Because of One Dog. National Puppy Mill Awareness Day: Lily’s Story
Do you have a puppy you love? Today is National Puppy Mill Awareness Day, founded in 2003 to educate the public about the abusive, horrendous conditions and practices inside of commercial dog breeding facilities, better known as puppy mills. I’ve heard a lot over the years about one of the biggest national organizations that rescue, rehabilitate and re-home puppy mill survivors – National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR). And, if they do make it out, these dogs truly are survivors.
NMDR was founded in 2007, Because of One Dog. I want to share the story of Lily, one woman’s inspiration for the founding of NMDR, and whose strength and courage so inspired me.
Lily’s Story (as told on NMDR’s site)
“National Mill Dog Rescue was established in February 2007, in honor of a forgiving little Italian Greyhound named Lily. Theresa Strader, NMDR’s Founder and Executive Director, rescued Lily from a dog auction in Missouri. Prior to that day, Lily had spent the first seven years of her life as a commercial breeding dog, a puppy mill mom. Determined that her years of living in misery would not be in vain, Strader started NMDR, giving a voice to mill dogs across the country. During her years as a breeding dog, Lily spent all of her days confined to a small, cold wire cage in a dark, foul-smelling barn. Never was she removed from her cage for exercise or socialization. In her dreary confines, Lily was forced to produce one litter after another with no respite. Like all commercial breeding dogs, she was a veritable breeding machine whose worth was measured in only one way – her ability to produce puppies.
By seven years of age, Lily was worn out. Commonplace in the industry, she had received little to no veterinary care throughout her life, the result of which, for her, was terribly disturbing. Due to years of no dental care, poor quality food, rabbit bottle watering and no appropriate chew toys, the roof of Lily’s mouth and lower jaw, had rotted away. Her chest was riddled with mammary tumors and she was absolutely terrified of people. Theresa brought Lily and twelve others home from the auction and declares that even for a highly seasoned rescuer, the following months were the education of a lifetime in rehabilitation. That she would take up the cause for the mill dogs was never in question and National Mill Dog Rescue was promptly underway.”
Theresa’s husband, Rich Strader, fills in some details about Lily’s short life with their family. “When she came to me, I took her to work everyday and she slept in the warmth of my Irish Wolfhound’s stomach. She slowly learned to trust and in seven months she would come to me to get on my lap! She now loves all humans as no one will ever hurt her again.”
“Lily is my inspiration. She can teach anyone about love, courage and the ability to forgive. Unfortunately, the cancer she acquired through years of neglect is now close to ending her life. I have promised her she will never be alone again and I will be with her at the end. To date she is responsible for saving over 7700 dogs as she is the inspiration and founder of MDRN.”
“Lily died in my arms May 13, 2008. She will be missed.”
What can I do so that Lily’s suffering wasn’t in vain?
No living being should ever have to experience what Lily did during those seven years in a puppy mill. Finally, from the tireless work of the NMDR and other organizations and individuals who share this mission, more and more people are aware of the plight of these dogs and many mill busts have been made. But, there are still around 10,000 puppy mills in this country, as per the Best Friends Animal Society site. 10,000! How can we help to eradicate these hells for dogs?
- We can never buy a dog from a pet store, as pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills. Don’t support their business based in misery and death. Often, the puppies from mills come to pet stores with illness and disease or personality problems from being removed from contact with their mothers too early.
- We can choose to adopt. The more people adopt, the less money goes to the puppy mills.
- We can be very careful about dogs advertised on the internet. Sometimes, these are puppy mill dogs’ puppies and purchasing them perpetuates that mill’s business.
Check out this video from Best Friends Animal Society that makes it very clear in a friendly way, how powerful adoption is in making puppy mills a shameful thing of the past (I promise you’ll never have to turn away from this video, or even have to grab the tissue box).
How else can I help?
- Foster homes are always needed. If you’re able to foster a puppy mill survivor, you can be one of their first experiences of love and good care. Often, these dogs have spent years in these conditions and are terrified of humans, because humans have only brought them misery. You can start to reverse this process for one life.
- You can donate to National Mill Dog Rescue or other reputable puppy mill rescue organizations. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
- You can donate supplies to a puppy mill rescue organization.
On May 31st, National Mill Dog Rescue recently rescued and placed their 10,000th mill dog since 2007. These dogs are now living as cherished family members across the United States. It happened all “Because of One Dog.”
You might also like to read: A Letter to Lily’s Breeder
A powerfully written poem honoring Lily, after her death.
Find out more about National Mill Dog Rescue and donate to them here.
A beautiful memorial to Lily
This memorial sculpture of Lily, was created by sculptor Louise Peterson. When she heard that NMDR co-founders, Teresa and Rich Strader, lost their home in the Black Forest fire of 2013, including a memorial to Lily at her gravesite, she was so moved by the photo below of Lily, that she agreed to give her sculpting time free of charge. “I hope additional castings of this sculpture will help spread awareness of the suffering of mill dogs and the educating of the public not to buy puppies on the internet or in pet stores. This was a heartbreaking sculpture to create but I believe it is my most powerful piece to date,” shared Louise.
All photos courtesy of National Mill Dog Rescue.
Do you know a puppy mill survivor? Are you spreading the word?
I have a pup who I got from a store. Turns out she’s from a puppy mill she has a disease called Adisons. She almost died in my arms I wouldn’t or couldn’t be able to forgive my self if something happened to her. We get her 2 shots a month each shot is $800 she will always be considered a survivor to me. She is 5 now and as happy as ever.
Grace, so so happy to hear your baby is fine. It’s tragic how many people, including me at one time, didn’t know where pet store puppies came from. Now that more and more people do, I hope they will choose not to give their hard-earned dollars to these stores so the money making avenues will dry up and puppy mills will just go out of business.
This is beautifully shared, Jody. Puppy Mills are awful and the more people that know about them, the quicker we can get people to stop purchasing Puppy Mill puppies. Thanks for the heart you put into it and helping to spread the word.