Puppy mill survivors find new adoptive homes

Jan. 6, 2009 2:29 PM PT _This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts._ Last month, 10 puppy mill survivors

confiscated in June by the L.A. County public health department became available for adoption. The puppies -- five Maltese and five Yorkshire terriers -- were the only survivors out of three

confiscated shipments from a Seoul puppy mill. Ed Boks, general manager of the L.A. Department of Animal Services, gave the details: > These 8 week old animals arrived at LAX ill and 

seriously > dehydrated, having just survived over 14 hours of transport in tiny > carriers with no food or water. With interest high in the tiny puppies, an auction was held to

determine who would take them home. Hundreds of bidders turned out at the East Valley shelter on Dec. 20. NPR’s ‘Morning Edition’ reports that the event was a success: > One winning 

bidder was Debbie Garringer. ‘I was really lucky, and > I’m happy, so happy, and I will take care of it so much and it > will have a beautiful home,’ she said. All 10 of the purebred

> puppy-mill survivors got new homes, as did 52 other pets from the > shelter. In all, Animal Services raised more than $20,000 and got > its message out: Adopt, don’t shop. Puppy

mills have been a hot issue in L.A. of late, with local pet stores, including the Beverly Center’s well-known Pet Love, facing eviction over allegations that they sell mill-purchased

puppies. --Lindsay Barnett