Oprah Dedicates Show To Her Dead Dog

CHICAGO — Oprah Winfrey plans to dedicate a show investigating abuses at puppy mills to her cocker spaniel, Sophie, who died last month from kidney failure.

"Sophie gave me 13 years of unconditional love. She was a true love in my life," Winfrey says on the broadcast scheduled to air Friday. (Advance remarks from the show were released Tuesday by Harpo Productions.)

The show features special correspondent Lisa Ling investigating puppy mills, which Ling calls "horrific" and "haunting."

Winfrey says the show is "for anybody anywhere who loves a dog, has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic right to humane treatment."

While Sophie was not a product of a puppy mill, and Winfrey's three current dogs were adopted from breeders, Winfrey says in the future she would look to adopt from an animal shelter.

"I would never, ever adopt another pet now without going to a shelter to do it. I am a changed woman after seeing this show," she says.

___

On the Net:

http://www.oprah.com

Comments

[Izadora]

It is so sad that 0prah loves only "animals." There is a quote from Albert Einstein who said:
"IT IS STRANGE TO BE KNOWN SO UNIVERSALLY AND YET TO BE SO LONELY."

[IndyStacey]

Oprah has been extremely generous towards humans for years.

[marzipan]

Einstein also said "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

Where is your evidence that Oprah only loves animals?

[kingshmoopy]

Einstein also said "Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of it in its beauty."

We do not have to make choices about who deserves our compassion, every creature who suffers--human and animal--is deserving of ou compassion and our empathy.

[YadaYada]

After I lost my last dog six years ago I was devastated and knew that I had to have another dog in my life but being old and somewhat disabled I knew that a young dog may outlive me so I opted for a middle aged dog. I found a seven year old dog through a rescue organization on the internet who had been given up by her owner because she could not adjust to the family's new baby.
This little dog has been a dear and loyal friend for six years and continues to brighten my life. Please consider adopting a dog from a rescue organization and don't forget the older dogs still have much love to give.

[PatA]

When my dog, Tippy died, every Christmas gift that year was in memorial of him. I bought Heifer International animals for donation for poor people in the U.S. and overseas.
I don't see anything but positive things coming from her show.
I was an investigator for 5 years for the Humane Society and what I saw would curl your hair and make you throw up. Any attention that is drawn to animal cruelty is always welcome.
Look how much Michael Vick helped the dog fighting issue! And he is an idiot and doesn't have a television show.

[katlade]

You should always go to a shelter. Getting a pet for a companion does not require that you have a dog with papers.

[Pippilangstrumpf]

Not a big fan of Oprah, but I hope that she does this show and I hope that it does some good.
Hopefully she will give practical ways in which we can all contribute to the elimination of every puppy mill in the world.
I don't think that's hyperbole either. She can take a nobody author and make him into a number one bestseller, so why can't she be a huge part in the elimination of this evil practice?
Puppy Mills are an atrocity and they need to be put out of business. Every last one of them.

[IndyStacey]

I'm not a big Oprah fan, but at least she is doing something constructive in her grief, educating people about puppy mills. It amazes me how many people remain ignorant on this subject.

[raker]

Oprah's an out-of-control narcissist.

[Zentomato]

what a crummie commenting system HuffPo now has. I have lost so many comments that I hesitate posting here anymore. Like this comment will ever see the cyber light of day.

[Zentomato]

In a society which has allowed Oprah to flourish and raise herself to a level of such enormous wealth and prominence, her devoting a show to her dead dog while just passing 4,000 dead in an unjust war seems rather off balance. It just doesn't set well. I have a dog whom I also love dearly but my sense is Oprah is going a bit over the top dedicating a show to her dog. It smacks a bit of a disconnect to me. I say this as an Oprah fan, albeit a diminishing one.

[kingshmoopy]

It does not have to be an "either or" situation. You don't have to choose humans or animals, just because you do a show about animal abuse does not mean that you are ignoring human suffering.

As someone who has worked with abused and neglected animals, and seen more than my fair share of animal horror stories, I applaud anyone who draws attention to the horrific conditions of puppy mills, and the inherent abuse and neglect of puppy mills.

People have got to start realizing that, by purchsing their animals, they are often contributing to animal abuse. There are so many animals in shelters who need homes, we have to turn to shelters for our companions. Only when people start refusing to buy animals from puppy mills (pet stores, disreputable breeders, etc.) will puppy mills cease to exist.

[robXdion]

This is treading dangerously into Ellen territory.