Take Action!

       Media stories on the horrors endured by puppy mill dogs such as Boogie, featured in Part One of WTMJ's April 07 puppy mill exposé, have ignited a public outcry for action.

       Our law makers are listening. Please see our In the Legislature: What's Happening in WI page for the lastest updates on AB-250, THE COMMERCIAL DOG BREEDERS LICENSURE BILL, which was recently introduced into both Houses of the WI Legislature. Below are some things that you can do to help get this bill passed into law.

   Contact your STATE legislators!

        NOW is the time to contact your WI State Senators and Representatives -- via emails, phone calls, and letters -- to let them know how YOU feel about puppy mills!  It is our STATE representatives who will be debating and voting on a "Pet Facilities Law" for Wisconsin.

• Find your state representatives by visiting http://www.legis.state.wi.us./ Click on "Who Represents Me" in the middle of the page.

• Check our AB-250 Cosponsors page to see if your representatives are supporting this bill. If they are, THANK them and ask them to stay firm in their support. If they are not, please ask them to consider the need for legislation and the merits of AB-250. Ask them to support it as it goes through the legislative process. Tell them, in your own words, why you feel it is important to license, inspect and set standards of care for Wisconsin's dog industry.

• See our Contacting Your Elected Officials page for tips, Talking Points, and a sample letter format.

• Encourage them to read the January 09 Milwaukee Magazine article, "Puppy Hell," for a concise history / overview of puppy mills in Wisconsin.

      Read "Puppy Hell"   

• Send them the link to our Media page (below) and ask them to view the videos and see for themselves the conditions in pet breeding facilities in Wisconsin.

       http://www.nowisconsinpuppymills.com/media.html     

• Remind them that these facilities are not only unhealthy for the animals, but also for customers, as discussed in Part Two of WTMJ's April 07 exposé, which features Max, a boxer with Brucellosis -- a disease that can be transmitted to humans.

• In the article that Animal Planet's Victorial Stilwell has written for us, she says, "It is time for the legislators to sit up and take note because the practice of puppy milling has an impact on us all." Email your legislators the link to the article online, or download the printable version and "snail-mail" it to them.

       http://www.nowisconsinpuppymills.com/victoria-stilwell-article.html     

• Remind your representatives that there are more pet lovers than Republicans or Democrats!

   Peaceful Protest!

       The recent HSUS investigation linking Petland to puppy mills graphically documents what we have known all along: even though management will deny it, the vast majority of puppies sold in pet stores are bred in "commercial breeding facilities," aka puppy mills!

       Petstore and dog auction protests are a very good way to let the public know exactly where that "doggie in the window" came from. There are several groups who actively protest petstores in Wisconsin; for instance, the Milwaukee Pet Store Protest Group has events scheduled for every month in 2009. Many participants bring their puppy mill survivors, like Bentley here, so that passers-by will see first-hand, the effects of conditions in commercial breeding facilities, and ask to hear the dogs' stories. (Click here for Bentley's!)

       To be most effective, protesters check in with local police departments to find out local ordinances and where they may legally protest; don't interfere with traffic into and out of the stores they are protesting, and are always polite and non-confrontational to passers-by.

       See our Events Calendar for dates, locations, and contact info for upcoming protests in Wisconsin -- You are MORE than welcome to join any of them! Remember, dress for the weather, as you will be outside, and bring a sign or a poster if you can. If you can't make one for some reason, don't let that stop you -- let organizers know you are coming, and they will very likely have extras on-site. Your just being there is VERY important!

       For more details, including a "Protester's Pledge" of things to remember when organizing a peaceful protest and links to photo albums with pictures of signs, please see our new Peaceful Protest page!

    Peaceful Protest    

    HSUS Investigation Links Petland to Puppy Mills   

    Calendar of Upcoming Protests & Events   

    Milwaukee Pet Store Protest Group   

   Volunteer!

       There are many ways you can volunteer to help end suffering in Wisconsin Puppy Mills. Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project's greatest need at the moment is for people to help us Get the Word Out, either through protests or through informational tables/booths at pet-themed events, county fairs, shelter fund-raisers, etc.

       The photo at right shows the table that the No Wisconsin Puppy Mills Group in Appleton, Wisconsin, set up at the Oshkosh Pet Expo in March 2008. We THANK THEM for distributing stacks of information, gathering signatures on the petition to our lawmakers (see below for petition details) and collecting donations for the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project! (Click on photo or link below for larger view and details!)

    More about the table at the Oshkosh Pet Expo   

    Calendar of Upcoming Protests & Events   

       If you are not comfortable attending a protest or manning an informational table for WPMP, you can also help fight puppy mills in Wisconsin by volunteering for a local shelter or rescue that works with mill dogs. Check your phone book or www.petfinder.com to find a shelter or rescue near you to offer your particular talents!

    General suggestions for Volunteer Opportunities at Shelters/Rescues    

   Sign or Circulate a Petition:

       In addition to your individual letter to your state representatives (see above) asking them to author or sponsor a new, strong, Pet Facilities Bill, you may wish to sign or help circulate a petition. We now have two ways for you to do this:

1.  Online Petition: For those of you who like the simplicity of clicking and typing, please take five minutes to reinforce your support by signing the online petition created by our partners at Clark County Humane Society, in the heart of Wisconsin's new puppy mill capital.

2.  Traditional Paper Petition:        For those of you who aren't comfortable giving information such as your name and address online, Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project has a traditional paper petition available. This petition reads:

"We, the undersigned residents of Wisconsin, respectfully request Governor Doyle and the Wisconsin Legislature to actively pursue legislation to LICENSE, INSPECT and SET STANDARD of HUMANE CARE for pet animals bred and or sold in Wisconsin.

"Further, as consumers and concerned citizens, we believe that pet animals are NOT 'agricultural products.' We believe they require standards of care that are specifically suited for their species and breed. Those standards must include socialization and proper housing, exercise, food, water and veterinary care. PLEASE HELP STOP the Puppy Mill Industry that is growing at an alarming rate here in Wisconsin. It harms people and pets. It's time to protect both."

      Download and Print Traditional Paper Petition     

       These petitions will be forwarded to Wisconsin Legislators when the new Commerical Dog Breeders Licensure Bill is submitted to the Legislature for consideration. Your ongoing support is critical to this bill being passed!

   Place or Sponsor a Classified Ad!

       Check out the "Pets" section of the classified ads in your local newspaper. Are there a lot of listings for puppies/kittens? Chances are, most of these people are pet profiteers -- either puppy millers or backyard breeders.

        For several years, Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project has been countering puppy mill advertising with educational ads warning about puppy mills and urging people NOT to buy. But we could use your help.

       Place your own educational ads in the newspapers where people are "shopping" for pets, and let them know the facts about pet profiteers vs responsible breeders. Click here for details and some sample ads placed by the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project.

       Or -- make a donation to sponsor WPMP's ads by clicking on the PayPal link below! (See our DONATE! page for information on donating by check or money order.)

   Watch our Website:

We are updating frequently with new information and ways our supporters can help: Order some bumper stickers. Download a window sign, poster, or flyer. Download a factsheet or brochure. Show Your Colors With a T-Shirt. Watch for dates of round-table events where you can tell your legislators face to face how you feel. Make a donation to help with the cost of educational materials such as ads and billboards. Take a look at our What YOU Can Do page for more ideas.

   Educate, Educate, EDUCATE!

Using the resources listed above and elsewhere on this website, learn all you can, and pass it along! The Number One reason puppy mills have been allowed to flourish in Wisconsin is that most people in the state have been ignorant of their existence. We've even provided a great graphic for you to use to link to to the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project website! (Click here for image file and html for the animated tile graphic at left.)

   Be patient, and NEVER give up.

       The legislative process will take time, and we understand your frustration--we've been working to get new laws passed since 1999 and know how extremely difficult it is to be patient. However, with your help, this time, we'll have the grassroots support to convince our legislators to author and pass a strong and concise law that will apply to ALL commercial breeders and sellers of pets, not just those who sell wholesale.

       Our opposition is hoping that we will get tired and quit. That isn't going to happen! With your help, we are going to win this war against the institutionalized animal abuse of the pet industry in Wisconsin!