LETTERS

Adopt, don't shop in RI

Posted 6/4/19

To the Editor: As the founder and president of a Cranston dog rescue, I'm proud of Speaker Nicholas Mattiello's work to build momentum on animal protection efforts in the General Assembly. The Rhode Island House of Representatives has the opportunity to

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LETTERS

Adopt, don't shop in RI

Posted

To the Editor:

As the founder and president of a Cranston dog rescue, I'm proud of Speaker Nicholas Mattiello's work to build momentum on animal protection efforts in the General Assembly.

The Rhode Island House of Representatives has the opportunity to continue this important work by supporting H.5072, a bill to direct the pet market away from pet stores and puppy mills and towards humane sources like shelters, rescues or local responsible family breeders.

Puppy-selling pet stores in Rhode Island have a terrible history of selling puppies sourced from inhumane commercial breeding operations known as puppy mills. In a puppy mill, a breeding female may live her entire life in a cramped, wire cage. She may never feel the grass on her paws, or the love or kind hand of a human, and she can be bred repeatedly until her body can no longer produce puppies, and then she can be killed.

Unfortunately, puppy mill puppies are often purchased by brokers who stuff them into overcrowded cages on dark trucks and deliver them to pet stores around the country. This results in puppies that are often sick, under-socialized and ill-prepared for life outside a cage. As the owner of a Cranston dog training business, I often see the long-term effects for these puppies who come to me with resulting behavioral issues.

A few times a week brokers drop off truckloads of puppies at Rhode Island pet stores and then head back to puppy mills to re-load and do it all over again. H.5072, with the help and support of Speaker Mattiello, would be a step towards ending this terrible cycle of neglect and abuse.

Heather Gutshall

President and Executive Director

Handsome Dan's Rescue

Comments

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  • KimLorene

    Keep up the good work Heather! I have two dogs that I love so much. Both adopted...one from RISCPA and the other from a family that could no longer care for him.

    Thursday, June 6, 2019 Report this