Sorry but DOPE-rah Spinfree has already lost lots of credibility by touting the "pregnant man" story. Can't wait till her network debuts and 6 months later flops like fried eggs on a nail.

I am beside myself because of OPRAH. I just saw http://youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA. I will never be a supporter of OPRAH again. AMERICA NEEDS TO WAKE UP!

You are a sick disqusting individual. I will support Ophah in any way I can, including money. Puppy mills must be stopped

There's a difference between breeders and puppy mill owners. Puppy mills lock dogs in cages/ make them fight eachother.. a lot of other horrible things. Breeders take care of the dogs/puppies.. vaccinate them & provide good living conditions. This show is not going to be bias.. its just looking at a topic of animal cruelty. Why turn a blinds eye to it? She's putting it out there that a lot more needs to be done to stop this cruelty. Any TRUE animal lover willl absolutely LOVE this show.

& SO WHAT if she had a pregnant man on her show.. she got ratings.. so many people tuned into her show. We live in a world where everythings changing and people need to have an open mind. Its REALITY.

When was the last time you visited an overcrowded animal shelter sir? Have you had to put an animal down because no one wanted them and you couldn't find them a home? Do you know how many perfectly loving animals are put down in shelters each year because breeders have their heads up their asses and keep on churning them out.

There are not enough good homes people!

What good comes from any puppy mill or backyard breeder when there are millions of animals warehoused in shelters already and they are only contributing to the problem of overpopulation? What the hell is your argument FOR anyway?

Why are our shelters full of purebreeds already? Someone is not getting the point and animal rescue groups are being villified as hysterica when we are being faced with a real cultural problem. Suffering is not solely a human condition. Obviously for you, ignorance is bliss sir.

As a former animal shelter worker, I agree 100% with the statement above: "Organization's like Yates should be attuned to weeding out the bad breeders instead of circling the wagons and planning for a counter-attack." Unless Yates is a puppy mill owner himself, he should be at the forefront of those who wish to see puppy mills shut down once and for all as these are the organizations that give dog breeding a very bad name. No dog should be raised in despicable conditions to satisfy a human being's greed.

People who live their lives without compassion and empathy for others have A LOT to learn and, in the meantime, are probably causing undue suffering to others (both people and animals) without even being aware of their actions. Three cheers for Oprah to bring this situation of puppy mills out in the open, a situation that those of us who work or have worked in animal welfare are all too familiar with.

Another show that Oprah can do someday (if she hasn't already) is one on human trafficking and slavery. That would be a real eye-opener for the unsuspecting public.

Most people just don't want to be bothered or get involved - it is like a silent epidemic, any one who does go to bat for these poor animals is labeled an "animal rights nut job" and made to look like a weirdo.
Laws need to be passed against mass breeding of intelligent domestic animals - and they need to be strictly enforced.
Perhaps now, with Oprah giving publicity to this, laws will be better enforced, it is like dog fighting - people knew about it, but most didn't want to get involved if they saw it or heard about it, after all, "it's just an animal".

Everyone, but everyone with a conscience needs to get after their local officials to enforce laws against animal abuse -whether it is private, back yard breeders, puppy mills, or dog fighting - time to put an end to this misery for all domestic animals.

Boycott Oprah's advertisers??? John Yates is as out of touch with reality as his stand FOR puppy mills would lead you to believe he would be. Who do you think the advertisers are going to listen to, John--the queen of all media or you?

John, the tide has been turning against you and your ilk for years, and Oprah's show is going to swamp your nasty little boat. Those of us who volunteer our time, money, and hearts to rescue and rehabilitate the sad products of the industry you support know the truth. And now millions more people worldwide do.

It took a long time for Oprah to do this show (a petition urging her to do a show like this was signed by 10s of 1000s of people and sent to her years ago), but she did it. Rescuers all over the country thank her.

Here is a news story on the AKC Puppy Mill money machine from the 1990s

http://www.bogartsdaddy.com/Bouvier/Bouv_Pages/article-inquire-puppymills-AKC.htm

It has gotten a LOT worse since then. Especially since AKC formed a Commercial Breeder Committee to EXPAND THEIR PUPPY MILL BUSINESS.

AKC inspections are useless, just a sham. Puppy mill breeders have been arrested by state authorities immediately after they supposedly passed an AKC inspection.

The Puppy Mill industry keeps making money so AKC can spend lots of money on salaries, dog shows, fancy Madison Avenue rents, and hiring lobbyists to lobby against regulations for breeders.

The AKC says that dogs are property, and that property can be treated however the owner wants- like by sticking a dog in a cage to breed to death. Outddors. In the snow.

Maybe someday the AKC will decide to care about the dogs. Maybe someday.

boycott Oprah for telling the truth?Shame on the John Yates of the world.Shame on the Amish community.These puppy mill operators have the same moral values as a nazi death camp guard.I have 3 rescued dogs,all damaged by "HUMANS".Shame on them.Shame on us all

Here are some of the puppy mills that AKC registers puppies from.

http://www.columbusdogconnection.com/PupMillNewsStory3.htm

The AKC says this kind of treatment is ok.

Many State Departments of Agriculture help HIDE this abuse and let it go on, even help puppy farmers do more. They says it is "farming" so abusing dogs it is ok. They get involved with puppy mill industry lobbyists.

The USDA colludes with the puppy mill industry. Inspectors have reported that USDA authorities tell inspectors to ok the abuse. (And they don't have enough inspectors or rules anyway.)

Steve Neavling of the Detroit Free Press did a brilliant series of pieces in 2006 on the USDA Puppy Mill connection. Scroll DOWN on this page to find it reprinted. http://hollywooddog.blogspot.com/2007/12/posh-puppy-of-tarzana-and-beverly-hills.html

The puppy mill breeders that sell through websites or classified ads or flea markets don't even have to get USDA licensed. Many states have ZERO licensing or inspection requirements for breeders, so puppy mills get away with outright crime.

They also take advantage of lack of licensing to HIDE THEIR INCOMES and not pay taxes.

The AKC has a business relationship with the Hunte Corporation of Missouri, the really notorious big puppy mill broker. Also Petland pet stores.

http://www.petstorecruelty.org/Hunte%20Corp.htm

This is how AKC supports itself, through this kind of activity.

(Missouri is one of the worst puppy mill states. Practically no laws, lots of lobbying by puppy mill businesses that put pressure on legislators to let them keep abusing dogs.)

What are you afraid of? If the truth is that you are not torturing animals for profit then the show will air that. But if the truth is that you are then that is your bad not Oprah's.

BTW The world isn't stupid on breeding practices, everyone knows to purchase a PB dog you must meet the owners of the dog and view the pet's parents.

I never was a supporter of OPRAH before, but after seeing her show on Puppy Mills, I am now! God Bless her since she dedicated this show to the THOUSANDS of dogs suffering in Mills, in memory of her beloved animal companion, Sophie. This being the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assasination, she could have dedicated the show to human rights, but instead, chose to air a show on animal rights, since animals have no human voice. What better way to honour a great man, than with a great deed for God's creatures!!! THANK YOU OPRAH!

Quite frankly, the breeding of dogs, as well as most other animals & I mean all that are being raised for food too, has gotten completely out of control. I can assure you that this action is done entirely for the mighty $$$$ in most cases. Just plain common sense has been lost & I don't see it ever coming back until the human race is left to scrounge for a living (with the animals). The bad far outweighs the good, so there is no point in bringing up the good associated w/breeding. Who cares about hearing the good? It won't stop the bad. People won't be stopped as long as it is allowed. Most just don't care & excuses are always made for their situation. It's this rat race crazy world we live in. We caused it. Poor quality of life we receive in exchange for the quantity. Good quality is lost.

I thought the show on puppy mills was very good. It also showed the ultimate "end" of the dogs that no one wants in the shelters. Very good show, very informative.

Dear Oprah,

I have never turned your show off before but I just couldn't watch when it came to the Euthanasia part, It just made me fall apart, as one time in my life I did enter that room by mistake while searching for one of my friends dogs that got loose. I never forgot that experience.

I have had many dogs and two cats but have never got any of them in the manner your show was talking about. I have a rescue cat now who can't see very well, we have had her for 5-1/2 years now and she was so unaproachable when we got her. She now is the most loving little part of our family and gives us so much joy. We got her when our 17 year old adopted loving cat passed away. The house was so empty that I had to have another pet.

I have been planning on getting a dog next year when I retire as I have always been a dog person, but from your show, I now will be very careful and will also be checking out the shelters for my next little doggie.

Thank you so much for putting this show on, my heart goes out to all those little soles that are just being used to bring money in.

In loving memory of all my little doggies and cats that are now running free in heaven.

Bernice Akaki

I do not often look at Oprah because I am not into all that New Age stuff she pushes but she does do a lot of good in increasing awareness on many issues such as this show dealing with puppy mills and mistreatment of animals. I am a dog lover myself and always keep two at a time and treat them as I would my children. It is a horrendous crime to abuse these wonderful creatures who give us so much in return. Oprah responded to one who put up a billboard asking her to do this special show. Now I am asking her to do another show on an even far more important an issue. Oprah, please do a show on abortion, the worst crime of our times, the murder of innocent pre born babies. Make everyone aware of how horrible and evil it is, how 50 million babies have been murdered over the past 30 years many even up to the moment of delivery. People need to be made aware of all the graphic and gory details to wake them up.

Wow, Tom. I couldn't have said it better. You are dead on and it is such a shame that the reputable breeder community has been duped into turning a blind eye to the puppy mills. They swallowed the AKC's koolaide, hook line and sinker. Reputable breeders need to start distancing themselves from the mills...and forcing their hand on the AKC to do the same.

Sorry but you are all barking up the wrong tree here. The puppy millers survive solely because the vast majority of humans in the world are ineducable regarding dogs. They will go out and impulsively purchase a dog with less concern and study that the would for purchasing a cell phone. Puppy millers and back yard greeders only survive because they DO make a profit but even so, they are not the people that are putting dogs in shelters and body piles. A study a number of years back showed that the vast majority of dogs ending up in rescue were from one time or back yard type breeders. They want to 'get their money back' or 'let the kids see the miracle of birth' or 'have another one just like Fluffy'. Then they have a litter and as fast as possible get rid of them to the first person that comes along who will do the exact same thing. It isn't about how horrible puppy millers are - Most of the HVB (high volume breeders) keep sanitary conditions and good records (the reason they can pass AKC inspections) but they supply the demand. AKC inspections are about records and paperwork and that is all - one of the reasons you see Animal Control able to come in afterwards is often because AKC inspectors have given them information to go in and raid them on a basis that A/C can raid but AKC cannot. People need to learn what they are talking about before making inane and dangerous comments about things they don't have a clue. The problem is at all sides if they remain ignorant. You can't educate those that won't / can't be educated -- you can't eliminate private business unless you are willing to eliminate all private business. I detest HVBs/PMs/BYGers all but I am not stupid enough to blame them alone and I realize that the ONLY reason they exist is because there is a MARKET for their wares. If people want to get all indignant and pissy about things then be sure and include the irresponsible pet procurers that drive the market. Supporting through purchase ONLY a knowledgeable, responsible breeder - doing YOUR homework and finding out what that entails - knowing that if a responsible, knowledgeable breeder feels you are an unsuitable home and won't place a puppy with you, the likelihood is really high that you are one of the many that do not need to be owning a dog in the first place, well that is all part of being responsible. But everyone feels they ARE wonderful dog owners and then when they are proven not to be, they will turn their dog into a shelter or rescue and absolve themselves of all responsibility because the shelter or rescue will 'find them a good home' and then they go out and get another pup because it wasn't really them, it was the dog... You people are bitching up the wrong tree but it won't change unless people actually start learning what responsibility is and taking it. Oprah is a tv personality and that was a typical 'expose' of puppy mills - we have seen it before and will continue to see it because it makes for good ratings people and that is what tv personalities do, get good ratings and make more money... that is all.

"Most of the HVB (high volume breeders) keep sanitary conditions and good records (the reason they can pass AKC inspections) but they supply the demand. AKC inspections are about records and paperwork and that is all - one of the reasons you see Animal Control able to come in afterwards is often because AKC inspectors have given them information to go in and raid them on a basis that A/C can raid but AKC cannot. "

FALSE. FALSE. FALSE.

The AKC has not even suspended registrations for many breeders convicted of animal abuse.

And these breeders have been arrested for "unsanitary conditions" and much more despite AKC's approval.

The AKC admits that they don't even have enough inspectors.

The puppy mill breeders (with terrible conditions and animal treatment) thank AKC inspectors for helping their businesses.

AKC inspection is a farce, a sham to use as a feint when their puppy mill activities get exposed.

What is more, the AKC and AKC breeders OPPOSE anticruelty laws that allow states to shut down bad breeders.

The AKC helps protect bad breeders from prosecution!

I get your point, Nancy, but I disagree with you. I think we could use reports on puppy mills once a month. Unfortunately, the public has gotten to the point that they need to be shaken up now and then to get them to pay attention to things like where pet stores obtain their puppies.

I think John Woestendiek of the Baltimore Sun did an EXCELLENT job pointing out the faux pas of nutjobs like John Yates of the Sporting Dog Alliance, and the fact that he is taking advantage of things like Oprah's puppy mill show to push his own agenda.

People like John Yates do NOT speak for the majority of responsible breeders, and it's a mistake for us to put ourselves in the position of causing the average person to think we do.

I do agree with one statement you made, Nancy: "The problem is at all sides if they remain ignorant."

I think we could all do well to open up our minds and look at all sides of this issue.

Even reputable, humane breeders perpetuate the pet overpopulation problem. Thousands of beautiful, friendly dogs and cats die in shelters every day for lack of a home. PLEASE get your pets from a shelter, pound or rescue group. Do not buy from breeders or pet stores. At least try a shelter or rescue group first (Petsmart and Petco partner with groups for pet adoptions). You might find the perfect companion. You can get any breed or age from a rescue group.

In my breed, it's the impulse pet store purchases -- the mill "product" -- that lands in rescue. We know because we get the papers and often the pet store sale bill of sale.

The AKC is responsible for creating the demand for purebreds without a care in the world as to where the supply comes from -- it's all registration revenue to them. Ever notice that they have nothing on their website about avoiding petstores and internet sellers? Or that they let mills advertise on the AKC breeder classifieds? They use the reputable breeders as their marketing program -- the televised dog shows -- to create demand for their "product". And they also somehow sucked the reputable breeders lobbying for the mills for them. Too bad the AKC doesn't give a darn about the dogs!

Diana, I work at a shelter -- I have for 14 years now -- and I have to say that if more pets were purchased, with a great deal of thought, from a responsible breeder, there would be fewer pets in shelters. Responsible breeders educate their buyers about their breeds and don't hesitate to turn down anyone who is not an appropriate home for their breed. Responsible breeders are willing to take back any dog they have bred if the owner can no longer keep it. Responsible breeders provide education and assistance to their buyers to help the animal and owner have a happy life together.

As much as I want to see each of our shelter pets be adopted, they just aren't all suitable for every home. Too many of them have never been socialized or trained; too many of them are too large for many homes. Many have difficult temperaments that may eventually be changed in time by experienced dog owners, but are not appropriate pets for homes with inexperienced owners, young children or senior citizens.

Yes, these animals all need homes too, but we have to be realistic -- people are far more likely to make a long-term commitment to an animal that is suitable to their lifestyle than to just save a life because it happens to be there in front of them. We want our animals to be adopted, but more importantly, we want them to STAY adopted. Owner retention is as important an issue as adoption, if not more so, but too many people seem to ignore that fact.

Our shelter, like most, takes in over 75% big dogs; many of these are Pit Bulls or Pit Bull mixes. 75% of the people who come to our shelter want to adopt small dogs, and many of these have very valid reasons -- either they are senior citizens, or they work all day and a large dog would be unhappy being locked up in the house, or their rental agreement has a 20 lb. maximum size. As much as we would like the mantra "until there are none, adopt one" to be true, an 80 lb. Pit Bull mix is not the equivalent of a six-pound Chihuahua.

Responsible breeders can provide people with specific wants and needs with a pet they will be more likely to make a lifetime commitment to. People who have more flexible needs, more time and more experience, are certainly needed to adopt the shelter dogs that aren't "perfect," but we have to be realistic about what we have to work with. We can't save them all; we need to work harder at preventing them from becoming unwanted in the first place, and that will only happen with education, more access to free or reduced-cost spay/neuter and obedience training programs to reduce the number of unwanted animals in the first place, and an aware public that will not tolerate puppy mills and irresponsible breeders.

I think responsible breeders and shelters can co-exist and can work together in helping more dogs remain in their homes for a lifetime. If there were no responsible breeders, it would only be a matter of time before there would be no distinctive breeds -- we would all be living with generic, coyote-type dogs. I don't know about you, but that's not what I want to live with.

The bottom line of Oprah's show was this statement, which I wholeheartedly support:

If you want a dog, go to a shelter. If you feel that you want a particular breed, understand that alot of the dogs in shelters are purebred.

If you do not go to a shelter, contact a local rescue group.

If you insist on going to a breeder, go to the breeder's home and meet the dogs, especially the females used for breeding. Note that any reputable breeder will take their dog back even if it has been 6 or 7 years since it was adopted. As with a rescue, they will want to interview the potential adoptees and even visit the home where the dog will live. They actually CARE about the dogs they are breeding.

If everyone wanting a dog followed these rules, pet stores would go out of business, as a result, puppy mills would go out of business.

All I know is that every dog out there is far better then any human being. I tell my dogs ( 2 labs/2 lab/mix) sorry everyday for the ignorance of the human race and for their superficial ways. This country needs to lay down some serious measures when it comes to breeding. Strict licensing, educating and taxing needs to be enforced to stop this horrific nightmare!! I hope we all come back as dogs so we can all feel what it is like to be unwanted and thrown in solitary confinement and abused before our doomful death before 4 years of age. Man domesticated these animals so we need to do our part in taking care of them.

When looking for a new family member only go through a shelter or rescue group so no more money is placed in breeders hands!! One more thing- it is never the dog that is unmanagable it stems from the unmanagable actions of the owner!! IGNORANCE can only be overcome through the openess to LEARN and EDUCATING OTHERS!!!!!!

Definitely some laughable quotes in that commentary. Close ties to AR? Oprah? Hahahaha. Yeah, she had Howard Lyman on and got sued by some upset Cattlemen when she said she was never eating another hamburger on her show (after learning how cows were fed to other cows). They lost that suit, of course. But in one sense, they won. This is the first time Oprah has come down even moderately on the side of animal activists for some time now. And the fact that this show even says there is such a thing as a "responsible breeder" is proof that she's got no AR influence. I mean, the woman offers up veal recipes on her site.

And, FWIW, breeders like to put the blame on the customers. And they are certainly right to a large extent. People need to stop treating animals as commodities. But that means adopting instead of buying, not buying from a "reputable" breeder, and it means not breeding at all, if one really cares about animals for them and not for one's self.

It was quite interesting to read about myself on this forum in the words of people who know nothing at all about me. It seems like I have become Atilla the Hun without even having to bother to sack a city or two.

Someone named "Vancouver" reinvented reality by saying that I not only lobby for puppy mills, but I own one. That is a polite way of saying that Mr. or Ms. Vancouver is a liar. I don't own a puppy mill and I don't lobby for puppy mills. Sorry to disappoint you, but not even Atillas come that cheaply these days.

Who I am is a semi-retired professional dog trainer, and a former newspaper investigative reporter and managing editor. As a dog trainer, dogs that I have trained have won two national championships. As an editor, my work has won annual first place awards for general excellence in the Pacific Northwest and also in Pennsylvania.

I also breed English setters, and have been developing my own line of dogs for 40 years. That translates into the fact that I raise two or three litters of puppies a year. All of those puppies are born in my bedroom.

I hold two kennel licenses: one for training, and one as a personal kennel. My kennels are inspected at least twice a year.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance represents people who own dogs of the breeds commonly used for hunting. We also represent professional trainers and handlers, and hobby breeders. Many people who have other kinds of dogs have joined us, for the simple reason that they believe in the work that we are doing.

To the editors of The Baltimore Sun, I would like to point out that "Vancouver's" comments about me are libellous. That is, they defame my character, have no basis in fact, and show a reckless disregard for the truth. The good news is that I am a former newspaperman who believes totally in the freedom of the press, and wouldn't even think about suing you.

The bad news is that the editors need to be far more careful, because such defamatory remarks about many other people would result in a libel suit that could cripple your fine paper.

The problem is that with the breeds that I like, they are not available in shelters.

I am not kllling a shelter dog by purchasing a purebred dog from a responsible caring breeder, because i have NO interest in a large, untrained, rowdy dog of unknown background/

Laws against animal cruelty already exist in 50 states, last I heard. It's not up to those nonprofit organizations to play cop to people commiting animal cruelty. In fact, only one organization in this country is legally allowed and obligated to enforce the laws. It's called the GOVERMENT. Local, state, and federal police are obligated to uphold the laws, and in many cases those puppy mills were operating with a blind eye from the local cops. Think about it. You want justice, demand better law enforcement. And no excuses if you get ticketed for not scooping dog poop, letting your dog run at large, bark 12 hours a day, harrass somebody else's dog, etc. Take responsibility for your pets and for demanding appropriate law enforcement in your community even for minor offenses.

I support Oprahs comments 100%
These puppy mills are horrible. The inhumane treatment and abuse of animals is a terrrible thing in this U.S.

PuppyMill owners are abusing these animals. Putting pipes down the animals throat (in PA) so they will not bark. That is sick.

Everyone, please write your legislatures. Sign ANY and ALL petitions against ALL puppy mills.

No one need to buy and sell dogs and cats. Go to the animal shelter.The local shelter puts down thousands of pet yearly; all due to not neuter/spay pets; and unnecessary BREEDING. Yes, this is all unnecessary, do to MONEY HUNGRY people who don't care about life.

We have got to turn this horrible situation around.