The Consequences of Pet Stores and Puppy Mills: The Story of Moses, Freed From Bondage to Enter the Promised Land.

I say it all the time, don’t shop…adopt! Moses’ story is just like millions of other dogs born at puppy mills and abandoned because he is unable to breed.

Too many Long Islanders are promoting this behavior by supporting puppy stores rather than adopting. I hope Moses’ story will shed some light on why we need to put an end to this practice and start truly supporting our local shelters.

Like many male dogs, Moses was born with an undescended testicle. While this issue is not life threatening and requires only minor surgery, it prohibits him from one day breeding, therefore he was tossed aside and basically left for death.

Many times rescue groups located around the country who are dedicated to saving pets like Moses will take the initial step by making the actual rescue, then these groups work in conjunction with our local shelters for adoption. In Moses case, he was rescued by Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More HomelessPets®. More information on this groups work can be found on their website at http://bestfriends.org/

Best Friends Animal Society then transfers dogs like Moses with their “Pup My Ride”Program to our local shelters. When Moses was brought to Save-a-Pet in Port Jefferson, he arrived matted and undernourished weighing only two pounds.

But that didn’t stop his current owners from adopting him. Three weeks after Moses was adopted, he had surgery to correct the undescended testicle and by that time he gained about 2-3 pounds. Moses is now a healthy and handsome Yorkshire Terrier who warms the hearts of his adoptive parents each and every day. (Check out his amazing before and after picture!)

Always remember that we have the power to change the lives of animals like Moses by engaging in responsible practices like adopting our pets. Please visit local shelters like Save-a-Pet and Last Hope in Wantagh who will work tirelessly to find the perfect companion for your family.

Want to learn more about Best Friends Animal Society? You can visit them this weekend at their Super Pet Adoption Event in Westchester… for more info please check their website at http://bestfriends.org/What-We-Do/Events/Pet-Super-Adoptions/

And a friendly reminder to Join Last Hope on Friday May 3rd for Supermarket BINGO Night!All proceeds benefit Last Hope's rescue and rehab efforts, as well as their community outreach programs such as "Fix A Feral". Please visit www.lasthopeanimalrescue.orgfor more information.