All the information on this page came from the
Puppmill Rescue site!!
Did you purchase a puppy in a pet store? Where is your
pups mother?  She is probably behind bars on a Missouri
homestead, in a dark dank Pennsylvania barn or a
North Carolina back yard!  She is suffering as you read
this!!  

Pet Stores that sell Pets, SELL MISERY.
This story is one that I received from one of my Yorkie
groups.  Even though it sounds like a great idea to buy
someone a puppy for Christmas, it's really not the best
time.   You'll understand why after reading this!
Christmas Puppy

It seemed like such a good idea in the beginning.
There I was, in my cage at the pet store with my
brother and sister.
I could tell by the crowds in the store everyday that
Christmas was drawing near. My brother, sister,
and I all hoped each morning that today would be
the day we would go to a new home, one filled with
loving, caring people.

First it was the Beagle in the cage next to us.
I saw the excited gleam in his eye as his new family
prepared to take him home. I hoped one day that I
would feel the same excitement.

Then the cute little bunny from one aisle over was
picked. When the ferret with the bad case of
psoriasis found a new home,  
I began to think I would stay a pet store puppy
forever!  Finally, it happened. I had seen the
couple in the store the week before, talking about
bringing home a Christmas puppy for their son Billy.

You see, Billy was eight years old, and had been
pestering his folks for a puppy for some time now.
Although they were busy people, they had decided
that a new puppy would make the ideal Christmas
present for Billy.

The car ride home was exhilarating and terrifying
at the same time.  It seemed so cold outside, and I
was very glad that Billy would keep me inside. I
stayed at Billy's aunt's house until the night before
Christmas, so as not to ruin the surprise.

That night, Billy's dad put me in a small, dark box
with a couple of holes punched in the side for air. I
could see through the holes the pretty green bow
they had tied around my box. Finally, it came
time for Billy to open his presents.

There was a GI Joe figure, some new slippers, and a
big truck or two. At last, I felt my box being picked
up and heard Billy's mom say, "OK, Billy, one more
present. We saved the best for last".

I felt like I was going to turn inside out with
anticipation, when suddenly the box was flooded
with light and there was my new boy, "Billy".
He shrieked so loud when he saw me that
it was a little bit scary!  "A puppy, a puppy!"

The first few days with Billy were puppy heaven!
He was out of school you see, and had lots of time
to take care of me. We played all day, and
I slept in his bed at night.  
Things just couldn't have been better.

After a week or so, Billy's mom took me to my new
doctor.  By then, Billy's holiday vacation was over
and he was back in school.  The doctor told Mom
all about how to keep me healthy and happy.

Mom did seem a little distracted though, especially
when the nurse from school called on her cell phone
to say that Billy had a bloody nose.  I didn't even
mind the shot I had to get, because like the doctor
told me it was better than getting sick!

As Mom and I left,  the doctor reminded us that I
needed more than just one shot to be protected, and
I should come back in a month for another checkup.
I never saw the doctor again.

As time went by, I really started to grow! I suppose
that I wasn't quite as cute as before, because Billy
and I didn't spend as much time together. He
seemed to have a lot of things to do beside take me
for walks and fill my food bowl.

Billy and his friends sat in front of a strange box
filled with moving pictures every afternoon,
playing some game I suppose. Heck, I couldn't even
pronounce Nintendo, much less play
those kind of games.

I started to get confused about what my real name
was.  At first, everyone called me Petey, which I
thought was a great name A funny thing started to
happen when I got to be about six months old.

Mom and Dad stopped calling me Petey, and
started calling me "the dog". I guess that was OK,
I am a dog after all.

A few weeks later though, they changed my name
again.  Now I was "that damn dog". I wasn't sure,
but I didn't think that was such a nice name.

Since my family didn't have much time for me
anymore,  I had to think of things to do on my own.
I liked to chew,  and so I did! Remember that GI
Joe Billy got for Christmas?

Well, somehow I managed to chew off his left leg,
which Billy seemed mad about. After a couple more
incidents like that,  Billy's dad decided I should live
outside.

Well, spring had come, and the weather was nice so
I figured, why not?  I thought they would build me
one of those nice doghouses like I had seen in the
pet store. Maybe it would have carpeting and a
soft blanket to sleep on.

Well, they must have forgotten to build it, because I
spent most of the time tied to a tree in the yard.
That was OK for a while, but I began to get pretty
bored. I found some nice soft dirt to dig in, but that
made Mom mad. Something about flower bulbs and
grass seed that I really didn't understand.

There was a dog next door tied to a tree in his
yard, so we spent most of the day talking. For some
reason, that made Dad mad too! I just couldn't
seem to do anything right.  Finally, one day I heard
Dad say to Mom,  "I don't care how you do it, just
get rid of that damn dog!"

I figured Billy would convince them I should stay,
but he didn't much care one way or the other. Mom
came outside and unhooked me from the chain. She
put an old belt of Dad's through my collar and we
went out to the car. At first I thought it was time to
go to the doctor's for a checkup. Once we drove off
though, we headed in the opposite direction.

I could hear all the dogs talking inside the building
as soon as we turned into the driveway. Mom and I
went inside, and she handed the belt to the lady at
the counter. Then she patted my head, and walked
away,  without me. The lady at the desk took me in
the back and put me in a cage like the one I had in
the pet store, only colder and dirtier.

The room was filled with dogs, I even saw that cute
Beagle I had known at the pet store.

That was five days ago. I guess that I must have a
new home now, because a man came by this morning
and put a red sticker on my cage door. Here comes
the lady who feeds me, and she is carrying a thing
to give shots with, just like my doctor did.

As she walks me into another room, I see some of
the friends I have made in this new place. Funny,
they all seem to be asleep on the floor.  Oh well, the
lady just told me not to worry, everything would be
all right.  She seems sad though, and I don't really
understand why.

Maybe being a Christmas puppy wasn't so great
after all.

Author Unknown;
BYE BABY

No more lonely cold
nights or hearing that I'm
bad.

No more growling belly
from the meals I never had.

No more scorching
sunshine with a water
bowl that's dry.

No more complaining
neighbors about the noise
when I cry.

No more hearing "shut
up", "get down" or "get
out of here"!

No more feeling disliked,
only peace is in the air.

Euthanasia is a blessing,
though some still can't see
why I was ever born if I
weren't meant to be.

My last day of living was
the best I ever had.

Someone held me very
close, I could see she was
very sad.

I kissed the lady's face,
and she hugged me as she
cried.

I wagged my tail to thank
her, then I closed my eyes
and died.

Written by an Animal
shelter volunteer in
Massena, NY
Tiny Emmy was one of those
Mothers!  She was bred for 10
long  pain filled years in
Missouri.  Read her story here.  
Click on Emmy