Cruelty of Puppy Mills

This is something that is close to our hearts and we have been campaigning for a long time against - Puppy mills !

Do you know what is puppy mill? If you don't -- and even if you do -- then you've got to read this wepage: http://humanesociety.org/stoppuppymills

Please watch the video clips in these pages. While these undercover clips were taken in the US and Canada, think it doesn't happen in Singapore? Sorry guys - As long there is demand, there will always be supply.

Puppy mills are large scale operations that force breeder dogs to produce litter after litter to support consumer demand for puppies. Puppies sold in pet stores or through Internet sites come from places filled with suffering, disease, malnutrition, and loneliness. Even the puppies themselves are often prone to a variety of diseases. Some die within days or weeks of purchase.

The breed dogs are in cages stacked one on top of another, never seeing a day of freedom or sunshine. Their sole purpose in their short miserable life is to breed. Some are shaved hairless, for easy maintenance, they are feed through cages and never get to interact or socialise with humans or other dogs. The puppies they birthed are sold as soon as they can be separated, and once that happens, the process begins till they are too old to produce "good stock" and tossed aside, abandoned. Some are fortunate to be rescued and rehomed, to enjoy a second chance in life, but majority never make it.

Various dog organisation are working hard to stop puppy mills and they need your help. Oprah Winfrey did a series on Puppy Mills recently and even she was appalled with the situation. She, was one of those who didn’t realise how lucrative and cruel the business was and ended with a note that from henceforth, she will never buy the next pooch, she will adopt instead. Even President elect Obama has declared he will adopt from a shelter, the next First Dog.

You can help support against Puppy mill even right here in Singapore by 1) Stop buying pets as far as you can.

2) If you really need to buy a breed, do buy from reputable breeders - but ask yourself first, do I need a "top notch category pedigree" in the first place Next question - Why? Will a top notch pure pedigree breed love me more than the next mutt? Is love measured by the dollars it cost. Don't get us wrong, we have nothing against those who breed, for competitions, to keep the strain pure, that is fine but for many of us ordinary folks, a dog is a companian and we do not need the high dollar kind.

In the past the only way to obtain a dog is by buying but that has become obsolete. There is now no necessity to. One click on the internet will show there are many many dogs for adoption, breed or no breed, small or big. The thing is to check around and ask. You will be surprised at the number of dogs up for adoption each day. Some as young as a few months, bought on a whim and later unwanted as not much thought had gone into the purchase.

If you need information on how and where to adopt, call us. It may take a while sometimes but eventually we believe there is always that right dog and a forever home for each dog, some find it earlier than others, and unfortunately some never live long enough to get the chance.

So the next time you walk past a pet shop with those cute, sweet, adorable puppies for sale, remember how much the mother/father of this adorable ball of fluff suffered, the price they had to pay or still paying, to birth this fluff is a very high one - in that dark, damp cage they call home. Thanks for reading and taking action!

Spread the word - Stop puppy mills, Don't buy - adopt instead. We have lots of lovely dogs for adoption, some are younger, some are older, different colour, different size, different shape, different gender but with one purpose – to be man’s best friend. What a great gift we have been given.

Some of our lovely Dogs for Adoption
Playful Junior,
Male around 8 – 9 months old.
Small in size but Huge in personality
Friendly, fun - likes people and dogs.
Will be an excellent addition to family with children
A little shy with people he is not familiar with but he warms up later

Handsome Milo
Our Noose Dog, our Mascot.
Much as we want to keep him with us forever
Home for him should not be in a Shelter,
Milo deserves a good home and a family he can protect and call his own
Male, around 1+ years - A leader, classy dog, Quiet and well behaved.
Very friendly with children and people. Will make an excellent family guard dog.

Awesome Patches
The Hound look alike
Male, 2+ - Gregarious, friendly and affectionate,
Charismatic dog with an interesting character.
Starving for love and human contact.
Patches loves people and getting into cars for car rides
He is Big, Strong and Friendly
Scratch his tough veneer and discover a softie at heart.

Beautiful Mama Brown
A sweet female around 1+ years.
Docile in nature, well behaved and obedient.
Very friendly with dogs and children.
Will fit in easily into a home and family.

If there is anyone who is looking for a loving companian and friend, and wish to adopt our lovely dogs, do let us know and drop us a line at homelessinseletar@yahoo.com.sg. Or if you would like to sponsor any of them for their boarding or medical, please let us know too. Any amount is appreciated and your contribution will go a long way for them.

SAYANG (formerly known as Charlie) the Chihuahua–A formal request
In our earlier entry, http://homelessinseletar.blogspot.com/2008/11/finally-home.html we promised we would keep you updated of little Sayang (formerly known as Charlie). Yes, our little troubled Chihuhua is settling very well. He is no longer troubled. His new owners, F and family have constantly kept us updated with SMSes and photographs on how well he is coping. To our pleasant surprise, we received a call the other day from them that they wish to formally adopt him. In our minds, we had always viewed F as Sayang's new owners as we have seen how well he responds to them and they to him. Catering to his every need and change in temperament, taking both the good days and the bad.

This singular, precious request from F to seal the pact with us on Sayang's permanency in their lives confirms their final act of full love for this little chihuahua, who came to them with nothing to live for. They are now not just giving him a home but a rightful place in their hearts, as only a parent can give to a child. Sayang now dines on fresh steamed chicken pieces, which we have been told is his favourite and chicken liver pieces as treats. He snuggles up to each of them in the family asking to be carried, cuddled and petted. We were told on the second day of his arrival, he had already allowed F’s mum, his favourite person, to pet him and carry him.

This is pretty astonishing considering that when we left him with them the first day, he was snarling and growling and snapping at everyone and everything he saw. Nothing could pacify him. He would hide in his cage and each time one of us moved, he would yelp loudly and growled. But we do remember F’s mom saying “Don’t disturb him, he had a long tiring journey, let him rest in our peaceful house and I promise he will never be troubled anymore. I will take good care of him as I did with all our previous pets. We just need to give him time and when he is ready, he will come to us.”

Charlie when he first arrived,
Always hiding in the cage.
Barking and snarling, Afraid and tormented

How true they have become, with these words still ringing in our ears – all Sayang needed was time and healing of his mental wounds. We now see a transformed little dog, now understanding that not all humans are bad and cruel but some can extend love. Some like F and his family. Sayang has his own new lovely bedding, bought specially for his arrival and not an old hand me down. He even has 3 persons waiting on him hand and foot, F, his mother, the maid. They all adore him.

Zzzzz, in my new bedding.
It is all mine.
I love it here where it is quiet and peaceful.

He goes out for walkies and is reported to be very well behaved with the other dogs. It is apparent this new love has restored back his pride and confidence, no more rejected and dejected, miserable and lost, confused and frightened little chihuahua but one lovely little owned pet, a treasured member, a Sayang to his new family, as it was meant to be, yes, as it should rightfully have been.

Patiently waiting for walky-walk.
Sayang is well behaved,
such a credit to his ‘parents’

This credit must surely, surely go to F and his family. They say miracles exist and we are seeing one right here. If you have followed Sayang from Day One when he didn't even have a name, travelled with him on his journey from a "nuisance" locked up in a small inhumane cell to his life now, you must surely marvel with us, how changed his personality is. F's family were patient, were kind. They just tried with tested love and in the end, their love won. Sayang still has his bad mornings but this has become an accepted part of his life which we hope will eventually go away. The furless ring around his neck is a grim reminder of his tortured past. We do not wish for any of our dogs to travel this same journey, as Sayang's was a hard and horrific one.

A weaker spirit might have just given up but rescue him we did. Hui Ling's timely fostering bought us time and enabled us to put up his dire situation on the web (thank God for friends and emailing contacts)... and the rest is history. Not all our tortured souls get reprieve but for Sayang the nightmare is finally over. At last his journey has ended in a dream, but unlike all dreams, this one is realised and permanent. Thank you to all of you who have made this possible.

I am happy now. Can you see me,
Cheh Cheh H.L.?
Can you see me happy now?
I am still wearing the harness and bells you gave me
You don’t have to worry about me anymore.
I finally got a home, with a mummy and daddy.Thank you. Cheh Cheh. Come visit me soon.


The Honey Bunch

Our call for the 4 lovely honey toned pups, have drawn numerous calls about their welfare and donations from kind souls. Our Honey Bunch fund will be used for the pups medical vet fees.

We thank you for your generosity and kindness. If you too wish to donate and be part of the Honey Bunch drive or adopt the lovely puppies, please email to: anaterry@singnet.com.sg / homelessinseletar@yahoo.com.sg