warning to dog lovers about Friday's "Oprah" show

I just want to warn fellow dog lovers out there about today's episode of Oprah. It's very very sad and troubling. I've struggled all week feeling down and this just topped it off -- so depressing and sad. She investigates the cruel world of puppy mills and the inhumane treatment of dogs. I thought I could handle it, but I just cried during the whole thing. It finally got to be too much when they were going to show a dog being put-down in a shelter--I had to turn it off. I just hugged my little white puff ball and she gave lots of comforting kisses.

Yes scott I saw that being previewed for today. Is very sad. I

don't think I will be able to watch it. I am a member of peta

and have trouble watching these undercover video's of farm

animals being slaughtered. The cruelty and inhumane ways these

animals are treated.

Thanks for the heads up on the show

Ziggy

It was horrible.. I was on the phone and had the volume turned down and at first I saw a Maltese come out (I turned it on in the middle). Next thing I know they were at a shelter and killing dogs and putting them in the trash.

I rescue all my animals and I just cried and cried.

This is cruel and disgusting. I don't understand it. Ophrah should take all her money, stop buying purebreds and open a shelter.

If I had her money, I would have a million shelters.

So cruel.....

thats terrible

I'm glad I didn't see it.

I have a Bernese Mountain Dog, but it's the first time I ever went to a breeder for a dog. I had a friend who bred them, but I had never seen one until I visited her downstate years ago. She had four adults (for show and breeding), and I completely fell in love with the breed.

I had an old dog, and I didn't want to force her to live out her "golden years" with a rambunctious puppy, so I decided to wait. In the meantime, I looked at the dogs on the internet, trying to find a good reason NOT to own one. BUT, the more I looked at them, the more I wanted one.

After my old dog passed away, I called my friend but she didn't have any puppies. She referred me to a woman who was the president of the BMD Assn. here.

I felt like I was adopting a child. I spent HOURS on the phone with this woman, over 3 separate interviews. Even though this woman was close with my friend and knew my friend had known me since I was a teenager, I practically had to tell her my whole life story. I had to go into detail exactly why I wanted one of her dogs, lol. I just wanted a companion with a happy BMD face. I was NOT allowed to pick from her litter.

It was a pain in the butt, but I was impressed with how much she cared for her dogs and where they were going.

Strangest thing when we picked up "Geneva." I had fallen in love with a particular puppy's photo named "Elvis." When the breeder brought Geneva out to us, she looked EXACTLY like "Elvis" (exactly the same markings). Geneva's official name was "Dolly," after Dolly Parton.

We've had Geneva now for 8 years. The breeder must have been paying close attention because Geneva is a perfect match for us - a breathing teddy bear.

I think the problem is when people think they can make money by breeding animals. There's a big difference between people who care about the breed and people who are just out to make money.

I am ashamed to say that when they close a puppy mill business they usually end up here in Wisconsin, for 2 years in a row our governor has veto'd puppy mill legislation.

My oldest Boston was born in such a mill, she was in a cage from birth until we bought her, she didn't even know how to walk on the grass. On the one hand I hated myself for financially assisting such a business, on the other I couldn't just leave her there. She was so sick, GI infections, UTI, and suffers from allergies and a variety of other ailments due to her dame being bred too frequently. She has to visit a vet once a month for allergy shots.

Our youngest Yorkie is healthy, thank god, but we took her when she was only 4 weeks old, her dame was so over bred and started having litters so young, she'd attack the pups. One of her litter mates was killed, and another was mauled so bad that its leg had to be amputated.

I contacted animal control and the humane society on both breeders but with legislation being the way it is, there was really nothing they could do. The Yorkie breeder was given a ticket for animal cruelty, a minor fine, less than $100.

The local news does undercover reports on a regular basis, but since puppy mills are not illegal here it really doesn't matter. I could actually get in more trouble than they do because I have four dogs and I am only permitted three animals over the age of 8 weeks old.

My wife told me about the show as we had dinner this evening. She was reduced to tears. At first I teased her for crying at an episode of Oprah (not mean spirited, just playing) and then she told me about it. Even the telling of it was sad so god knows how I'd have responded to the show.

My wife is tough and not even slightly crazy (that's my role) so if it got to her, it's bad.

Cyran0

Glad I missed it. From the reactions of the previous posts, I probably would've ended up kicking the t.v. or something.

And people wonder why I love animals more than humans. Hmm, go figure!

It's true, dogs are better than people.

Cyran0