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Due to a promotion at work, I will no longer be able to demonstrate outside the mall each weekend--I'm commuting to Jeff City and cannot use my lunch breaks for Save Money, Save Lives. So it's doubly important that YOU, EVERYBODY, get involved! Hold signs outside the mall and other puppy-sale venues, educate people FOR shelters and responsible breeders and AGAINST pet stores, and keep donating your time and money to good causes!

I will keep updating this blog to advance the case that a shelter, rescue, or responsible breeder is the smart and morally right place to get a pet.

What behavioral problems might a pet store puppy have?

Puppies should be taken out often in order to establish good housetraining behavior. A local pet store (and almost all pet stores that sell dogs) does not take their puppies outdoors, and leaves them to poop and pee in their cages. This, according to vets and trainers, is one of the reasons pet store puppies can be much more likely to cause property damage (and aggravation!) with poor housetraining.

Additionally, since pet store puppies are left without human interaction most of the day, and all night, many begin barking incessantly for stress relief and recreation. They may also develop an abnormal sleep pattern because of noisy surroundings, and these habits may be incompatible with life in your home.

If you are interested in avoiding these common problems, seek a dog from a responsible breeder (responsible breeders NEVER sell to pet stores), a rescue that does in-home foster care, or a dog from a shelter's in-home foster care program.

If you must buy a pet store puppy, please ask the owner these questions, and DON'T BUY if they don't give you an acceptable answer!

Also, request their USDA license number, and do some research online and in writing to find out if they have had citations on their USDA inspection record--kennels can stay in business even if dead animals were found on the property, animals with untreated diseases were suffering, or other serious problems were noted.

Times for this weekend

I should be there 12-1 on Saturday, Oct 24, and 11-12 on Sunday, Oct 25. I am going to try the bases of the traffic signals at Stadium and Bernadette--the people holding advertisements there didn't seem to get yelled at or anything.

Easy activism is REALLY easy!

In my lunch hour today, at a less-than-prime intersection (Bernadette Dr & Bernadette Place), FOUR HUNDRED AND FIVE PEOPLE SAW MY SIGN. I made sure to only count people who had been exposed to the sign for a meaningful amount of time, and those who were looking in my direction. I may have really overestimated the amount of time it will take to spread the word to all of Columbia!

Which is good, because my arthritis does NOT like the cold, and I think two hours is definitely my limit on standing outside. So, 12-2 tomorrow, at the intersection of Bernadette Drive and Bernadette Place (vacant lot next to SoccerPro).

I met some wonderful people at the Central Missouri Humane Society, and I am going back tomorrow to give a monetary donation to the CMHS.

Times for this weekend (revised)

In response to a phone call from John Fields, head of mall public safety, I will be at the terminal end of Bernadette Drive where it splits off around Target, from 1-2 tomorrow, and 12-4 Sunday.

Times for this weekend

I'll be outside on the south side of Bernadette Drive near Dillard's, from 12-1 on Saturday, and 12-4 on Sunday. Anyone who needs signs or shirts, please contact me ahead of time!

Easy activism is easy

I stood at the intersection of Stadium and Bernadette today, in front of the Drury Inn, on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and street, during my lunch hour. I held my sign reading "Save Lives - ADOPT" and http://www.petfinder.com/. It was really effective--I estimate it was seen by well over 200 people in the hour that I was there.

We need to find out where public property begins and ends in that area, because Tony from the Drury Inn claims that they own the sidewalk and the strip of grass I was standing on (which I'm pretty sure is public property--it has fire hydrants and light posts on it.)

I really encourage everyone interested to take just a little time each weekend and hold a sign. It's fun and easy, and can have a great impact on people's attitudes and behaviors.

Tomorrow, I will play it safe and stand where the construction-protest guys stand, between Dillard's and Target. I will be there from 12-4 unless the weather becomes dangerous. I may bring one of my dogs. Please join us!

10:08: I got called away to St. Louis for a family thing, so I will not be out tomorrow. Please contact me if you need signs, and I will try and meet with you!