Several organizations in the area received puppies and adult dogs from the puppy mill in Putnam County. Animal Rescue Foundation agreed to take in 13 of them but one of the adults was in critical condition and a few others went into foster care with the organizations in Putnam County.

ARF took in three shih tzu puppies, two maltese puppies, two adult papillon and one adult shih tzu. The five puppies have found homes. We still have the 4-year-old female papillon, the 5-year-old male papillon and the 9-year-old female shih tzu.

What is a puppy mill? According to the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it’s “a commercial farming operation in which purebred dogs are raised in large numbers.” This is also the definition of puppy mill from the Humane Society of the U.S., though HSUS calls them “breeding facilities” instead of a “commercial farming operation.” HSUS has a special Web site and program “Stop Puppy Mills.” HSUS also explains the mill operations on its Web site www.stoppuppymills.org.

ARF received many calls about these dogs. Some people were very upset that ARF had spayed and neutered these dogs. This concerns all of us who work so hard helping these animals. First of all, it’s Georgia Law that all dogs and cats are spayed and neutered that are adopted from shelters. Dogs from puppy mills have been used and neglected. As the definition says — they come from a commercial farming operation. The only reason they exist is to breed in order to make money. Why would we want to continue the animals’ misery by allowing someone to continue to breed them?

The three adult dogs at ARF are nice dogs. All three are negative for heartworms. They have nice personalities, but they do have issues. Yes, I always say all animals (and humans) have issues, but they come with their own set because of being from a puppy mill. Even though they are adults, they aren’t housetrained. They were never house pets, they lived in cages. But, they can learn. They are eager to please. You need to have patience.

Both papillons are shy. They are learning that it’s OK to sit in a lap. They’re learning how to walk on a leash. They are learning to trust humans. Rosie is a 4-year-old tri-color papillon and Rusty is a 5-year-old red and white male papillon. They will need to be walked on a leash even if their new homes have fenced yards until they learn to trust their new owners.

The adult shih tzu is about 9-years-old. Her name is Molly. She is a special-needs dog. She’s almost totally blind and is on eye medication. She has a corneal ulcer in her left eye. She has also been diagnosed with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), or dry eye in her right eye. Dry eye doesn’t sound serious, but it can and did lead to blindness with her. To keep her comfortable and keep the eye lubricated, she needs to be on special eye medicine for the rest of her life. She’s so sweet. All she does is wag her tail. She will need her new owner to have patience to help her learn how to maneuver around a new home. She’ll need to be walked on a leash, even in a fenced yard, until she knows where she is and is comfortable in her new home.

It takes time to find homes for adult dogs, especially senior dogs. These dogs have had a rough life and they deserve to find peace, love and happiness in a home.

When you come to ARF, please don’t forget the “plain ol’ dogs and cats” who are still waiting to find homes. They deserve homes as much as these pure breed dogs.

Finally, thanks to everyone who has donated supplies and money to ARF. We’re not quite out of the woods yet!

Note: Rusty, the male papillon was adopted Saturday.