The sad truth is that most puppies sold in pet stores or online come from puppy mills, breeding facilities that put profit above all else leading to neglect and abuse of the breeding dogs.

Connecticut has a puppy lemon law. If you have purchased a sick puppy from a pet store in Connecticut, you are entitled to up to $500 for vet bills from the store, and you get to keep your puppy. The Westport Coalition Against Puppy Mills is always willing to help you to take advantage of the lemon law.

In addition to helping you with the puppy lemon law, I will paint your puppy's portrait at no cost to you if you meet these three conditions:

1. Provide me with a copy of records from the puppy you purchased at Puppies of Westport in Norwalk or All Pets Club in Branford,

2. Provide me with copies of all medical records from your veterinarian that detail your puppy's illness(es),

3. Sign written consent authorizing me to share your story publicly.

My goal in this is to share stories about these sick puppies, so that other people won't have to go through the same hardship of buying a sick puppy unknowingly and having to pay huge vet bills. I want people to know just how sick pet store puppies can be, but I also want you to know about what happens in puppy mills.

My dog Petunia is a puppy mill survivor; she was a brood bitch at a mill in Missouri for 5 years, living in a tiny cage with other dogs where she had to fight for food and was not given proper veterinary care nor proper exercise or socialization. She lived this life to create those cute puppies sold in pet stores. Petunia is one of the lucky ones. She's been free from her cage for just over a year and is still learning how to be a cherished pet instead of just a puppy making machine.

E-mail thepetartivist@gmail.com for more details.