I and my family are dog lovers.  These sweet, gentle creatures bring joy to so many!  I am always saddened beyond belief when I talk to people about puppy mills and their deplorable conditions and then they tell me that they are so unaware and so shocked to hear that this goes on.  It saddens and sickens me  to read and hear about what breeding dogs endure in mills.  They are not given clean water, nutritious food, and NEVER receive proper health care!  Often they are stacked in open wire cages on top of one another, never leaving their cages, their urine and feces dropping into the cages below them.  Some of these criminal breeders try to hide their brutal behavior by housing their dogs in windowless buildings and debarking them by shoving a metal pipe down their throats and severing their vocal cords, thus ensuring no one will hear the dogs barking and give away their ugly secrets.  Their dogs are treated as livestock, and when they are no longer useful as breeding stock they are disposed of like so much garbage, often times shot or bashed in the head with rocks.  If, when their breeding days are over and they are lucky enough to go into rescue and to be rehomed, some dogs are not even able to walk because they were never let out of their cages!  Look at internet rescue sites.  Many of these dogs are former puppy mill dogs and have horrible health and behavioral issues!  Some dogs live under such deplorable conditions that they lose their minds from fear.  Please people, sign this petition to stop puppy mills.  And please, never purchase a puppy from a pet store or an unfamiliar breeder without doing your research.  Any breeder that would advertise a puppy for sale on the internet without first interviewing you is a  breeder that you want to walk very quickly away from.  If you support these questionable breeders, you are supporting puppy mills!  A reputable breeder will interview you to determine if you are the right fit for one of their puppies, will be very forthcoming about their breeding program, breeding protocol and their genetic health testing, they will belong to breed specific organizations and they will allow you to visit their home or facility, meet the puppies and parents and see exactly where their puppies are brought into the world.  And they will not take your money unless they know they have a puppy for you!  As my breeder advised me, pick your breeder and WAIT for a healthy, happy, well socialized puppy.  So much more needs to be done to stop this criminal activity!  Thank you!