CHARLESTON, SC (WCBD) – Pet lovers in the Lowcountry are sticking up for man’s best friend by standing up against animal cruelty in some puppy mills.
Poor treatment of these animals can lead them to be sick and leave owners waiting in the er for hours with their pet.
For some animals, this bad treatment can begin at first bark and end at their last.
Advocates say that in some mills, when a mother dog is spent, they hear stories of them being shot and buried in the back and they can be drowned.
In some mills, animals are typically spending their entire lives in cramped tiny wire floor cages.
In addition, some are denied basic vet care, socialization, exercise and nutritious food.
“Those animals have lived their entire life in misery and never received an ounce of love never touched their paws to grass,” says Meredith Blanchard with the Humane Society of the United States.
Some mills can also be very loud and stressful environments which can cause the animals to become ill.
“They treat these dogs like a commodity instead of the special companions that they truly are,” says Steven Futeral, a local pet owner.
Advocates say they’re hoping that this information will bring about a humane pet store ordinance.
“That ordinance just says that the retail sale of puppies and kittens is banned we still facilitate and encourage the adoption events that help our local shelters get animals out of their doors but the retail sale where we are seeing the importation of sick puppies from out of state that would come to an end,” says Kelsey Gilmore Futeral with the Humane Society of the United States.
For this to happen, advocates are asking citizens to get involved and be a voice for those who don’t have one.
“We really want dorchester county and council to take action to protect their citizens and their pets,” says Futeral.
For people who are looking to get involved with this cause, you can visit the link here.
