Every dog or cat I have owned as an adult either came from a shelter, a rescue organization, or turned up on my doorstep as a stray. I have never purchased a purebred; never wanted a purebred. After doing a little research, I found out some facts that make me wonder why anyone buys a purebred for a pet.

Puppy mills are all too often a torture chamber for the adult females who are bred over and over there. Did you know many of them are kept in stacked cages, only large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around? They are never let out to play or relieve themselves. The bottom of the cage is often wire, with holes in it just large enough for feces to drop through onto a tray underneath. The cages might be cleaned once a day. Or maybe not.

The dog’s paws can become splayed from standing on an uneven surface of wire all the time. They are given just enough food and water to sustain them. Oftentimes they never see a veterinarian unless there is a complication with a birth. There is no petting, no affection, no kind word. To quote Joyful Rescues in Cuba, N.Y., in an adoption agreement: “It seems in New York state it is perfectly acceptable to allow dogs to be treated no different than chickens. Someday maybe enough citizens will be angry enough to force a change in our laws, but for now we are here to pick up the pieces of the lucky ones that make it out alive.” “Make it out alive.” Many of these puppy mill mothers are shot, drowned or simply turned loose when their usefulness as a breeder is done. The lucky ones are turned over to shelters and rescues.

As many of you may remember, we recently had to euthanize our precious dog, Zoey. There has been a hole in our hearts and an overabundance of love we needed to give to another rescue. We found Mindy. She had never felt grass on her feet. She doesn’t know about potty training. She cringed at the touch of human hands. Mindy had done nothing in her life except make babies for the retail pet industry. When she became too old to produce healthy births, she was one of the lucky ones. Her owners turned her over to Joyful Rescues.

Mindy needs dental work because her teeth were never cleaned or taken care of. She has had several mammary tumors removed, thank goodness non-cancerous. It took some time for her to look anyone in the eye, and when approached, she would shy away and quiver. Mindy is not as emotionally damaged as many of the dogs are. She is learning to trust. Some of the dogs are never put up for adoption because they are so damaged they cannot ever look at a human being and are so afraid that when approached, they back themselves into a corner, often with their faces to the wall, where they just tremble.

Not all dog breeders are puppy mills. Some actually care for and about the animals they sell. If you must buy a pedigreed dog, please check the facility first. Make sure you are not contributing to the mistreatment of dogs. Adopt a shelter dog if you can. There are too many dogs and cats without homes because people don’t spay or neuter their pets. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Some of our friends think it is too soon for us to have another dog. We respectfully disagree. Zoey will always have a piece of our hearts, and we will never forget her. But the love she gave taught us that to love a dog and have a dog love us in return, is one of the most rewarding things a person can do. We don’t know how many years Mindy will be with us. She bore litter after litter for seven years. It has taken its toll on her. But now she has been allowed to leave her old life behind and will be loved and coddled for the rest of her life, as man’s best friend should be.

Robyn Near is a Ripley resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com