Say What?!

I don't like wearing my uniform in public after work. People see ANIMAL CONTROL written on my back in 3 inch letters and feel the need to talk to me. Usually it's to complain about their neighbors. I try to smile and hand them my card, asking them to call me in the morning. But then there are those people who leave me speechless. This is one of those stories.

I popped into Pet Supermarket after work to pick up some more training treats for Jedi. A woman saw my shirt and wanted to tell me about her English bulldog. The conversation was going along nicely until she told me about how she got her dog. She said the breeder gives away all the males at seven years old, and all the females at five. Gives away? Yes, gives away. Then she told me that her dog had fathered hundreds of champions. If I were a good detective I would've calmly asked "Really, who's your breeder?" Instead my brain was screaming "What the ****?!"

No breeder I know just gives her dogs away, especially a stud who sires champions. You'd have a better chance at getting one of her kidneys! No, I would bet my next paycheck this woman's "breeder" was nothing more than a puppy mill. English bulldogs are one of the more popular breeds these days, which makes them prime for puppy mills.

It's been over a week since this incident. I keep thinking about that woman and her dog. And I keep wondering "What could I have done differently?" How many other bulldogs are out there from this so-called breeder? If I was a better animal control officer I would have found a way to share the following with her:

Credit: Pets Adviser

But I didn't. Fortunately her dog appeared loved and well cared for. However, I'd still like to do something, so I'm sharing this information with you. Please share it with others. Hopefully somehow, someway, we'll make a difference. -- K