Blogging the News

Riley posing for the camera in the kitchen of the Perdoch home.

“I saw him sitting all alone in his own cage in the corner, and I knew that I wouldn’t be leaving the place without him,” said Susan Perdoch, a resident of Little Neck, New York.

Perdoch was explaining her experience as she walked through North Shore Animal League for the first time. The dog she was describing is Riley, her black Labrador retriever mix, who is now five years old and an integral member of the family. Hearing her story hit especially close to home, as my first pet was a blonde Labrador retriever from North Shore Animal League.

My first dog, a blonde Labrador retriever mix, and I circa 1996. (Photo by Stacy Lockwood)

“As soon as we brought him home he started running around the house and jumping on everything. We knew he’d be a perfect fit for this crazy family,” added Olivia Perdoch, Susan Perdoch’s daughter.

Riley is now in good health, however when the Perdoch family first encountered him at the shelter, he was undergoing treatment for parvovirus, a disease common among dogs from puppy mills. Parvovirus is a highly contagious viral disease that attacks dividing cells and white blood cells in a dog’s body. If the virus remains untreated, it may result in irreversible damage to the intestinal tract, as well as lifelong cardiac problems.

When Riley was taken to his new home, he had to continue taking antibiotics to combat the disease. Thankfully, North Shore Animal League has on on-site veterinary medical center, fully equipped with a highly trained medical staff, where Riley had been nursed back to health before going to a new home.

Riley at his favorite spot in the house… the couch.

It is not uncommon to find out that someone’s pet was adopted from North Shore Animal League, as the website boasts that since 1944, the organization has saved the lives of over one million dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens to date. It is widely known for its policy against the use of euthanasia, as the volunteers and staff focus their efforts on rehabilitation for animals in all conditions.

North Shore Animal League, located in Port Washington, New York, is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization. Today it ranks as one of the most reputable adoption services in the New York area, however this widespread notoriety did not occur overnight.

The organization acts as a pioneer in the field of adoption, as it has implemented several new innovations that have influenced similar and nearby adoption agencies. It rose to prominence, especially within the last 20 years, through the use of advertising, a tactic that was never before used for adoption purposes.

Perhaps the most revolutionary program was the Pet Adoptathon, an event in which the doors of the establishment were kept open for 36 hours on end in an effort to gain attention and promote adoption. After receiving praise from the press, other shelters observed the success of the event and launched their own, turning it into an annual event that generates nationwide participation. According to North Shore Animal League’s website, “Today, over 2,000 shelters in the U.S., and in 26 other countries, join us for Pet Adoptathon with one common goal – to join forces and adopt over 20,000 animals into permanent homes over a single weekend.”

The organization emphasizes its mission to save the lives of innocent animals and reduce animal cruelty, while simultaneously promoting adoption as an accessible, worthwhile choice. If anyone is interested in adopting a dog or cat, a trip to North Shore Animal League almost guarantees that you will come home with one. After all, how could you leave the place empty handed after seeing a face like this…

Every bed in the house belongs to Riley.

Contact North Shore Animal League:
25 Davis Avenue
Port Washington, NY 11050
adoptions@animalleague.org
(516) 883-7575

Hours of Operation:
Sunday-Thursday: 10am-9pm
Friday & Saturday: 10am-10pm

“I saw him sitting all alone in his own cage in the corner, and I knew that I wouldn’t be leaving the place without him,” said Susan Perdoch, a resident of Little Neck, New York.

Perdoch was explaining her experience as she walked through North Shore Animal League for the first time. The dog she was describing is Riley, her black Labrador retriever mix, who is now five years old and an integral member of the family. Hearing her story hit especially close to home, as my first pet was a blonde Labrador retriever from North Shore Animal League.

My first dog, a blonde Labrador retriever mix, and I circa 1996. (Photo by Stacy Lockwood)

“As soon as we brought him home he started running around the house and jumping on everything. We knew he’d be a perfect fit for this crazy family,” added Olivia Perdoch, Susan Perdoch’s daughter.

Riley is now in good health, however when the Perdoch family first encountered him at the shelter, he was undergoing treatment for parvovirus, a disease common among dogs from puppy mills. Parvovirus is a highly contagious viral disease that attacks dividing cells and white blood cells in a dog’s body. If the virus remains untreated, it may result in irreversible damage to the intestinal tract, as well as lifelong cardiac problems.

When Riley was taken to his new home, he had to continue taking antibiotics to combat the disease. Thankfully, North Shore Animal League has on on-site veterinary medical center, fully equipped with a highly trained medical staff, where Riley had been nursed back to health before going to a new home.

Riley at his favorite spot in the house– the couch. 

It is not uncommon to find out that someone’s pet was adopted from North Shore Animal League, as the website boasts that since 1944, the organization has saved the lives of over one million dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens to date. It is widely known for its policy against the use of euthanasia, as the volunteers and staff focus their efforts on rehabilitation for animals in all conditions.

North Shore Animal League, located in Port Washington, New York, is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization. Today it ranks as one of the most reputable adoption services in the New York area, however this widespread notoriety did not occur overnight.

The organization acts as a pioneer in the field of adoption, as it has implemented several new innovations that have influenced similar and nearby adoption agencies. It rose to prominence, especially within the last 20 years, through the use of advertising, a tactic that was never before used for adoption purposes.

Perhaps the most revolutionary program was the Pet Adoptathon, an event in which the doors of the establishment were kept open for 36 hours on end in an effort to gain attention and promote adoption. After receiving praise from the press, other shelters observed the success of the event and launched their own, turning it into an annual event that generates nationwide participation. According to North Shore Animal League’s website, “Today, over 2,000 shelters in the U.S., and in 26 other countries, join us for Pet Adoptathon with one common goal – to join forces and adopt over 20,000 animals into permanent homes over a single weekend.”

The organization emphasizes its mission to save the lives of innocent animals and reduce animal cruelty, while simultaneously promoting adoption as an accessible, worthwhile choice. If anyone is interested in adopting a dog or cat, a trip to North Shore Animal League almost guarantees that you will come home with one. After all, how could you leave the place empty handed after seeing a face like this…

Contact North Shore Animal League:
25 Davis Avenue
Port Washington, NY 11050
adoptions@animalleague.org
(516) 883-7575

Hours of Operation:
Sunday-Thursday: 10am-9pm
Friday & Saturday: 10am-10pm

My yorkiepoo (and love of my life) from Petite Pets Puppy Boutique.

“We decided not to adopt a dog because we were afraid of the health problems it could have,” said Stacy Lockwood, my mother and one of the biggest animal lovers I know. “I never expected that our ‘purebred Maltese’ would become blind at the age of two, develop an underactive thyroid at the age of three, and pass away at the age of five,” she said about our former dog, Lacey.

This is the unfortunate fate that many dogs, born and bred in puppy mills, will face. It is estimated by the Humane Society of the United States that there are at least 10,000 mills in the United States alone, and more than two-thirds of them operate without enforced regulations. As someone who has dealt with the untimely loss of a pet, I understand the frustration that one may feel toward breeders.

Lacey, a dog my family purchased from a local pet shop, and I circa 2001. (Photo by Stacy Lockwood)

Puppy mills work similarly to factories that exist for the purpose of mass production. They function in such a way as to produce a maximum amount of puppies for sale, while disregarding the welfare of the dogs performing the breeding. According to the ASPCA’s website, “A puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding operation that places profit over the well-being of its dogs—who are often severely neglected—and acts without regard to responsible breeding practices.”

From these mills, at as young as eight weeks of age, the puppies are then sold to pet shops and are put on the market. It is often hard to tell whether or not a puppy is the product of a puppy mill at such an age, however severe health problems usually manifest themselves within a few years, or even just a few months. The most common of these problems include epilepsy, heart disease, kidney disease, musculoskeletal disorders, endocrine disorders, blood disorders, deafness, eye problems, and respiratory disorders.

“After going through a loss that I was clearly not prepared for, I knew that I would never get another dog unless I was sure that it was coming from a safe, reputable place.”

At four years of age, Lacey had completely lost her vision and developed an underactive thyroid. (Photo by Stacy Lockwood)

A few months after Lacey’s death, the pet shop we had purchased her from, known as the American Kennel Club, had shut down overnight with no explanation. There now stands a new pet shop at the location, but to this day, the cause of the shutdown remains unknown.

When my family began considering welcoming a new dog to our home, we were referred to a pet store called Petite Pets Puppy Boutique, a store in Huntington Station, New York, dedicated to small toy breeds. After just one visit we were proud to introduce Delilah, a two-pound yorkie and poodle mix, to the family.

Petite Pets Puppy Boutique sets itself apart from traditional pet stores by partnering only with breeders that they have visited and have deemed acceptable. As seen on the website, the only breeders the store maintains relationships with operate with “the utmost integrity.” They ensure that any dogs entering the store come from breeders that “do not inbreed or over-breed. They especially do not re-breed any congenital problems.”

Barbara Maple, who founded the store in 1983, commented, “I treat each and every dog like family, as if they were my own.” This is clear from the unyielding attention that the puppies in the store receive while they rest and play in baby cribs instead of cages. She added, “I won’t let my babies go to any home that I think will be unfit because they all deserve a future filled with love and happiness.”

At almost seven years old, Delilah is still in excellent health.

Anyone who purchases a dog from the shop receives a pedigree certificate, listing where the puppy was bred, as well as information regarding the puppy’s parents. With an extensive list of satisfied customers, it is clear that the legitimate and thorough practices of the store generate great success.

Although purchasing a dog from Petite Pets Puppy Boutique is not technically considered a means of adoption, it is a possible alternative that one may seek. While pet adoption and rescue are perhaps the best choices to make a difference in an animal’s life, buying from reputable pet shops such as this one is just as effective in fighting the war on puppy mill prominence.

Contact Petite Pets Puppy Boutique:
2385 New York Avenue
Huntington Station,
New York 11746
petitepetspuppyboutique.com
(631) 424-6262

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Sunday: 10am-5pm

“We decided not to adopt a dog because we were afraid of the health problems it could have,” said Stacy Lockwood, my mother and one of the biggest animal lovers I know. “I never expected that our ‘purebred Maltese’ would become blind at the age of two, develop an underactive thyroid at the age of three, and pass away at the age of five,” she said about our former dog, Lacey.

This is the unfortunate fate that many dogs, born and bred in puppy mills, will face. It is estimated by the Humane Society of the United States that there are at least 10,000 mills in the United States alone, and more than two-thirds of them operate without enforced regulations. As someone who has dealt with the untimely loss of a pet, I understand the frustration that one may feel toward breeders.

Puppy mills work similarly to factories that exist for the purpose of mass production. They function in such a way as to produce a maximum amount of puppies for sale, while disregarding the welfare of the dogs performing the breeding. According to the ASPCA’s website, “A puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding operation that places profit over the well-being of its dogs—who are often severely neglected—and acts without regard to responsible breeding practices.”

Lacey, a dog my family purchased from a local pet shop, and I circa 2001. (Photo by Stacy Lockwood)

From these mills, at as young as eight weeks of age, the puppies are then sold to pet shops and are put on the market. It is often hard to tell whether or not a puppy is the product of a puppy mill at such an age, however severe health problems usually manifest themselves within a few years, or even just a few months. The most common of these problems include epilepsy, heart disease, kidney disease, musculoskeletal disorders, endocrine disorders, blood disorders, deafness, eye problems, and respiratory disorders.

“After going through a loss that I was clearly not prepared for, I knew that I would never get another dog unless I was sure that it was coming from a safe, reputable place.”

At four years of age, Lacey had completely lost her vision and developed an underactive thyroid. (Photo by Stacy Lockwood)

A few months after Lacey’s death, the pet shop we had purchased her from, known as the American Kennel Club, had shut down overnight with no explanation. There now stands a new pet shop at the location, but to this day, the cause of the shutdown remains unknown.

When my family began considering welcoming a new dog to our home, we were referred to a pet store called Petite Pets Puppy Boutique, a store in Huntington Station, New York, dedicated to small toy breeds. After just one visit we were proud to introduce Delilah, a two-pound yorkie and poodle mix, to the family.

At almost seven years old, Delilah is still in excellent health.

Petite Pets Puppy Boutique sets itself apart from traditional pet stores by partnering only with breeders that they have visited and have deemed acceptable. As seen on the website, the only breeders the store maintains relationships with operate with “the utmost integrity.” They ensure that any dogs entering the store come from breeders that “do not inbreed or over-breed. They especially do not re-breed any congenital problems.”

Barbara Maple, who founded the store in 1983, commented, “I treat each and every dog like family, as if they were my own.” This is clear from the unyielding attention that the puppies in the store receive while they rest and play in baby cribs instead of cages. She added, “I won’t let my babies go to any home that I think will be unfit because they all deserve a future filled with love and happiness.”

Anyone who purchases a dog from the shop receives a pedigree certificate, listing where the puppy was bred, as well as information regarding the puppy’s parents. With an extensive list of satisfied customers, it is clear that the legitimate and thorough practices of the store generate great success.

Although purchasing a dog from Petite Pets Puppy Boutique is not technically considered a means of adoption, it is a possible alternative that one may seek. While pet adoption and rescue are perhaps the best choices to make a difference in an animal’s life, buying from reputable pet shops such as this one is just as effective in fighting the war on puppy mill prominence.

Contact Petite Pets Puppy Boutique:
2385 New York Avenue
Huntington Station,
New York 11746
petitepetspuppyboutique.com
(631) 424-6262

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Sunday: 10am-5pm