As Mother’s Day approaches, The Humane Society of the United States asks supporters from around the globe to remember the mother dogs suffering in puppy mills, spending their lives in cramped wire cages, often with barely enough food and water to stay alive as they churn out puppies for sale at pet stores and online.
To mark the sixth annual Puppy Mill Action Week, which takes place through Friday and supports advocacy efforts to crack down on puppy mills, The HSUS is now offering a reward of up to $5,000 to anyone who provides any information leading to the arrest and conviction of a puppy mill operator for illegal animal cruelty. Persons wishing to report a valid tip are encouraged to call 1-877-MILL-TIP and will remain anonymous.
“Many people don’t realize that when they buy a puppy from a pet store or online they are most likely condemning the mother of that puppy to a life of misery in a puppy mill,” said Melanie Kahn, senior director of the puppy mills campaign for The HSUS. “We encourage anyone with information on potentially illegal or cruel conditions at a puppy mill to speak up and call our tip line.”
The HSUS’ education affiliate, Humane Society University, is also celebrating Puppy Mill Action Week by adding a new online course for animal advocates focused on stopping puppy mills. This online course will help advocates understand the most common problems inherent in puppy mills and what can be done to address them. Students will gain a greater understanding of what puppy mills are, why they continue to thrive despite increases in public awareness and strides in public policy, and what individuals can do to help.
Also new this year, The HSUS’ puppy mills campaign launched the video contest “Why Puppy Mills Stink.” Contestants submitted 90-second videos for the contest, and finalists’ videos are posted online for the public to vote on through Thursday, May 10. The winning video will be announced Friday, May 11, and may be broadcast on television stations in the winner’s home state and in other select media markets.
To learn more about the online course, video contest voting, the tip line and reward, and other resources to stop puppy mills, go to humanesociety.org/puppymills.
Please note that the HSUS already offers a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction in pit bull and cock fighting cases.