The fight to stop animal cruelty is very important to us here at Iams. Dogs face some unique animal cruelty issues that do not affect cats, namely the issues of puppy mills and dog fighting. At Iams, dog health and well-being is very important to us so we want to encourage our fellow pet lovers to help look for and alleviate these dog cruelty problems in their communities.

Puppy mills are large-scale, substandard commercial breeding operations that often house dogs in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions without proper veterinary care, food, water, and socialization. Dogs are often bred repeatedly and indiscriminately simply for the goal of selling them to pet stores or to the public via the Internet or newspaper ads to make a profit. To the animal lovers at Iams, dog and puppy mills are simply unacceptable and we urge people to take action against this form of animal cruelty.

Consumer demand for purebred dogs perpetuates the existence of puppy mills more than anything else. Do not buy puppies from pet stores or from the Internet unless you are sure they are not from a puppy mill and encourage everyone you know to do the same. Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper to increase awareness and to your representatives in Congress to encourage them to pay more attention to the problems caused by puppy mills.

Another problem recognized by Iams, dog fighting, is the practice of breeding and training dogs to fight often to the death. This is a terribly cruel practice perpetuated by the sense of accomplishment, self-esteem, and pride dog owners, who are often felons or others with criminal backgrounds, feel when their dog wins a fight. If dogs are defeated, they are often killed and dumped. Stolen dogs and cats are often used to train these fighting dogs to give them their first taste of blood. They spend most of their lives chained in isolation and many times are not provided basic food, water, and shelter. Fighting dogs often receive little or no veterinary care for their wounds after a fight, which can result in serious infection or deformities from improperly healed broken bones.

In the view of the animal welfare specialists at Iams, dog fighting must be stopped. You can help by urging your Congressmen to support the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, a bill that would make it a felony to transport dogs across state lines or international borders for the purpose of fighting. You can also spread the word that dog fighting is cruel by writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.

Remember that efforts to halt animal cruelty in your community start with you. Educate yourself about these special cruelty issues mentioned by Iams. Dogs in your community need your help to spread the word and take action so they do not have to suffer needlessly.