Now that the winter weather is settling in for Northern Manitoba, I think it's a time to remind people looking for a pet that the best cats and dogs can be found at the Thompson Humane Society.
Sure, everyone would like to have his or her "dream" dog, and if you're willing to shell out a couple of hundred dollars - at least - to buy a purebred dog, that's great. The problem isn't about the money; it's about where these dogs come from. Many people who purchase dogs simply walk into a pet store without researching how the pet store acquires their animals. Even potential pet owners who do their research and go directly to a breeder to get their new best friend can be deceived.
Many of these animals are born on puppy mills, which the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) describes as "breeding operations in which dogs are repeatedly bred for financial gain and are kept in substandard conditions." Dogs that live in puppy mills are often confined to small cages for their entire lives and suffer from infections, parasites and psychological stress. The substandard conditions experienced at puppy mills can also lead to chronic health and behavioural problems in the puppies they breed.
These puppy mills sell their dogs to many mainstream retail pet shops. and despite the overwhelming evidence of the cruelty that takes place at puppy mills, the establishments are still not illegal in Canada.
My fiancé and I recently adopted a gorgeous Husky mix from the Thompson Humane Society named Lily. She has changed our lives and has brought so much joy to us, and knowing that we gave her a home she so desperately needed, instead of buying a dog that possibly came from a puppy mill, made welcoming her into our home all the more sweet.
There are plenty of dogs and cats at the Thompson Humane Society to choose from - animals that deserve love, attention and safe homes just as much as prized purebreds.
