Yorkies - Often Found in Puppy Mills

Wilson - a tiny Yorkie found wandering on the street in St. George, Utah.

Asher - A Yorkie rescued directly from a puppy mill.

   These two Yorkies were rescued by Mary Lou - a long time animal advocate who, up until her adoption of Wilson, always adopted cats! Wilson was very tiny, very frightened and probably about eight years old when he was found wandering the streets of St. George, Utah, in the winter of 2011 by a local rescue group. He was not neutered and in terrible health - especially his teeth. He had most likely been a puppy mill dog judging from his behavior and condition.

Asher was literally obtained directly from a puppy mill and was also judged to be about eight when he was rescued. Puppy mill breeders do not keep dogs beyond their "useful" years, and even though a little dog like this would have a typically long life, that is not the case when they are kept in cramped cages and not given the proper nutrition or health care. One trait that puppy-mill survivors often exhibit is the tendency to continually turn in circles. This could be due to neurological damage but it can also be attributed to the extremely tight living quarters where they are forced to live -  they simply exist to continuously breed.
    How can you stop this cruel practice? Two things would really help: Never by a dog in a pet store and never by a dog online. Work with you local animal shelters to find your perfect pet. If there are particular traits you are looking for, share that information with the shelter and most likely they will alert you to an animal that may be just right for you. Don't fall for the latest designer dog craze - adopt a pet for the right reasons - to find true companionship and to save a life.