Several family members and friends are enamoured of all things Amish. Personally, I can take them or leave them. I don't like decorating with Amish-type decor and I'm not trying to brag, but I'm pretty sure my cooking can stand up to their best. I have no problem with people who like these things. But, if you are one of the Amish culture admirers, are you also aware that they are some of the worst perpetrators of puppy mills?
On Saturday, I attended The National Quarter Horse Congress at the Ohio State Fairgrounds with visiting family. It's an annual event that showcases the quarter horse breed with competitions, demonstrations and vendors, lots of vendors. I kept seeing people walking around with puppies, either in their arms or on a leash. I asked one person if she had bought the puppy there. She replied that there was a large tent set up on the north side of the fairgrounds where you could get just about any breed of dog. I thought that was kind of weird, but whatever. Then I kept noticing young Amish folks walking around. Then it hit me! DING, DING, DING, DING! Puppy mill people! I was really upset, but we were leaving and I was dog-tired and didn't feel like getting into a confrontation. Of course, not all puppy mills are run by the Amish. There are lots of other greedy people out there, too.
Consequently, there is an editorial in today's Columbus Dispatch concerning puppy mills and the attempts to pass into law legislation that would create a division in the Ohio Department of Agriculture. This division would set and enforce minimum humane standards which would include adequate living space, food, water, daylight, time out of cages and medical care. There have been many attempts to pass this legislation and it has always been struck down by lobbyists who claim that it would hurt legitimate breeders. The bills have been changed to satisfy their demands and yet retain the essential elements needed to protect these innocent animals from being abused.
Please visit Jo Ann's pet rescue blog and find out what you can do to help get this bill passed before the current Ohio Legislative session ends.
I just keep thinking about all those little puppies and how many of them are going to end up in shelters, because the new owners made an impulse buy without doing any research about the breed they bought. Please contact your Ohio state senators and representatives and help regulate these operations by urging them to vote on House Bill #223 or Senate Bill #173.
