What if Daisy were the last one?

My thanks goes to Hope Schultz at WebVet for alerting me to a story about puppy mills that aired tonight on Nightline.  

You can watch the video for yourself. But, don't be fooled by the guy who claims to be running a "cutting-edge facility" that is based on "humane" animal treatment. His breeding facility is every bit as bad as any other puppy mill facility. The dogs are in wire cages without room to move (just look at the size of the kennels the Blue Merle Sheltie is in) and they have no social interaction or room to run. The guy claims that the hamster wheel he's got a dog running on is more humane than letting the dog run outside in the mud. Forgive my frustration, but OH PLEASE! Really? Even the hamster wheel is made out of wire and is probably hurting the dogs feet just as much as the cage he just came from. 

I guess what made me the most sad was seeing the Golden Retriever rescued by Main Line Animal Rescue (the same rescue group featured on Oprah Winfrey). She had been given up because she could no longer breed. Lucky for her Main Line was there to pick her up because many dogs are just shot and killed since they are no use to the breeder anymore. Looking at that Retriever was like looking at Daisy. 

The dog's belly hung down really low, as a result of the numerous litters she had had litters throughout her life. And,  it was clear that her puppies had been weened recently. Daisy's belly is also symbol of the number of litters she has had in her young life. As I have mentioned before, her vet said she was kept pregnant as often as was possible. She even said that if it were available, Daisy could have had a tummy tuck with all the stretched skin hanging down from her belly.

The Retriever also had scars on her head and snout  - the Main Line caregivers surmised that she had received these scars from dog fights - probably over food. I have long thought that Daisy's scars were received from other dogs, possibly in fights over a resource like food. No wonder she's so cautious about having me watch her eat.

The guy from Main Line Animal Rescue also said that many of these breeding dogs walk in a crouch (low to the ground) because of all the years spent living in a wire cage. Now I sit here wondering...Was the way Daisy walked (when I first got her) due to fear? Or, was it due to the living conditions at the puppy mill? Or, was it both? It had never occurred to me until today that her crouched walk could have been due to a wire floor. How sad. It makes me want to cry.

So I ask you..

What if instead of buying a dog from a pet store everyone went out and rescued a dog instead?

What if the laws in every state were stronger and we could do inspections of these facilities on a regular basis and shut don the ones that are inhumane?

What if we cared enough to NOT buy a dog from the back of a van or from a stall in sombody's barn?

What if we educated people on puppy mills and what happens there and where the puppies go?

What if we stopped giving these people a source of income?

What if....

Daisy's Tail

It suddenly occurred to me today how far my little Daisy has come over the past 14 months. 

As I was letting her inside this afternoon, and heading back into the house, I looked at her and patted her on the head. And, there she stood - wagging her tail at me. 

How did I ever miss that monumental moment when she first wagged her tail at me? When did it happen? How did I miss it? And, come to think of it...When did Daisy stop circling the car every time she came inside? When did I stop circling the car with her so I could hook a leash to her collar and lead her inside? So much progress and yet it passed by in the blink of an eye.

It's amazing what a little tail wag can do to brighten your mood! 

When I first got Daisy her tail was always tucked under her butt to signal her fear and uncertainty. This remained the case for many months afterwards. Everything was so new to her and people were not something she had a lot of confidence in, especially women. So, a tucked tail was completely understandable.

But eventually, over time her tail did come out and it would rest along the back of her legs, not tucked under like before. The tail wagging came much, much later. It may have been when she began to understand that when I asked her "Are you hungry?" food was soon to follow. Or, it may have been she realized that riding in the car usually meant she was going to the dog park to see her friends or hang out with family. Or, maybe, just maybe, it was when she realized that she was safe and that her new mom loved her a great deal. 

It makes me realize how much I have waited for this moment; when Daisy would wag her tail just because she was happy. Forget rainbows, just give me another Daisy day like today!

Daisy - Only one among the many

I recently saw this story on Twitter and couldn't help but share. Daisy is only one of the many dogs who are rescued from puppy mills each year. Like Daisy, Eva was in danger of being euthanized because many don't realize that a puppy mill dog can become a fairly well-adjusted dog if only given a chance. 

Check out Eva's story

And, if you feel like doing something about puppy mill dogs, go here.

Daisy - A Week of Firsts - Not done yet!

This past weekend, Daisy had a friend staying with us.  Mya is an Aussie who is sensitive and sweet all at the same time.  When Mya smiles she reminds me of Daisy because her whole face lights up.  Daisy feels very comfortable with her.

When Mya was dropped off on Sunday, she brought with her one of her favorite toys.  It's called the Tug-n-Toss and it looks like a big red rubber ball with a handle on the top.  It actually reminds me of a toy I had as a child called the Hoppity Horse. (Perhaps some of you will remember such a toy from your childhood!)

In the past, Daisy has never shown any interest in her toys, other than to carry it around in her mouth.  I've thrown many a tennis ball for other dogs that have stayed with us and Daisy's reaction has always been to go in the opposite direction or ignore the ball completely.  Even when her friend Sasha stayed with us, she showed only a mild interest in the ball or in Sasha retrieving the ball from the snow.

So, imagine my surprise when I threw the Tug-n-Toss out into the yard (for Mya) and Daisy came flying out of the garage and took off after it.  I think my jaw hit the ground! But, what happened next was just as amazing.  Daisy picked up the ball and started prancing around; running back and forth in the yard carrying the ball in her mouth!  Her tail was flying high and her head was up as if she were really proud of herself. It was quite simply, amazing. Perhaps one of the most spectacular moments I have had since adopting Daisy.  

Who would have ever guessed? Not me. I honestly have to say that I never expected Daisy to ever learn how to "play".  Because of the number of years she spent in a puppy mill, I had decided early on that I would just be happy if Daisy were happy and felt safe. Who could have ever guessed that she would once again surprise me and do another "first" after completing a week of "firsts"? 

I bet you can guess what I did after dropping Mya off at home yesterday. Yep! Daisy now has her very own Tug-n-Toss! When I threw it into the yard yesterday she ran after it and tried to retrieve it, but she couldn't figure out how to pick it up. That's because Mya's ball is caved in on two sides and when Daisy retrieved Mya's ball she was able to pick it up on the side (vs. the handle). She's still interested in her new toy, but she is still trying to figure out how to pick it up (she hasn't discovered the handle yet). Luckily, Mya is coming back this weekend. I am sincerely hoping she will work her magic on Daisy's new ball and make it deflate a little so Daisy can pick it up more easily.  I'll keep you posted on what happens! Go Daisy Go!