September is Puppy Mill Awareness Month, and as a citizen of Auburn, I wanted to educate my fellow neighbors about this cruel industry.

Puppy mills are breeding facilities that often house hundreds of adult breeding dogs who live their entire lives on hard, wire kennels without healthy food or clean water and very limited, if any, vet care. These dogs exist to create puppies, but never get their own families and live their lives without the toys, treats or dog beds. Puppy mills often sell their puppies in pet stores, through newspaper ads or through “click and ship” websites. Our state, alone, has more than four puppy mills right now, shocking I know.

As a society, it is up to us to put an end to this cruelty. You can avoid puppy mills by not purchasing puppies in pet stores, or by meeting the parents of your new puppy before you buy. The best way to avoid supporting this industry though is by adopting your best friend from a rescue or shelter.

For more information on puppy mills, please visit bailingoutbenji.com and help us create a more humane world for companion animals.

– Lori Dale