Sam's Story: Would You Want Your Pet To End Up Like This?

This was Sam when he came into rescue. He was so full of mats, we could hardly tell there was a dog under there. Still, he looked at his rescuers and wagged his tail. Despite everything, he liked humans.

Sam - and the other five puppymill dogs retrieved the same day -  went straight to be groomed. It literally took hours to chop the mats out of Sam's coat. They had pulled his skin so badly that, once he was finished, his skin was red and irritated all over. There was an abundance of feces stuck beneath the lumps. Can you tell what part of Sam is pictured at right? Here's a clue: That's his face in the upper right corner. Sam's head and ears were horribly matted. He was loaded his fleas, as well. How miserable do you think Sam felt in this condition?

When we peeled the fur off his legs, we found his dewclaws had grown into the flesh (see left). Grainy, dried blood filled the area around them. The damage could not even be seen until after the mats had been removed. Right, see a picture of Sam's paws, before and after.

And now for the really scary part: Sam had been someone's pet at one time. How do I know this? Because when I got him home, he laid down in a cuddler bed like he knew what it was. Dogs who've spent their whole lives in mills don't do this. At bedtime, Sam jumped up on my bed and lay next to me. He had been cared for once, so you might ask: How did Sam end up in a puppymill in such awful condition?

The answer is pretty sad: Sam's owner tired of him and was not particular about where Sam ended up. Sam had not been neutered. Perhaps his owner sold him in the local paper, or offered him "free to a good home".  Some puppymiller or broker packed up her kids who were taught to plead, "Oh, Mommy, I love him! Can we have him?" and posed as a family who would give Sam a loving home. They saw a cheap breeder dog. They cared nothing about Sam or his welfare - only the profit he could bring.

Think because your dog is spayed it's safe to give away? Think again. Puppymillers take these dogs when they are offered for free, and swap them to other breeders. That's right - they cheat each other, too.

Sam's life is looking up now. He is clean, free of parasites, and resting comfortably in a foster home until his permanent family comes along. The photo at left was taken the day after he arrived in rescue. You can see how irritated his skin was by the mats, fleas, and heat rash. But it's being treated with soothing medications, and Sam actually enjoys having them rubbed on his sore spots. It feels so good to be clean!

There is something you can do: When you see a "free to good home" ad in your local paper, call the number and send the person who placed it this link. If you know someone giving a dog away, help them find a rescue in their area. Help prevent other pets from having to endure the horror of life in a puppymill.

Special thanks to Rebecca Apponey of Wee Widdle Woofies in Granite City, Illinois who worked tirelessly to restore Sam, and the five other mill dogs he arrived with, to a state of cleanliness and comfort. Her generosity has made a tremendous difference in the lives of these puppymill survivors. Please contact Rebecca for excellent grooming and boarding at 2702 Roosevelt, Granite City, IL 62040. Phone: 618-877-7305