Say 'no' to puppy mills

Even though nothing could be cuter than a new puppy bounding around a Christmas tree, the holidays are probably not the best time to introduce a new pet into a household.

Another concern, from the Humane Society of the United States, is that people who do get a puppy make sure they are not unwittingly supporting the "puppy mill" industry.

Read this article in the North Country Gazette from Chestertown, N.Y.

Simple advice: Don’t purchase puppies from a pet store, from a Web site, from a classified ad — or from any source where you cannot be absolutely certain that you are dealing with a reputable breeder. The HSUS urges families to first consider adoption from local shelters or rescue groups, where healthy, loving animals need nothing so much as a happy family this holiday.

Some puppy mill facts from the article:

• Dogs receive little to no medical care.
• Dogs live in squalid conditions.
• Dogs are confined in cramped wire cages.
• Dogs receive no exercise, socialization or human interaction.

There are so many dogs in shelters across the country that it doesn't make sense to risk getting a dog from a puppy mill.