Costumed dogs, owners rally today in Boardman against inhumane puppy mill operations

BOARDMAN

Visiting typical pet stores can easily tug on patrons’ heartstrings when they see row after row of affectionate puppies in clean, antiseptic cages.

But what they probably don’t know is what took place behind the scenes to get the animals to the stores, those who participated in a two-hour rally contend.

“People see the store and the puppy in the window and think, ‘How cute. I want to take him home,’ ” said Holly Justice of Youngstown, who organized today’s Puppy Mill Awareness March at Market Street and U.S. Route 224, in front of Southern Park Mall.

An estimated 40 people took part in the effort to bring heightened awareness to what they see as the inhumane treatment most animals raised in many puppy mills are subjected to during breeding and before being sold to pet stores. The peaceful rally also was to promote the importance of rescuing and adopting such animals, Justice noted.

A few denounced nearby Harbor Pet Center, 7338 Market St., for what they see as the business contributing to the problem.

Too often, dogs in puppy mills live in cramped and stacked cages with urine and feces, minimal opportunities for exercise, little contact with people and substandard or nonexistent veterinary care. Pet stores, some unwittingly, contribute to those cruel conditions by buying dogs from such breeders, Justice explained.

Read more about the march and the situation in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.