The January 2017 issue of Rolling Stone magazine features The Dog Factory: Inside the Sickening World of Puppy Mills, an in-depth investigative report on puppy mills. The author, Paul Solotaroff, went along on a North Carolina mill bust, visited a Missouri dog auction, did his research on the Animal Welfare Act, and followed up on some of the animals he encountered. Mr. Solotaroff not only describes in vivid, graphic detail the suffering of the dogs, but also points out the burden placed on law enforcement, municipalities, and animal welfare groups who get saddled with the monetary and emotional costs of picking up the pieces. CAUTION: This article is NOT easy reading!!! (Did I mention, GRAPHIC and VIVID descriptions of animal neglect and cruelty?)

     Here in Wisconsin, WPMP is proud to have seen our efforts since 1998 rewarded by the unanimous passage in 2009 of Act 90, which became S.173.41, Wis. Stats in 2009. This law mandates licensing, inspection, and standards of care for dog sellers and commercial breeders. (Please click here for more details.) However, most states have little or no regulation -- and, in today's political climate, we feel that regulation has to happen on a state level.

     This article is SO important in many ways: 1) clarifying WHY we keep saying "Never, never, NEVER buy commercially bred animals from pet stores or over the internet; 2) pointing out to those who aren't particularly animal lovers how their tax dollars are going into "cleaning up the mess" when a mill is busted; and 3) reaching a huge national audience who, hopefully, will mail, email, message, tweet, or otherwise forward either the entire article or a link to each of their state and federal representatives, demanding to know "What are YOU going to do about this???"

     Thank you, Mr. Solotaroff, and Rolling Stone magazine.

    The Dog Factory: Inside the Sickening World of Puppy Mills   

    Act 90/ S.173.41, Wis. Stats