My name is Faith, ex-puppy mill dog, and this my story!

Normally when a pup is born, it’s a reason for celebration, right? Wrong! When I was  born, it was in a cage that was situated in a dark, smelly barn. My mom was weak, because she had too many pregnancies in a short period of time.

You see, when I was six weeks, they came and took me and my siblings away from my mom. I was so scared. Six weeks is way too young for a pup to be taken from the mother. I never saw my mother, or my siblings again. I was put in another dark cage. I was so scared and I felt so alone. I cried many nights for my mom, hoping that she’d come and get me. Keeping me warm like she had done for all of six weeks. My siblings were sold!

You can guess that I had no such luck. Another little pup was then put in my cage, and I did feel so alone anymore. I still missed my mom very much. At least with the other pup in my cage, we could keep each other warm.

I grew up in that same cage, and never saw daylight. Never got fresh air, I didn’t know what daylight or fresh air was. What I did know, was the nasty, penetrating smell.  You know, no one cleaned our cages, ever! Sometimes they came into our cages and with a broom, sweeping away the feces. Mostly we could scurry away, but if we weren’t fast enough, they would use the broom on us.

When I was barely old enough, they forced me to become a mother. I didn’t know what happened, and I was so scared. Even though I was pregnant, they kept feeding us gruel. No extra vitamins, no proper food at all, just gruel! I desperately tried to keep the area clean where my little babies slept. I took the feces and put them in a corner, away from my babies.  I only had a piece of cardboard for my pups and for myself. It was cold, on the concrete. I did my best to keep my babies warm, like my mom had done with me and my siblings.  

I wasn’t very strong, and it didn’t take long before I got health problems. It was slippery inside my cage, because it never got cleaned properly. I had to walk around in my own pee, and feces. So it was many times that I just slipped. Over the years I developed osteoarthritis. No one cared about it, though.

I was in pain every day. Getting up, and walking around in the small cage became more difficult every day. My front paw grew skewed because of the untreated osteoarthritis. Still, they forced me to get pregnant as many times as they could. Injecting me so my body could conceive again, six weeks after I gave birth. I was so scared, all the time!

For six years I lived like this, in a cage, in the dark and in my own filth. For six years I was treated like I didn’t matter, like I was some kind of plastic toy, throwing me from one corner into another. Six years they used me for their own gain. Six years they sold my pups and hit and kicked me when I didn’t get out of the way fast enough. I tried to get away as fast as I could, but I suffered to much from osteoarthritis, so mostly I just wasn’t fast enough.

Six years of pure hell!

Then, one day, an angel came, and she took all of us with her, she was so gentle when she carried us out of that hell. We were transported, in a warm car, to an animal shelter. I didn’t know what was happening, and again, I was so scared. There was a veterinarian to see us. Then I got spayed, they said that I never needed to get pregnant again. It was finally over. Also, I got dental treatment, and medication for my osteoarthritis. Sadly, because I never got proper food, they needed to remove a lot of  teeth. I’m still able to chew kibbles, if they are not too big that is.

One by one the others got new homes, but was still in the shelter. The people at the shelter were very nice, and they did their best to provide me with all that I needed. One thing they couldn’t provide me with though, was a loving fore ever home. Then there was a family that took me in, just until I would find my fore ever home. After six days they brought me back, said that they couldn’t give me what I needed.

I couldn’t blame them, really! I’m traumatized, I’m not housebroken. In fact, I’ve never even lived in a house. I’m scared of people and I have severe osteoarthritis. Plus, I didn’t look that great, no, I really didn’t!

You  see, we ex-puppy-mill dogs need special attention and special care. I my case, it was also special medical care that I needed. We, ex-puppy-mill dogs are not easy to take care of, and not many people can pull that off. Their hearts are in the right place, but it’s just difficult.

Then, shortly after I was back at the shelter, a miracle happened, I was adopted. After I nearly had given up, I suddenly had a mother, father and a big brother. They didn’t care that I was a bit dirty, or that I have osteoarthritis. No, they loved me from the moment they saw me.

Mommy tells me every day just how much she loves me, how precious I am to her. Daddy tells me the same, all the time. My brother, Max is awesome. He’s my rock, and I feel so safe. He’s the best brother, ever!

It’s been almost five weeks since I moved to my new home, and slowly I’m getting better. I sleep in the living room, where it’s warm all the time, with my brother Max. I get medication for my osteoarthritis, and now I’m pain free. I get nice treats and proper food.

Today, for the first time, I joined Max on his morning walk. I’m still a bit scared when I’m outside, but it was great. For now I’m allowed only one walk (about 15 minutes) per day. Mommy says that, because I’m doing really good, I don’t my medication every day. I don’t limp anymore, and I’m walking smoothly, because I’m pain free. You still can see that my front paw is crooked.

I’m not the only dog who suffered because some human is greedy and only thinks about money! There are thousands who suffer. Puppy  mills are hell, pure hell! They treat us like dirt, we get no medical treatment id we get sick. We don’t get proper food, to keep us and our offspring healthy. They hit and kick us, just because they can. In the summer it’s too hot, and in the winter it’s too cold! More often than not they don’t refill our water bowls.

After reading my story, I hope that you never, ever buy a dog from the puppy mills. Never buy a dog in a shopping mall. Never buy a dog in any kind of story, even a pet store.

Why not in a pet store, you ask? The answer is very simple! We do not belong inside a freaking shop! We do not belong inside a showroom behind the glass! That’s why!

I urge all of you to think it through, long and hard, before you buy a dog! If you really, really, really are sure that you want a dog, adopt, don’t buy. Because you can’t buy love, but you can adopt love!

Many people say, that they don’t want a dog from a shelter. They think they all the dog who are in a shelter are trouble. That’s where you’re wrong. It’s because of people that dogs land in a shelter. If you adopt a dog, then it’s healthy and has all the vaccinations. Often they are spayed or neutered. Adopted dogs are the most loyal, and loving dogs ever!

A puppy that comes from a puppy mill is often weak and sick. You won’t notice right away, no it only manifests itself at a later date. That’s where you have the choice to either pay the huge vet bills, or bring him to the animal shelter. It’s a fact that puppies that come from puppy mills are often sick, because the mother dog is treated badly. Plus, because she is pregnant all the time, ad get’s no proper nourishment, she’s weak and can’t give birth to healthy, strong pups.

Below you can see how I lived for six years! I urged you all, to first think long and hard before you decide to buy a dog. Take a few weeks or even months to see if it’s what you really want! Think about what it means to have a dog in your home. We need love, but we also need care, like brushing, at least once a week. 

Then there are the veterinarian bills when we get sick! We need proper food. We need good and solid guidance, and not being hit if we don’t understand what you mean. Don’t keep us outside, it’s a lonely existence, we need the pack to feel safe and secure. Plus outside, it can be too cold or too hot. Sometimes, being left outside can be dangerous too!

You see? There are so many things you have to consider if you want a dog! My life was hell, just because people want a dog but want it as cheap as possible. Let me tell you, that it’s wrong on so many levels!