Puppy farms

When I was training to become a life coach one of the things that I was told was that everyone is always being the best that they can be with the resources that they have. This means that if I had walked in their shoes every step of the way I would be in the same position they are.

I understand the principle of this and for the most part I agree. Until last Saturday that was. This was when my daughter and I went to the RSPCA (Burwood East) to choose a rescue dog. Having never visited a centre like this before (because our previous rescue dogs came from the Greyhound adoption program) I found it quite confrontational. All those dogs that need a good home. There were some who were very popular and several people were interested and other dogs who could vertically jump over 3 feet in the air.

My daughter saw the dog she wanted being exercised outside in one of the enclosed areas. We waited for the dog to come back into her little room and then went to visit her. The dog was quite withdrawn and didn't want to make any contact with us and my daughter wanted her even more. The notes on her door showed that she had been rescued but didn't explain the reasons.

Once the forms were filled out the staff member told us about the dog we were interested in. As she told us the dog's history I started to feel more and more angry. In her short three years this dog only knew the inside of a puppy farm. Born in the same one that she had then been made to have at least three litters and maybe as many as six. All she knew was a shed and small run. She had no idea about how to interact with humans, or what it could be like to be stroked and petted. She was scared, subdued and bewildered.

What kind of person believes that running a puppy farm is being the best that they can be? If I had walked in their shoes I would believe the same? What kind of life and upbringing causes a person to think that running a puppy farm is an acceptable way to make money? I'm not sure that I want to know. What I do want to know is how we can stop them from existing.

Our dog is probably one of the lucky ones. The puppy farm was visited by the RSPCA and the dogs were taken from the owners. We happened to visit just after she arrived from another RSPCA centre. She will be our third rescue dog and so we have some experience in helping these dogs settle into family life.

We pick her up on Friday and we have already bought her some new toys, bed and treats as well as the dog food that she is currently used to at the RSPCA. It will take time and it will be worth it.

love
Sarah