b"By lumping all breeders into the same category as puppy mills,shopkeeper knows everyones names. we lose credibility and confuse the public. The average personBy contrast, consider factory farms. Most peopleregardless does not understand the variations. They just hear conflictingof their dietare aware of the cruelty tied to industrial meat messagesand tune out. Focus on retail pet stores that sell pup- production. We recoil at images of pigs crammed into crates, pies and out-of-state online breeders (who often partner withchickens never seeing daylight, cows unable to lie down, standing puppy mills).in their own feces. Even if they continue to eat meat, most con-Commit to sharing social media posts several times through- sumers acknowledge that factory farming is cruel and unethical. out every year. Seeing a message multiple times helps embed itLets call puppy mills what they are: factory-farmed dogs. into a consumer's memory (known as the Rule of Seven in mar- By doing that, we give them a more accurate nameone keting). As your social media channels gain new followers eachthat the public understands and has a more visceral reaction. And year, it is important to reintroduce the message so that everyonesince the dogs are considered livestock, it is not at all a misnomer. sees it. We are committed to providing shareable content aboutThis fight does not belong to one rescue, one shelter, or one ending puppy mills on our website. You are welcome to use theseinfluenceritbelongstoallofus.Everyorganization,every messages, add your organizations logo, and share them freely!advocate, every dog lover has a role to play. Together, our voices This offer specifically applies to materials addressing the puppyare louder than the noise of an industry built on cruelty and hid-mill issue. Of course, you are also welcome to use our resourcesing it behind closed doors. Lets build a future where factory-on other animal welfare topicswe simply ask that you givefarmed dogs are a thing of the past. Uproper credit.LITERATUREmaterials(flyers,brochures,bumperY EDITORS NOTE: In July,Pinellas County Animal Services (PCAS) revoked Provideeducationalthe Pet Dealer Permit from Blue Sky Puppies after an Animal Control stickers) about this issue at community events. Offer those mate- investigation found an overwhelming number of violations. On July 9, rials in Spanish, too. It is a missed opportunity in the animalPCAS received a complaint alleging that Blue Sky Puppies in Clearwater had sold community when literature is only printed in English. While wesick puppies and was keeping animals in unsanitary crowded conditions. On July are on the subject, this includes spay/neuter messaging and liter- 10, PCAS officers arrived at the store to find 177 puppies at the location, kennels ature too!with empty water bottles, kennels without a water bottle or bowl available, 34 Share information in your newsletter. Review a documen- puppies in kennels that were too small, enclosures housing multiple sick puppies taryaboutpuppymills,acknowledgePuppyMill Awarenessand puppies in the isolation ward too close to healthy puppies. These conditions Month, provide info about local ordinances, share news storieswere in violation of Pinellas County Code Section 14-29 Retail Pet Store whenever a pet store is in your local news (i.e. consumer buysRegulations and Pinellas County Code Section 14-36 Animal Care & Manner of sick puppy). These are all ways to insert anti-puppy mill messag- Keeping.ing in your communications. Blue Sky Puppies was one of six retail stores selling puppy mill sourcedWORDS MATTERpuppies in Pinellas County. In 2022, the county commissioners voted to grandfa-Lastly, Im not sure who coined the phrase puppy mill butther in and allow the six stores to continue selling their merchandise under the it may be time to retire it. The word puppy is adorable, andrevised pet retail sales ban ordinance. mill is vagueindustrial, but not necessarily cruel. It does not In 2023, the SPCA Tampa Bay in Largo announced their partnership with two businesses in the puppy mill industry, Sunshine Puppies and Pinnacle Pet. In evoke a negative reaction and even worse, may give a positiveSeptember 2025, the SPCA Tampa Bay pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges vibe. For me the word mill conjures up images of a bucolic,stemming from their treatment (or lack thereof) of a pig named Waddles.small town with a covered bridge and a corner store where the We InstallWhat We SellThe Tampa Bay Area experts in pet doors. Practical, PQOP\x03\\MKP\x14\x03MVMZOa\x03MNKQMV\\\x16\x03\x1b\x1a\x03^IZQW][\x03[QbM[\x165-year limited warranty on materials and labor.Call us now for a fast over-the-phone exact quote. 727.331.0504| www.TailwaggerPetDoors.comRead our great reviews on Googlewww.TheNewBarker.com THE NEW BARKER29"