Abandoning tiny, filthy cages
Many people are rightfully outraged by the deplorable conditions roughly 550 dogs endured in a Gold Bar puppy mill, but I urge readers to turn their anger into action [“Couple charged with animal cruelty,” Local News, Feb. 5].
Each of us can help put cruel puppy mills like this one out of business by never buying animals from pet shops and adopting homeless animals from shelters instead. Most pet shops obtain their dogs from puppy mills where animals are kept in tiny, filthy cages and are often denied veterinary care, food, water and socialization.
Puppy mills can only continue to operate because people support them financially — by buying their puppies.
Please also urge your Washington state legislators to support SB 5651, which would require breeders to provide their dogs with a clean environment and veterinary care and limit the number of unsterilized dogs anyone could own to 25.
Together, we can bring about the day when no more dogs suffer in these cruel operations.
— Stephanie Bell, Everett