Did You Miss Oprah's Puppy Mill Episode?

Thanks to investigator Lisa Ling, who went undercover into a handful of Pennsylvania puppy mills, the April 4 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show revealed to millions of viewers what goes on in these large-scale breeding facilities. This important episode will be re-aired Thursday, May 29, 4:00 P.M. EST. Raising awareness is one of the most important ways to effect change, so please don't miss your chance to see the realities of this industry.

Ways You Can Help Fight Puppy Mills (ASPCA):

1. Do not buy your puppy from a Pet Store. That puppy who charmed you through the pet shop window has most likely come from a large-scale, substandard commercial breeding facility, commonly known as a puppy mill. In these facilities, parent dogs are caged and bred as often as possible, and give birth to puppies who could have costly medical problems you might not become aware of until after you bring your new pet home.


2. Make adoption your first option. If you’re looking to make a puppy part of your family, check your local shelters or breed specific rescues. Not only will you be saving a life, but you will ensure that your money is not going to support a puppy mill.


3. Know how to recognize a responsible breeder. If you choose to buy from a breeder, remember that responsible breeders have their dogs’ interests in mind. They are not simply interested in making a sale, but in placing their pups in good homes. A responsible breeder should screen you as thoroughly as you screen them!


4. See where your puppy was born and bred. One sign that you are speaking to an unscrupulous breeder is that they will not let you see the facility in which your puppy was born. Always ask to see the breeding premises and to meet both parents (or at least the mother) of the puppy you want to take home.


5. Internet buyers beware! Buying a puppy from the Internet is as risky as buying from a pet store. If you buy a puppy based on a picture and a phone call, you have no way of seeing the puppy’s breeding premises or meeting his parents.

Too Late ...

The following video is about the commercial dog breeding industry, often referred to as puppy mills. Many people do not know this "invisible" industry even exists but it does and it leads to the death of millions of animals in shelters every year.

Remember to tune in to Oprah Winfrey today for Lisa Ling's special investigative report on puppy mills.

Set Your DVRs!

Winfrey Dedicates Show To Her Late Dog

CHICAGO - Oprah Winfrey plans to dedicate a show investigating abuses at puppy mills to her cocker spaniel, Sophie, who died last month from kidney failure.

"Sophie gave me 13 years of unconditional love. She was a true love in my life," Winfrey says on the broadcast scheduled to air Friday. (Advance remarks from the show were released Tuesday by Harpo Productions.)

The show features special correspondent Lisa Ling investigating puppy mills, which Ling calls "horrific" and "haunting."

Winfrey says the show is "for anybody anywhere who loves a dog, has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic right to humane treatment."

While Sophie was not a product of a puppy mill, and Winfrey's three current dogs were adopted from breeders, Winfrey says in the future she would look to adopt from an animal shelter.

"I would never, ever adopt another pet now without going to a shelter to do it. I am a changed woman after seeing this show," she says.