5//4/23 – Grace and her husband, Tony, are good friends whom we met because of 4 Paws 1 Heart. They are amazing people who will foster abused Bernese Mountain Dogs who are sold and abused in puppy mills. We’ve been fortunate to meet a few of their fosters and it’s heartbreaking but amazing what love and care will do to make these very loving dogs adoptable. Grace said that this particular mill has been on the radar of the Agriculture Department but was only give a 21 day suspension for the abuse of their dogs.

I just thought it important to share a personal example of the affects of breeding and criminal dog breeding. – diana

This puppy mill dog was called #36. How do I know? It’s tattooed inside her ear! We are calling her Breanna (Bree), which means strong. She is named after a very beautiful, brave, and strong young girl that I know.

Bree came to us last Saturday, to be fostered. She is the most frightened, shut down dog I have ever seen. Four days later, and she is still cowering in corners. She ducks when we pet her, and then, thankfully, seems to enjoy it. She refuses to walk into another room, or go outside, and panics when she sees a leash. We carry her because her fear paralyzes her. At this point we celebrate the small things, like when she licked Tony’s hand when he pet her. Or when she attempts to look into the kitchen where we were, because maybe next time she will take a step inside.

The things I have learned about puppy mills the past couple years, would send chills down your body. According to the Humane Society of the United States, there are over 10,000 puppy mills in our country! How do we stop this horrible abuse? It’s impossible unless everyone does their part.

Never ever buy a dog from a puppy mill. Share this message. Friends don’t let friends buy from puppy mills! If they have no buyers for their animals, hopefully they will close.

Breanna is a beautiful, sweet young dog. She didn’t deserve what life has given her. And she didn’t deserve to have her tail docked. That’s right. They cut off her tail! I don’t know why and I shutter to think how!

I can already tell, that Bree is going to be an awesome dog when she learns that she can trust people now. Bree will be available for adoption in a couple months. – Grace

4paws1heart.org/donations P.O. Box 84, St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080