Good riddance to bad rubbish!

Belinda · 03-09-2009, 12:53 PM

Last year about this time a puppy store opened in my town. It was the 2nd store for the owners and called The Puppy Experience 2. The handfull of us who are adamantly opposed to this invasion in our town referred to it as "The Puppy Mill Experience" or "The Puppy Bad Experience". I painted "NO PUPPY STORE" on the windows of my SVU and parked it right on Main Street across the street from the store and directly in front of the restaurant where I work. That lasted until Labor Day when they have a 2 hr. max on parking. I handed out almost 500 flyers purchased from The Humane Society explaining responsible puppy purchasing (no pet store!!)/adopting. We spoke at several town and civic association meetings and myself and a few others wrote numerous letters to the local newspaper. And of course, as I've done my whole adult life, responded to people's questions about what was "wrong" with the store with the adorable puppies in the windows (I kid you not). I work in a restaurant, I talk to alot of people who know me as "The Dog Lady". WE DID IT!! They moved out yesterday! I am so proud that members of a community (some total strangers) can work together to make a positive change in their town. It was kind of exciting being public enemy #1 to two very large, unsavory men with very bad reputations (they called my place of employment twice and "threatened" me). but when someone asked me if I wasn't scared of them I replied, "No, I'm too pissed off." Please educate people about the horrors of puppy mills and puppy stores. The only way to stop this cruel an inhumane business is through education. It worked here in Hampton Bays, it can work in your community. Take care, Belinda.

Beverly Anne · 03-09-2009, 12:56 PM

YAY, Belinda! Good for you to be so out there and good that you educated so many people about the horrors of puppy stores and puppy mills.

2hounds · 03-09-2009, 04:43 PM

Yay! Belinda. Good for you. Now I wish I were as brave as you. I personally do not shop at pet shops that sell puppies/kittens, and I inform anyone who is interested, but I couldn't be as bold as you. You should be very proud, your hard work paid off.

~Heather

sadeyes2 · 03-09-2009, 04:55 PM

Well done you......That took a lot of courage Belinda.

A question, I have just finished reading 'The Basset Hound Owner's Survival Guide' and I noticed in your signature that you owned a basset called Nellie who won obedience titles.
Are you the Belinda and Nellie that she refers to in her book?

Belinda · 03-09-2009, 06:48 PM

Yes, that's us. I lost Nellie a few days before 9/11, blind from glaucoma and almost 12. She was my "teacher" dog and is the reason I am so involved in the Basset (and dog) world today. I miss her every day, but it is because of her, my 1st puppy mill rescue, that I was able to aid in the closure of this puppy store. Thank you all for all of your support. I don't think of myself as brave. I'm rather like a mother bear trying to protect her cubs. And those "cub" are the breeder dogs at puppy mills. The ones left behind. The ones you never see in the puppy store windows. Take care, Belinda. P.S. You don't have to be "brave" to help. Volunteer or write a check to your local Basset Rescue.

shallhb · 03-09-2009, 09:31 PM

Brave Belinda! Kudos to you.

Elvismom · 03-10-2009, 03:45 AM

Great work, Belinda!!! I hope they all go out of business and never resurface anywhere! And a special thanks to Nellie for showing you the way.

If people knew the horrors that go on in kennels and mills where those puppies are produced they would never spend a dime at a store that buys from them. Thankfully the word is slowly getting out.

Thanks for shutting one more of them down.

murraysmom · 03-10-2009, 07:37 AM

I think of the pet store as the engine that drives the puppymill train- get rid of the pet stores by educating the public, and the puppymill industry will come to a halt- educating the public is so important!

Instead of just looking at the store and thinking how awful it was, you did something- this shows how one person can make a diference in a big way- good for you!!!!

LouieDog · 03-10-2009, 09:45 AM

good for you! What a great story! Our babies really do need someone to stand up for them, and you sure did! Congratulations on a job well done!

sadeyes2 · 03-10-2009, 11:43 AM

Jeez!!!!! small world right enough!!!!!! The picture that the author put in the book of Nellie holding her winning trophy in her mouth is 'priceless'.

Got to say, over here pet shops tend not to sell dogs or cats. I have never seen any .Don't know about down south though.When I asked a pet shop owner why this was, he said that he had a license to do so but in the trade it was considered unethical.

Unfortunately, this doesn't stop puppyfarms from operating as they sell on to brokers who then advertise them in local papers or online.

Agree 100% educating the public is the answer.

03-09-2009, 12:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
Belinda Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hampton Bays, Long Island, NY Posts: 162	Last year about this time a puppy store opened in my town. It was the 2nd store for the owners and called The Puppy Experience 2. The handfull of us who are adamantly opposed to this invasion in our town referred to it as "The Puppy Mill Experience" or "The Puppy Bad Experience". I painted "NO PUPPY STORE" on the windows of my SVU and parked it right on Main Street across the street from the store and directly in front of the restaurant where I work. That lasted until Labor Day when they have a 2 hr. max on parking. I handed out almost 500 flyers purchased from The Humane Society explaining responsible puppy purchasing (no pet store!!)/adopting. We spoke at several town and civic association meetings and myself and a few others wrote numerous letters to the local newspaper. And of course, as I've done my whole adult life, responded to people's questions about what was "wrong" with the store with the adorable puppies in the windows (I kid you not). I work in a restaurant, I talk to alot of people who know me as "The Dog Lady". WE DID IT!! They moved out yesterday! I am so proud that members of a community (some total strangers) can work together to make a positive change in their town. It was kind of exciting being public enemy #1 to two very large, unsavory men with very bad reputations (they called my place of employment twice and "threatened" me). but when someone asked me if I wasn't scared of them I replied, "No, I'm too pissed off." Please educate people about the horrors of puppy mills and puppy stores. The only way to stop this cruel an inhumane business is through education. It worked here in Hampton Bays, it can work in your community. Take care, Belinda. __________________ "Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole." Roger Caras "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." Groucho Marx Lazy Daze of Stony Brook CD (AT Setauket's Nice-n-Daffy CD (AT Winston CGC, TDI (Labrador Retriever, AT Good Ground's Whoa Nellie CDX, CGC, TDI (AT Good Ground's Cowgrrrl Blues CD, RN, CGC, BHCA MHH, AHBA RCH, TDI, Delta Society Pet Partner Labslanding Let Freedom Ring CGC, TDI (Labrador Retriever in training) Branscombe's No Place Like Home (Basset Hound in training)

03-09-2009, 12:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
Beverly Anne Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston MA Posts: 737	YAY, Belinda! Good for you to be so out there and good that you educated so many people about the horrors of puppy stores and puppy mills. __________________ Francis's Bevy

03-09-2009, 04:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
2hounds Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 1,152	Yay! Belinda. Good for you. Now I wish I were as brave as you. I personally do not shop at pet shops that sell puppies/kittens, and I inform anyone who is interested, but I couldn't be as bold as you. You should be very proud, your hard work paid off. ~Heather __________________ Mommy to Gibbs and kitty kitty Eva Dear sweet *Lily (ATB )* you will never be forgotten.

03-09-2009, 06:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
Belinda Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hampton Bays, Long Island, NY Posts: 162	Yes, that's us. I lost Nellie a few days before 9/11, blind from glaucoma and almost 12. She was my "teacher" dog and is the reason I am so involved in the Basset (and dog) world today. I miss her every day, but it is because of her, my 1st puppy mill rescue, that I was able to aid in the closure of this puppy store. Thank you all for all of your support. I don't think of myself as brave. I'm rather like a mother bear trying to protect her cubs. And those "cub" are the breeder dogs at puppy mills. The ones left behind. The ones you never see in the puppy store windows. Take care, Belinda. P.S. You don't have to be "brave" to help. Volunteer or write a check to your local Basset Rescue. __________________ "Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole." Roger Caras "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." Groucho Marx Lazy Daze of Stony Brook CD (AT Setauket's Nice-n-Daffy CD (AT Winston CGC, TDI (Labrador Retriever, AT Good Ground's Whoa Nellie CDX, CGC, TDI (AT Good Ground's Cowgrrrl Blues CD, RN, CGC, BHCA MHH, AHBA RCH, TDI, Delta Society Pet Partner Labslanding Let Freedom Ring CGC, TDI (Labrador Retriever in training) Branscombe's No Place Like Home (Basset Hound in training)

03-09-2009, 09:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
shallhb Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: San Francisco, Ca Posts: 1,348	Brave Belinda! Kudos to you. __________________ Sharon Hall Grace (puppy in training) Bella, UD, VER, TD, RE, CGC Pearl,UD, TDX, RE, CGC (Waiting at the Bridge) Samantha, Theodore, CGC, Louella, Zeke and Arty, Bassets All; (All Waiting at the Bridge)

03-09-2009, 04:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
sadeyes2 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: glasgow Posts: 589	Well done you......That took a lot of courage Belinda. A question, I have just finished reading 'The Basset Hound Owner's Survival Guide' and I noticed in your signature that you owned a basset called Nellie who won obedience titles. Are you the Belinda and Nellie that she refers to in her book?

03-10-2009, 03:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
Elvismom Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: new mexico Posts: 1,196	Great work, Belinda!!! I hope they all go out of business and never resurface anywhere! And a special thanks to Nellie for showing you the way. If people knew the horrors that go on in kennels and mills where those puppies are produced they would never spend a dime at a store that buys from them. Thankfully the word is slowly getting out. Thanks for shutting one more of them down. __________________ Chris Foodslave, chauffer & doorperson to Elvis, Georgia, Ginger & Maggie, Crissy & Dart

03-10-2009, 07:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
murraysmom Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: southcentral Pa. Posts: 2,235	I think of the pet store as the engine that drives the puppymill train- get rid of the pet stores by educating the public, and the puppymill industry will come to a halt- educating the public is so important! Instead of just looking at the store and thinking how awful it was, you did something- this shows how one person can make a diference in a big way- good for you!!!!

03-10-2009, 09:45 AM	#9 (permalink)
LouieDog Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hamilton, Ontario Posts: 272	good for you! What a great story! Our babies really do need someone to stand up for them, and you sure did! Congratulations on a job well done!

03-10-2009, 11:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
sadeyes2 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: glasgow Posts: 589	Jeez!!!!! small world right enough!!!!!! The picture that the author put in the book of Nellie holding her winning trophy in her mouth is 'priceless'. Got to say, over here pet shops tend not to sell dogs or cats. I have never seen any .Don't know about down south though.When I asked a pet shop owner why this was, he said that he had a license to do so but in the trade it was considered unethical. Unfortunately, this doesn't stop puppyfarms from operating as they sell on to brokers who then advertise them in local papers or online. Agree 100% educating the public is the answer.

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