.

You see, puppy mills are nothing but money machines. And it doesn't really help the profit margins to take any better care of the parents. Why care for the teeth or get them groomed or do anything else that will affect the bottom line? As long as they can get puppies to the store and generate top dollar for the smallest investment, then the puppy mill owner considers it a success.

When they are done with the momma and daddy dogs, they are either auctioned off, or taken out back and either shot, strangled, or disposed of in some other way.

The organization that I am fortunate enough to be involved with cares enough to do something about it. They are going to these auctions and buying the old, used up dogs. They are transporting them cross country to give them the medical care and the socialization necessary to help them be a household pet and live out the rest of their days with dignity in a warm home with love and attention.

Tonight, I met Mac the gorgeous brindle boxer. He is the mushiest, sweetest boxer ever. I found out that the shelter won him at auction for $1.00. What would his fate have been in someone else's hands? What kinds of people go to these auctions, and what could his fate have been? Bait for dog fights? A lab test animal? I can't even imagine. He was better on a leash than my 15 lb. nothing of a dog. His teats were so swollen and hung down so far (yes, on a boy), that I can't imagine what he might have been through to make them that way. He has a terrible case of cherry eye and is being treated for other minor conditions. He wants to be loved. While in the dog run with a chance finally to run like a normal dog, he just wanted to climb in my lap and be petted. When I look at him pleading to me with his eyes, I try and imagine what his life may have been like. Had he ever felt grass before? Had he ever slept on a soft bed?

Then there was the schnauzer whom I couldn't even touch. He is so terrified that he trembles all the time, and can't bear to be touched by a human. I took him outside for a few minutes in the hopes that he might approach me if I left him alone and gave him time to calm down. With every single noise he heard, he jumped. I thought he was going to have a heart attack right there. If he could have blended in with the walls, he would have. All he could do is scratch to get back in what he felt was his safe place - the cage. And even there he trembled with fear. What was his life like to make him so incredibly fearful? Was he beaten, tormented? Will he ever trust? Is there any way that the rest of his life can be peaceful and happy?

Some of the dogs are so fearful of humans that they have bitten the caretakers at the shelter. The ones who bite out of fear will take the longest to socialize and prepare for a life in a home with a family. They are by far the saddest. My heart breaks for them and yet, there is so little I can do to help. I can clean up their poo and give them fresh food and water. I can sit close by and hopefully help them get used to people being closer to them. When a 6 or 7 year old dog finds itself uprooted from everything it has ever known and told that it has a new identity and a new role in life, how quickly should it fall into place for them? And, how to we prevent this in the future? Well, the answer to the last question is obvious:

DO NOT BUY PUPPIES FROM PUPPY STORES. DO NOT SUPPORT PUPPY MILLS. DONATE TO YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER SO THEY CAN KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT AGAINST PUPPY MILLS.

Please, I implore you. I know how adorable that puppy is in the puppy store window. But, think about the things you are not seeing that bring that puppy to the store. And, think about how you are perpetuating the situation when you buy a puppy store puppy. Please, don't do it. Find a reputable breeder or visit your local animal shelter. It is my most sincere hope that someday we will no longer have to do these puppy mill rescues. They break my heart.

Kenzie's first visit from the tooth fairy

Mackenzie lost her first tooth about a week and a half ago. I am having an awful time trying to upload pictures of our adventure. She ended up puling the tooth out herself. She was so very brave, and we were so very proud.

We promptly called just about everyone on the short list. Kenzie was so excited, and wanted to tell just about everyone.

That night, we carefully wrapped up her tooth in tissue and put it in a special box underneath her pillow.

The next morning, she woke up to find a note from the Tooth Fairy, some money in her box and a sweet little teddy bear. Our little girl isn't so little anymore.

A few days later, she yanked another tooth out of her mouth, bringing in the tooth fairy again.

I just love how her mind works. I don't recall being all that inquisitive about the Tooth Fairy when I was a child. Kenzie wanted to know how the Tooth Fairy got in our house, and why did she bring a stuffed animal. Her Daddy and I were at a loss for answers as we don't really know ourselves. What we do know is that our precious little angel is not a baby anymore, and we are so proud of the little girl she is growing to be.

Let me introduce myself

Hi. My name is Tammy. The last name is complicated. At work it is Dreher, with my kids it is Cooper. But, Smelly-Go-Name Tammy Dreher-Cooper. The Smelly part comes from my wacky husband, Craig. You see, when we had our daughter, the nurse asked me what my name was for the Birth Certificate. I replied "Tammy Dreher-Cooper." Craig said are you sure? Yes, I said. It is my legal name. But, somehow he heard 'Smelly-Go-Name' instead.

To go back a little farther in time and explain why it is hyphenated, we married in 2001. By then, I was 33 years old, and had lost my dad to cancer in 1999. When faced with the idea of changing my name to Cooper, there was a part of me that just couldn't bear to let go to my dad's name. So, I hyphenated the two, and I interchange them to suit different circumstances. Yep, I know I am weird.

Anyways, to get back to introductions, I am married to a wonderful man, Craig. We met in 1999, and fell in love so fast and so hard, there was no stopping us. He had two beautiful daughters already when we met. Lauren was 14, Lindsay, 10. About a month after we met, they lost their mom suddenly. Though I never tried to take her place, I have always been thrilled to try and fill some of the void that they felt after her passing. I don't think any of us will ever be completely over losing their mom, but we have been able to create a beautiful family for ourselves that always includes memories of their mom. They are now 20 & 24. Lauren has her own apartment, and Lindsay lives on campus up at college. So, the noise level is not what it used to be. But, the chaos never stops!

In 2004, we welcomed our daughter, Mackenzie Ellen, into the world. She will be 6 very soon. She is growing up so fast. We are blessed. Truly blessed.

We also have a menagerie of pets. We have two dogs. Little Guy, or LG, is going to be 15 this year in May. He is a rat terrier. Emma, our adopted wire haired fox terrier will be 14 sometime this Spring. The dogs are frequently known as Dumb and Dumber - only we can't tell which is which. We have two cats. Samantha is all black, and she is 12 years old. Maxine is our polydactyl tuxedo - she is 11. Then there is Cooper the bunny. We call him the largest indoor rabbit ever, he is HUGE. We also have two parakeets. Their names have never stuck, so we will call them "the girls." We also have a large fish tank with tropical fish, and we have an outdoor pond with the world's most resilient and possibly the oldest feeder goldfish ever. They are as big as a small guinea pig, and we have become very attached to them. At times, we also have baby quail, when we hatch the eggs and help raise the babies.

We live on a quiet culdesac in Smithtown, NY. Well, it was quiet until we moved in.

More to come later.....