
Teddy, puppy mill survivor
There is a dark side to the pet industry, and it manifests itself in the cruel and unforgiving world of commercial dog breeding, also known as
puppy mills. These dogs are kept in horrible conditions, expected to breed or mate until they are too old or sick to go on, at which point they are either killed or discarded.Unless, that is, they are lucky enough to be rescued by the many non-profit organizations who venture to save, rehabilitate, and find loving homes for these discarded breeding dogs. That was the case for two puppy mill survivors, whose stories attest to the horrible conditions of these awful places.Harley and Teddy are two Chihuahuas who were rescued from different puppy mills, but suffered similar horrors during the years that they were confined to dirty wire cages, expected to produce litter after litter until their bodies were too broken to continue.

Harley, inspiration behind Harley to the Rescue
After 7 years, Teddy was rescued by theย
National Mill Dog Rescueย and transferred to a shelter before finally being adopted into a loving home. Due to his years in captivity, Teddy suffers from serious dental health issues, uneven hips, and torn ears.Harley, the older of the two, was even sicker. Harley was given just 3 months to live after being rescued by
Because of You Chihuahua Rescue. He is missing an eye and most of his teeth, and has a broken tail and bad heart. Almost a year later, Harley's will to live remains undaunted.Despite their years of abuse and subsequent health problems, both of these pups had the strength of spirit to not only survive, but to become doggy advocates for the National Mill Dog Rescue, leading the charge against the horrors of puppy mills.Both dogs are helping to lead a campaign called
Harley to the Rescue, to raise funds to send the organization on even more puppy mill rescue missions.
Click here to find out more about Harley to the Rescue, and be sure to share their story with other compassionate pet parents! Keep up with
Teddy and
Harley on their Facebook pages.