Puppy Mill Awareness Day (PMAD) began in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 2003 and started a plethora of awareness days around nation and the world. For several years no events were held in Lancaster County for puppy mill awareness.
This year, the free event, A Day of Hope and Help for the Mill Dogs, will be held at 901 Buchanan Avenue, Buchanan Park, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603. It runs from 10 AM – 3PM.
According to Carol Araneo-Mayer, organizer of this year’s event and one of the original PMAD organizers, “A Day of Hope and Help for the Mills is focused on education.” Many of the rescue groups in attendance are “hands-on” according to Mayer. There will be 57 rescues and vendors at the event.
“We are in the heart of downtown Lancaster at Buchanan Park across from Franklin and Marshall College. This event is family and child friendly with a very large craft area and face painting for the kids. We are going to have a Survivor and Friends Parade which is being lead by Libre the most famous puppy mill pup in recent history.” Directly after the parade, there will be a Blessing of the animals by father Rob and Rev Lauren from St. James Episcopal Church.
Libre, the puppy mill survivor who was at death’s door before being rescued by a produce driver. Libre has the honor of heading up the Survivor’s Parade! Here is Libre today!!
Doggie games will take place at 11 AM.
Victoria Stillwell will be the featured guest speaker from 11:30 AM- 12:30 with a Q & A session included for the public.
Poor Richards will be the musical entertainment starting at 12:30 PM. Poor Richards is a local group from F & M college.
The Survivor and Friends Parade begins at 1 PM with the Blessing of the Animals directly after it.
Laura Bolle, artist, will be at the event – enter to win a signed drawing of your pet or child! Event photographer Elbe Pet Photography will be taking photos during the event which are also available to be used for your adoptable pets!
This is a family and pet friendly event for all to enjoy. There will be crafts, games, and prizes for the kiddies. Each family that brings a pet will receive a special gift.
There is Free Parking at the Tylus for the first 200 cars. There will be a variety of food trucks for your dining pleasure.
You are urged to bring a blanket or chairs.
Visit www.puppymillawarenessaap.org for more information.
Puppy mill is a term used by many animal advocates/activists to describe the commercial breeding facilities where dogs are bred for their puppies who are sold at pet stores and/or over the internet. According to the USDA which regulates and licenses the mills, the dogs are defined as livestock! As livestock, the mill owners don’t view the dogs as pets or family members as so many of us do. They are forced to live in small cages/kennels for their entire lives with little or no human contact. When the dogs are no longer considered “viable” to the mill owners, they are disposed of and not in a humane manner.
There are two answers to stop puppy mills – Do not shop for a puppy at a pet store ever! Do not purchase a puppy over the internet from a breeder who has multiple breeds of puppies for sale. This is a puppy mill. When you buy a puppy from them, you are helping the mills stay in business and contributing to the hell these dogs must be forced to endure.
We have weak laws on the books to “protect” dogs in commercial kennels. However, the laws aren’t stopping these innocent dogs from living in the most deplorable conditions, with no social interaction, treated like a cash crop and horribly treated when they are destroyed. Unless those dogs are fortunate enough to be saved by an animal rescue, the lives of these dogs are doomed from the start.
Commercial kennels aka puppy mills must be outlawed! There is no other way to stop this madness.
Please do not shop anywhere for a puppy. Adoption is the answer!!
Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein is a television talk show host, speaker, writer and animal advocate. She hosts the show, ” A Close-Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues.” Have a story, please email Tina at tevangelistaepp@yahoo. Like my tv page at https://www.facebook.com/ACloseUpLookAtAnimalWelfareIssues and check out AnimalWelfareIssues.com for all the tv shows you may have missed!
How does this day help too end puppy mills? They keep holding these events and the only people who go are people involved with animals already. I don’t think it serves a purpose to stop puppy mills. Something else should be done.
I agree. It’s a worthwhile cause but it speaks only to the choir of those singing the angst of puppy mills. It isnt’ teaching anyone new anything they don’t know. I’ve gone to many in the past and saw the same faces. Animal activists know about the atrocities of puppy mills. This needs a much larger platform that gets a lot of media attention on a regular basis. Even on youtube or something like that will reach more people. Go where the masses are, not a small park.
I am happy to report that this weekend just two of the live videos done by Victoria Stilwell reached 497,000 and 154,000 views. The masses are watching we are very happy to say.
We believe it gets the word out. There are at least 497,000 people who now know about the Puppy Mills in Lancaster County. The video of the survivor parade and Victoria’s talk at the beginning was also seen by 152,000 viewers but we will assume that they are the same people involved in the original 497,000 views.
As for something else being done. The groups in PA have long been working hard on changing the laws, but sadly this is an industry that won’t go away unless people stop buying puppies in pet stores and on the internet (where most of the dogs are now being sold). This event tried to reach the families with children and we believe we had great success. This park was in the middle of town surrounded by a college and those who came were not just animal people our craft area was filled with families with children who came to enjoy the day and hear the message. We believe it was a great success.
It’s only a success if people stop buying from pet stores and online. That takes a herculean effort. One day of vendors and one so so speaker isn’t going to change it. I’m not trying to rain on your parade.
The laws in PA are bad for dogs stuck in puppy mills. They barely cover the basic needs for them. Puppy mills are listed under the Dep’t of Agriculture which is ridiculous. There need to be changes. Unfortunately, legislators take way too long to pass bills to protect animals in the state. Call, write or visit your legislators!! Let your voice be heard!
Wish I could’ve made it but had to go to another event. Hope all went well.
I wish they would have done the Walk of Shame through Lancaster County. That really got to the puppy mill owners. The signs and large group of people walking really made a statement. That was one way to reach other people other than those who know about puppy mills.
meow
Now what happens? Nothing. Back to normal where people buy puppies from pet stores. Sad.