Dogs Trust have launched their #StopKeepingMum campaign to highlight the terrible conditions that dogs suffer in Puppy Farms around Ireland. Something that is very common in Ireland.
If you are considering purchasing a puppy online this Christmas then please make sure you ask to see the mother of the dog so you can see what type of conditions they are being kept in. Any responsible dog breeder will allow you to do this so don’t be afraid to ask.
If they won’t show you where the dog is being kept and introduce you to the Mother then walk away from the purchase. If you think that it is a Puppy Farm then contact the local authorities to report your concerns.
Dogs Trust are too familiar with the terrible conditions that dogs are kept in at Puppy Farms with profit being the main focus of the owners. Mothers are used to produce litter after litter with no concern for their welfare.
Their recent promotional video is aimed to make people more aware of the terrible conditions that these dogs face and encourage us to do something about it.
Simply put if you don’t purchase these puppies then there will be no demand for them. You might think it’s a cute puppy, but take a minute to consider it’s mum and the conditions she will remain in.
Mark Beazley, Dogs Trust Executive Director, explains,
“The reality that is seldom talked about and ‘kept mum’ is that these dogs are often locked away in shocking conditions, many times in darkness, without positive human interaction or socialisation and kept as breeding machines, producing litter after litter for years on end and then callously discarded when they get too old”
“November sees the highest number of puppies being advertised online for the Christmas market and we felt we had to highlight to the public where a lot of these puppies you see online actually come from and what atrocious conditions their mums are forced to endure to produce what often end up as unwanted Christmas presents. We want to remind people of our slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ which was coined over 38 years ago and remains just as relevant today. Very often homes can be quite hectic during the festive season and it may not be the best time for a dog, especially a puppy, to be introduced into a home where the normal routine is disrupted. In the New Year, when the Christmas festivities have died down, we would encourage those ready to make the commitment to consider adopting a dog from your local rescue centre, local pound and Dogs Trust”.
What Can You Do To Help With The #StopKeepingMum Campaign?
If you want to make the promise to protect mum then visit www.stopkeepingmum.com and register your signature.
It’s only by people sharing this message far and wide that people can become more educated about purchasing puppies online.
The internet has made getting a puppy very easy but why not consider getting a rescue or if you want a particular breed then go to a registered breeder.