A good friend contacted me today to make me aware of it being National Puppy Mill Awareness Day. I never knew. The thought did make me ponder a bit and led to this post.

Many people buy puppies. When buying from a reputable breeder that is perfectly fine. Unfortunately, many pet stores and supposed breeders are actually fronts for one of the most vile animal abuse types there are...the puppy mill. Sometimes called puppy "farms," these money churning facilities often keep dogs crammed in hutches as livestock, not considering the emotional and physical toll it takes on these animals bred and created for human companionship. These poor dogs are kept in their hutch, or cage, for their entire lives. Most females are kept five years, the most productive, before being destroyed. Males and females are kept in their cages, walking on wires, where they are forced to eat, defecate, and struggle for their very survival with the only human interaction being feeding, watering, and forced breeding. Sometimes the dogs are permanently and purposefully injured to prevent them from barking so neighbors won't realize what is happening right next door.

As you read through our web site you discover the history of Gangsta Dog and our two Norwich Terriers (who aren't Norwich Terriers at all). What you haven't seen or heard about are our other two dogs (yes, we have four).

Every day I get an email from Adopt-A-Pet. December 2017 I saw the little boy on the left in the photo above. He was a two year old Yorkshire Terrier rescued by the Bedford Indiana Humane Society from a puppy mill. I immediately contacted them to adopt him. After I was approved and went to the Humane Society I discovered there were many Yorkies rescued from the same puppy mill. One of them, little Gigi, was asleep on the floor in a tiny bed. I asked about her, but she was already spoken for and was supposed to be picked up by her new people the same day. I asked them to call me if the people changed their minds.

The male was two years old. He didn't have a name. He'd had no socialization. He lived in a cage his entire life and was only allowed out to breed. He was going to be a challenge as he was starting from zero regarding socialization, housebreaking, and manners in general. The poor guy had a massive callous on his neck from where he would be grabbed and moved for breeding.

The little male went home with us. We put him in a crate in the back of our Jeep and his first stop was the vet. While we were told they had all their shots and were micro-chipped we wanted to make sure this was a healthy little guy.

At home we put him in diapers and let him explore the house. He tried to mark absolutely everything, including me, my wife, and the other dogs. We named him Copper because of the color of his hair and started working with him immediately on training and manners. He was given a crate, which he took to very well, considering his past.

On Monday the Humane Society called and told us the people never showed up to get the female and asked if we still wanted her. We eagerly said, "yes!"

During the week, Copper was timid and reclusive. He'd growl at the other two dogs constantly. He craved attention like a starving man craves food. Being pet and handled was new and he wanted all he could get. However, it was obvious he wasn't a happy dog.

The following Saturday we picked up little Gigi. She was a tiny, trembling girl, five years old, who had just delivered her ninth litter of puppies (which were also up for adoption). She was greasy and smelled awful. My wife held her the entire trip home. The poor little thing cowered in the crook of her arm, trying her best to hide. Her belly was black and stretched from the abuse of over breeding. Her first stop was also the vet.

When we got her home and she walked in the door, the demeanor of both her and Copper changed instantly. Their tails started wagging and they rushed to see each other. They were obviously bonded. It was even possible that Copper had been one of her puppies from one of her early litters.

The adoptions were a challenge. Both dogs had bad teeth that had to be removed. They were emaciated. Copper had severe infections in both ears and ear mites. He also had tape worms. Gigi brought giardia into the house and spread it to all the dogs. Nothing is more frustrating than having four dogs with diarrhea. Needless to say, the house smelled like a swimming pool from all the cleaner with bleach we went through. We had carpet in all the bedrooms, and the dogs ruined all of it. We pulled all of it up and put in hardwood floors. We also went through a large number of dog beds. They can only be washed so many times before they explode.

When we got her home and she walked in the door, the demeanor of both her and Copper changed instantly. Their tails started wagging and they rushed to see each other. They were obviously bonded. It was even possible that Copper had been one of her puppies from one of her early litters.

We conquered all the illnesses, stopped the diarrhea, got the dogs groomed, and crate trained them for nearly five months. The experience has been one of the most rewarding I have ever had. The Yorkies are terrific little family members who are cuddly little angels that express their gratitude for their second chance at life the entire time they are with us. Copper still struggles with someone reaching for him. He cowers to the floor. But, once he discovers the touch is reassuring and affectionate he bursts to life wanting more and more attention. He has never learned how to play and we are still working on that.

At the top of this post are Copper's before and after pictures. On the left was him at the Humane Society. On the right is him tonight, nine months later.

Can a rescue be a struggle? Yes, but not much more than raising a new puppy. It is different because you don't know the full history of a rescue. They may have come from an environment that has tainted them on their view of the world. However, where a new puppy grows into a member of the family with certain expectations for care, a rescue discovers that life can be wonderful and they often grow into a member of the family who wants to express their gratitude. This expression is something so dear and pure that it steals my heart on a daily basis.

I love all of my dogs. My two mixed breed purchased pups are like children to me. My two rescues express themselves in ways I've never seen from any of my previous dogs (and I've had many).

If you want to get a new dog, add one to your current pack, or replace one you've lost, consider a rescue. It will be work, but it will be rewarding in ways that can't be described in a simple blog. We don't have words for it.