Canadian Representative of Best Friends Animal Society will participate in Montreal March to End Cruel Breeding Practices
Kanab, UT (04/12/2007) - Best Friends Animal Society, which operates the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the U.S., will join a Peaceful March in Quebec to support the international fight against puppy mills. A large gathering will take place simultaneously in Montreal and in Quebec City at 1:00pm on Sunday, April 15th, 2007.
"Best Friends opposes the exploitive breeding of dogs for commercial gain," explained Jill Dennis, who will represent the Society at the March in Montreal. Dennis is the Best Friends Community Response Manager working out of Ontario."
"In Quebec alone there are reportedly 1,500 to 1,800 commercial dog breeders also called puppy mills. There are thousands of puppy mills in the U.S. It is truly an international problem. Dogs from these mills are shipped around the world."
"Many of these mills have hundreds of dogs that are forced to breed over and over until their bodies give out. It is unlikely these dogs will ever see a veterinarian. Eventually, if they do not die first of illness, disease, or overbreeding, these dogs will be killed, dumped at the local pound or sold to a research facility. The same is true for puppies born with obvious deformities or illnesses. They are just inventory, after all, that the breeder can't sell."
"Dogs trapped in puppy mills will never know human companionship or love. No one may ever even pet them. They are inventory and are literally stored for all of their lives in a dark cage, crowded with other dogs. If the dogs are lucky, the wire bottom of the cage they lay on all day will not be covered in feces, spoiled food, flies or garbage. There will be little relief from the extremes of weather. Dogs in puppy mills have been found starved, with matted fur covered in fleas or tics."
"People see the cute puppies and don't realize when they buy instead of adopting at a local shelter, they are supporting these puppy mills which produces most of the puppies sold at pet stores or online."
Dennis further explained, "One problem is that in the U.S. and Canada there are only minimal regulations for these dog breeders with few investigators for enforcement. If one province or country cracks down on puppy mills, the breeders simply move elsewhere."
Best Friends Animal Society is committed to ending this cruel practice: LANGUAGE, ONE SENTENCE TO DESCRIBE OUR INITATIVE:
Dennis said, "Best Friends hopes its presence at the Peaceful March will bring attention to the fact that the U.S. and Canada must work together to stop this commercial exploitation of dogs that crosses international boundaries."
The walk in Montreal will be leaving at 1:00pm from Lafontaine Park (corner of Emile Duploye and Sherbrooke, in front of the Notre-Dame Hospital, at the dog park). The walk follows Rachel Street. Arrival will be at the Jeanne-Mance Park. (Parking available in front of the hospital, in the park and on the nearby streets).
The walk in Quebec City will be leaving at 1:00pm from the parliament buildings. Arrival will be at 200, Ste Foy (the walk is on Grande-Allée, then on Cartier).
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About Best Friends Animal Society
Located on 33,000 acres in Kanab, Utah, Best Friends Animal Society operates the countrys largest sanctuary for homeless pets and is home, on any given day, to about 1,500 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds and other animals. Best Friends works globally with animal shelters and rescue groups to bring about a time when there will be no more homeless pets. Best Friends advances initiatives nationwide that promote community approaches to make the world a better place through kindness to animals, including adoption, spay/neuter, and humane education programs.
"Kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us."
