Harley’s Dream just launched their "Take a BITE out of Puppy Mills" fall awareness initiative with the goal of educating children worldwide in a fun, non-graphic, yet impactful fashion. This project is designed to raise awareness about the puppy mill issue in a light-hearted and engaging way, yet with clearly outlined actions that can be taken to "take a bite" out of this industry.
Teddy, a puppy mill survivor and spokes-dog against puppy mills, is the inspiration behind the Halloween-themed awareness campaign. Because of health concerns, Teddy had to visit his doctor (aka "the bloodsucker") for a series of blood tests and one day he decided to wear his vampire costume to an appointment ... and the idea was born! Teddy "vants" you to join him this fall to "Take a BITE out of Puppy Mills!"
Halloween is a great opportunity to educate both young and old in a unique way. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to "start" the puppy mill conversation. The reality is that children often play a major part in the decision to add a dog to the family. So with that in mind this Halloween, don't just hand out boring candy. You can help spread awareness in a fun, child-friendly way. Take the opportunity to educate children by distributing stickers, rubber bracelets, temporary tattoos and small awareness flyers! Click here to see the "Take a BITE out of Puppy Mills" collection: www.harleys-dream.myshopify.com/collections/take-a-bite-out-of-puppy-mills
Purchase a "Take a BITE out of Puppy Mills" t-shirt or hoodie and spread the message about puppy mills everywhere you go! Click here to see the t-shirts and hoodies: www.harleys-dream.myshopify.com/collections/take-a-bite-out-of-puppy-mills
Puppy mills only exist to supply the pet stores and online sale sites. If people didn’t buy, there would be no demand and puppy mills would END! It's really that simple!
How can YOU take a bite out of puppy mills? Teddy says:
- Never buy a puppy from a pet store.
- Never buy a puppy from a website (unless you can personally visit and meet the puppy's mom)
- Never buy a puppy from a flea market
- Adopt a dog from a shelter or rescue
- Support your local shelter or rescue
- Volunteer at your local shelter or rescue
About This Campaign's Goals:
It is estimated that 80% of all Americans own at least one dog. Harley’s Dream believes that if all these people knew the truth about puppy mills, puppy mills would no longer exist.
Children have a significant influence in the decision to add a dog to their families. The puppy mill issue is challenging to appropriately convey to children. The reality of the puppy mill situation and where pet store puppies come from is gritty, difficult to understand, and in many cases graphic.
Harley’s Dream believes there are appropriate ways to educate children about the issues and that if children understood how to make simple yet humane choices, the puppy mill industry would be impacted. They are our future decision-makers and consumers, after all. Fewer dogs would be impulse-purchased from a pet store (or over the internet) and children would understand that there are better, more humane choices for how to add a dog to their family.
Teddy (the vampire)
What is a Puppy Mill?
A puppy mill is a large scale commercial dog breeding operation where dogs live in cages and are bred repeatedly, producing puppies to be sold in pet stores across the country – and online throughout the world. There may be as few as 100 breeding dogs or as many as 800 breeding dogs housed at a single facility. It is estimated there are approximately 10,000 puppy mills in the USA, the majority being located in the Midwest. About one-third of these mills are approved and licensed by the USDA, as dogs are legally classified as ‘agriculture’.
About Harley’s Dream
Harley’s Dream was established in 2016 to create awareness and educate the public about the commercial dog breeding industry, also known as puppy mills. They believe that a grassroots approach by large groups of concerned citizens is the most effective way to bring about change. Their focus is to encourage advocacy by providing the tools necessary to educate children and adults alike. Learn more at: harleysdream.org
Take a BITE Out of Puppy Mills!