Best Friends Animal Society Weighs in on "Obama family dog dilemma"

Two Golden Doodle puppies from Missouri fit the Obama Family’s criteria for “First Dog” perfectly. Described as having a “ridiculous amount of adorable,” the Standard Poodle, Golden Retriever mixes, who were rescued from a puppy mill, are patiently waiting at their foster home in Colorado Springs for a call from The White House.

“Our two Golden Doodle Girls—Stella and Susie—are only four months old and waiting for a loving home—and The White House would be just fine with them,” said Theresa Strader of National Mill Dog Rescue. “They were not in very good shape when we got them; they had various infections including pneumonia, which is common with dogs rescued from puppy mills. But now they are in perfect health and are ready to get on with the rest of their lives.

National Mill Dog Rescue often partners with Best Friends helping to find homes for dogs—usually purebred animals—rescued from puppy mills, large scale commercial mass breeding operations that supply pet shops across the United States.

“Puppy mills are out-of-sight, out-of-mind with the general public,” says Julie Castle, director of community programs for Best Friends Animal Society. “If the Obamas were to adopt Stella or Susie, it would go a long way toward educating Americans about the conditions in puppy mills, which will decrease the demand for these dogs in pet shops.”

Best Friends’ national campaign against puppy mills made the headlines recently when the management of the upscale mall, The Beverly Center, announced it was terminating the lease of “Pet Love,” a store that sold puppy mill dogs for thousands of dollars. This followed months of peaceful, informational protests by Best Friends and other animal welfare groups.

The adoption of Stella and/or Susie would go a long way toward sending a strong message to current and future pet owners: Adoption, coupled with effective spay-neuter programs, enables abused, abandoned dogs to obtain a new lease on life and helps control pet overpopulation.

Strader said, “After helping Stella and Susie to become healthy, their foster family here in Colorado Springs has taught them so many new things. They are both really smart, in just one week they have already learned the basic commands; come, sit, lie down and stay.”

Stella and Susie are housetrained (which should put White House housekeepers at ease). “Stella is more laid back with a very sweet and outgoing temperament but happy to have several naps a day,” Strader added. “Susie is a bit more of a wild child - very energetic and a bit nosy, but also very loving and sweet.”

“We truly believe that adopting either of these darling girls would be a great choice for the First Family,” Strader added. “They definitely had a very difficult beginning but are perfect models for what can be achieved when tender, loving care is given to animals in need.”

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009, Best Friends Animal Society is one of America’s foremost animal rescue organizations. Founded in 1984, Best Friends advances nationwide animal welfare initiatives by working with shelter and rescue groups around the country. On any given day Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the nation's largest facility for abused, abandoned and special needs companion animals located in southwestern Utah, is home to approximately 2,000 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, and other animals. The society also publishes Best Friends magazine, the nation’s largest general interest, pet-related magazine with approximately 300,000 subscribers. For more information, visit www.bestfriends.org.

About National Mill Dog Rescue

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., National Mill Dog Rescue is an organization committed to establishing a sanctuary for dogs rescued from puppy mills. In addition to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing discarded puppy mill dogs, NMDR in collaboration with several rescue groups around the country is developing three national educational programs aimed at putting an end to the pain and suffering of commercial breeding dogs. National Mill Dog Rescue needs your help to obtain a sanctuary for our rescued dogs—a place where they can enjoy a safe, warm, comfortable and loving environment for the first time in their lives, recover both medically and emotionally from years of neglect, and learn how to be dogs by running, playing, socializing and ultimately getting prepared for their forever homes. For more information, visit www.milldogrescue.org.