Puppy Mills

Almost Home Foundation is mourning the death of Hot Shot

The senior Shorthair Dachshund succumbed to pneumonia and crossed over the Rainbow Bridge... may she rest in peace.

Born in 1996, this little dog was destined for a life of misery... there were no toys or treats for her, nor did she get a warm dog bed. She grew up in a crate and lived in it for almost her whole life.

Hot Shot was a puppy mill dog, used by unscrupulous people as a breeding machine. Her life consisted of a never-ending cycle of being pregnant and raising puppies that were then sold in pet shops around the country. Year after year, this little dog stood on wires, in her own filth, never received any medical care and was fed only cheap, inadequate food. But worst of all, she never got to experience the love and human attention every dog craves.

After 12 years of physical and mental abuse by her so-called breeder, she was too old to have any more puppies and deemed worthless. The owner dropped her off at a kill shelter, not caring about the possibility of her getting euthanized. That's when Almost Home Foundation jumped in. One look at her face, white with age, and into her eyes that seemed dull from lack of hope, and we knew we had to rescue her. We realized her chances of getting adopted were slim, but felt she deserved a chance to know the love and care of humans.

She was named Hot Shot and placed in a wonderful temporary home. For the first time in her life, she got to experience the simple things that most dogs take for granted: the joy of walking on soft grass, warming up her fur in the sun, sniffing the ground and feeling the touch of loving hands.

As a senior dog, she did not cause any trouble and, along with her also rescued sister Poco, she spent most of her days snoozing, snuggled up in a comfy bed.

When she fell sick, AHF tried to help her, but her body was too worn out from a lifetime of physical neglect and abuse. Hot Shot could not fight off the disease that took hold of her and on January 15 the poor little Dachshund crossed the legendary Rainbow Bridge. Was her rescue a worthy cause? We think so. The damage that a dozen years of puppy mill life did to her could not be undone, but for the last months, she was a loved and pampered pet…something she should have been all along.

We will always remember her.

Puppy Mill

Hot Shot is an example of the numerous dogs that suffer from the neglect and abuse of a puppy mill breeder. There is plenty of information on puppy mills on the Internet; most of it is not for the weak-hearted and rather graphic.

The adorable puppy you see in the pet shop window came most likely from a puppy mill. His mom and dad are still there, living a horrible life void of any pleasures. By buying a pet store puppy you support the puppy mill industry with their cruel treatment of animals.

No matter what the employees tell you, most pet store puppies are puppy mill puppies! As long as people buy these puppies creating a demand for them, puppy mill owners will breed them and continue to abuse innocent animals like Hot Shot. The term AKC Certified Breeder only means that they are members of the American Kennel Club and that their dogs have AKC papers. It does not guarantee clean kennels, proper care or healthy dogs.

Only about one fifth of AKC breeders are reputable. The reputable breeders want to meet their puppies' new owners, screen possible adopters and show the facilities where you can see the puppies' mom and sometimes dad. Responsible breeders offer a health guarantee for your new puppy and promise to take the dog back if you ever need to give him up. They breed for quality not quantity and are proud of their puppies. Breeders who care would never sell their pups to a pet store to live in a small cage for weeks and sometimes months, without the proper socialization and training every puppy needs. Good breeders hold on to their puppies until they go to their new homes.

Don't buy puppy mill dogs. Adopt instead and rescue one of the 30,000 pets that are put to sleep every day in the United States. We, the consumers, have the power to stop the cruelty of puppy mills by boycotting stores that sell puppy mill puppies. Help educate your friends, family and neighbors. If we stop buying puppy mill dogs, their breeders will stop making money and lose their business. Dogs like Hot Shot will not suffer any more!