If you're not familiar with puppy mills, I hope you're sitting down 'cus I'm going to enlighten you a bit. You know those huge chicken farms where the hens are kept in cages stacked 10 high, and they never get to see the light of day or feel the grass under their feet, and their only purpose in life is to produce eggs? Replace chickens with dogs. Yep. Dogs. The dogs' only purpose in life is to make puppies, hence the name "puppy mills."
A few weeks ago I met a puppy mill survivor, Izzy, and her parents. Izzy's mom wants to help bring awareness to these awful puppy factories. She wants you to know that if you buy a puppy from a pet store, it probably came from a puppy mill. Getting a designer breed dog shipped from Ohio? Yep, I'd bet money it came from an Amish puppy mill.
You could say Izzy's mom is the voice behind this mission and she asked me to be the "eyes" behind Izzy's story. We spent the morning creating images of Izzy surrounded by her X-rays, vet bills, fluids, and IV lines that help keep her alive. Izzy has a lot of health issues which stemmed from the wretched environment in which she was born. Unfortunately, Izzy is just one of many puppies who are produced in these "dog farms." She's one lucky pup to have been pulled from a puppy mill and placed into a home with humans who love her more than anything. They refused to listen to the multiple vets who told them she ought to be euthanized.
I was so honored that Izzy's family chose me to help with her story. Pictures speak a thousand words. Although Izzy wasn't keen on looking straight at the camera (most dogs aren't - trust me!), we were able to create some beautiful images. It's my hope that this photo session helps to make more people aware of what puppy mills are and realize that we should stop supporting them immediately. Check out Izzy's Story on Facebook or follow her on Instagram @izzythecavalierkingcharles for more info.
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