Iowa’s first ever state-wide
PUPPY MILL AWARENESS EVENT!
2012
Iowa has over 230 USDA licensed “puppy mills”, with over 23,000 adult dogs trapped in cages for the entirety of their lives! (This number doesn’t include the unlicensed mills that we often hear about in the news!) Iowa, alone, sells over 100,000 puppies to pet stores and through internet sales… After seeing a lack of knowledge among Iowans about this topic, it was clear that something more widespread needed to be done. I decided to reach out to many shelters across Iowa, and many of them jumped at the opportunity to help spread awareness about puppy mills in their area! Although puppy mill awareness day is September 15, that isn’t stopping these guys from making puppy mill awareness a MONTH LONG EVENT! Please head over to our facebook page and leave your thoughts, don’t forget to like us 🙂
Below is a partial list of participating groups that wanted to join in for a great cause! These groups deserve a huge thanks from all of us, as they are the heroes in our state! Please consider attending one (or all!) of these events and help those that are truly trying to save lives and remember to stop by their facebook pages and thank them for all that they do! If the event is gray, it has already passed- but you can go to our facebook page and read about how the event turned out!
SIOUX CITY, Iowa– September 1st and 2nd, 2012. Please join Noah’s hope animal rescue at ArtSplash in Grandview Park, Sioux City from 10-6 on Sat. and 10-4 on Sun. Parents, bring your children to work on fun crafts, as you are educated about puppy mills! This free event is open to all and promises to be fun and educational for those that attend! Don’t forget to stop by their facebook page and thank them for their participation in this campaign!
DECORAH, Iowa- September 8th, 2012. The Humane Society of Northeast Iowa (formerly known as PAWS) will be hosting an “Adopt, Don’t Shop” event at Critters and Such Pet Care 2339 179th Ave, Decorah from 11am to 1pm. It is up to you to free the HSNEI youth from their cages with donations for keys! This amazing group of volunteers really took this idea and ran with it! Please consider attending this fun and informative event! For more information, “like” their facebook page and stay up to date on the latest news in your area!
MASON CITY, Iowa– September 15, 2012…. Please visit the Humane Society of North Iowa at their facility to check out their new puppy mill awareness display! They will have a booth set up with information for a few weeks in hopes of spreading the word! Don’t forget to “like” their facebook page.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa– September 15, 2012… Please join the Last Hope Rescue of Iowa as they educate the Downtown Farmers Market at the Green Square Park from 7:30am – Noon! Browse through (and purchase) their dog treats, blankets, and other dog accessories, as well as hear some educational information about puppy mills!
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa- September 15, 2012… After hitting up the farmers market, please hit up Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids 10am – 2pm, where Last Hope Rescue of Iowa will ALSO be educating citizens about puppy mills, as well as selling some more items for their rescue. This amazing rescue will have brochures and other information to take with you about puppy mills! Don’t forget to stop by their facebook page and tell them thanks for spreading the word!
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa- September 15th, 2012. Please join the Cedar Rapids Weim Club at the Cedar Rapids Dog Park (heyenne Park, 1650 Cedar Bend Lane SW), as they host a meet and greet! The club will have information to share with all of the dog owners about puppy mills! And what better day to host such an event, that puppy mill awareness day itself! Please head over to their facebook page and “like” this amazing group!
JEFFERSON, Iowa- September 15th, 2012. Please join PAWS of Greene County from 9am to 4pm as they host their own kind of puppy mill awareness event at the Red Barn Craft Show, which is held at the Greene County Fairgrounds. Please stop by their tent to check out the adorable adoptables and hear some very important information about puppy mills! More information about their adoptable animals can be found on their website.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa– September 15th and 16th. Join Noah’s Hope Animal Rescue at PetSmart (5001 Sergeant Rd) as they educate the customers about puppy mills and why you should adopt, instead of shop for pets! In attendance will be many of their adorable adoptables, who are all fully vetted and microchipped before adoption! Spread the word far and wide, because any attention to this topic in Woodbury County is great! Go to Noah’s Hope Animal Rescue’s facebook page and thank them for standing up for the puppy mill dogs!
DES MOINES, Iowa- September 16th, 2012. Please join Illinois Bulldog Rescue at PetSmart (5050 Southeast 14th Street), as they show of some of their bulldog rescues. We will have a table there with information on IEBR, puppy mills and knowledgeable volunteers to answer any questions that you might have! IEBR rescues many dogs from puppy mills, and we are so proud to have them as a part of this education event! Please go to their facebook page and give them a huge thanks for all that they do!
AMES, Iowa– September 18th, 2012. Please join the student group Students Helping Rescue Animals on campus at Iowa State University from 12 pm- 2pm as they hand out information about puppy mills! This is an amazing event, as these students are trying to educate the target audience of many pet stores/puppy mills.
DAVENPORT, Iowa- Friday, September 21st, 7pm – 10pm K9 Kindness Rescue will be hosting Trivia Night at the Knight’s of Columbus 1111 W. 35th Street Davenport. This fun event does cost $10 per person or $80 per table, but it is a fun-filled night that is sure to entertain and educate you! Call 563.391.1908 to make reservations – tables fill up quickly! They are non-profit and all of the proceeds will go to animals! Please like them on facebook and stay updated on this event and more!
AMANA, Iowa- September 23rd, 2012. Safe Haven of Iowa County is hosting their “Walking Fur All Fours” annual dog walk from 2-4 pm at the Amana Pavillion, and will be highlighting puppy mills! What a better way to educate dog lovers than to have a dog walk ! Join this great cause on facebook!
EPWORTH, Iowa- Oct. 5, 2012 from 6:30-7:30. Please join the Canine Connection LLC as they host a free educational meeting about common dog problems, dog training and puppy mills! This will be held at the Dubuque County Library, Epworth branch. A donation jar will be set out help Homeward Bownd Siberian Husky rescue! Please like both of these amazing groups on facebook, and stay up to date on the training do’s and don’t’s with Canine Connection!
ASBURY, Iowa- October 12, 2012 from 1-2pm. Please join the Canine Connection LLC as they host a free educational meeting about common dog problems, dog training and puppy mills! This will be held at the Asbury Eagles’ club, .5900 Saratoga Plaza, Suite 10. A donation jar will be set out help Homeward Bownd Siberian Husky rescue! Please like both of these amazing groups on facebook, and stay up to date on the training do’s and don’t’s with Canine Connection!
FORT DODGE, IOWA– October 14th, 2012. Almost Home of North Central Iowa will be hosting their Family Flashback days at…. This fun family event will include races, pie throwing, other games, as well as events that will educate the visitors about puppy mills. Head on over to their facebook page and stay updated on the latest news from Almost Home!
DAVENPORT, Iowa– October 14th, 2012. The Humane Society of Scott County will be hosting their annual Fall Fur-stival at their facility 2802 West Central Park Avenue, Davenport from 2-4pm. Lots of fun, games and education is to be had at the Tail-gating PAW-tay… Top Tail-Gaters choose a theme with games and recipes to share but no alcoholic beverages, please! Earn the most Visitors’ Choice votes for your PAW-tay and win a Best of the Lot prize! Want to show your team spirit? Pet parents- dress your pet up to show your team spirit and YOU could win the Top Prize vote from a celebrity judge! Please visit their facebook page for more info.
Here are a few of our out-of-state participants.
DAMARISCOTTA, Maine– September 8th, 2012. The Maine Citizens Against Puppy Mills are attending WOOF STOCK at Round Top Farm in Damariscotta, Maine from 10 am til 4pm. Over 23 rescues will be in attendance as well as the H.S.U.S, Maine Friends of Animal. Our partners, The Maine Citizens Against Puppy mills will be having an educational table there, educating many of the consumers on the dangers of shopping for pets! This event will also have an all breed dog show, agility demo’s, obedience demo’s, a yard sale and all around dog fun all day long! Please consider attending this fun event and don’t forget to “like” them on facebook!
WOODBURY, Minnesota- September 9th, 2012. Peke N Chin Midwest Rescue will again be participating in the Open House held at All Breed Obedience in Woodbury from 10 am to 2 pm. This is a terrific event focused on what families can do with their adopted canines for fun once they bring them home, such as rehabilitation, therapy work, search and rescue training, obedience classes, etc… All members of the public who attend are encouraged to bring cat and dog food that is donated to the participating rescue groups at the end of the open house! Please consider attending this event and please give this rescue the thanks that they deserve! Head over to their facebook page and give them a shout out!
OMAHA, Nebraska- September 16th, 2012. The Pug Partners of Nebraska are hosting a Car &Dog wash at the The Green Spot Omaha – 72nd and Pacific (1110 South 71st Street Bay K Omaha, NE 68106). They will working fundraise and raise awareness about puppy mills! The prices are $10 for a car wash/$10 dog wash/ $10 dog nail trim, or all of the above! Click here for the event on facebook and don’t forget to “like” this amazing rescue on facebook. They work hard to rescue many pugs from puppy mills!
SALEM, Massachusetts– September 22, 2012 from 12 – 5 PM. Please join PMAD as they help to spread the word about puppy mills in their area! Not only will they be spreading awareness about puppy mills, they will also be having a pooch parade, doggy kissing booths and many more activities! Join them on facebook and check out their event page for more info!
CHICAGO, Illinois- September 30, 2012 12:00 pm. Join The Puppy Mill Project as they march down Michigan Avenue in honor of Puppy Mill Awareness Day. Route Begins at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River. Help them show Chicago and the world that dogs are still man’s best friend! Register for the event here.
AUSTIN, Texas- September, 30, 2012. Hosted by Last Chance for Animals at the Fiesta Gardens. This special event includes an art auction, complete with works from actual puppy mill survivors, a silent auction, and the chance to meet Shannon Elizabeth, Victoria Stillwell, and Rikki Rockett! Consider going to this amazing event and show that you are against puppy mills! Learn more about the event here
St. Paul, Minnesota– October 6th, 2012. Peke N Chin Midwest Rescue will be attending the The Great Minnesota Pet Together at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds International Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will be taking this opportunity to not only adopt out some of their adorable rescues, but educating many about puppy mills and the effect they have on homeless animals in shelters and rescues across the nation. Please consider attending this event and showing your support to Peke N Chin Midwest, as they have rescued many dogs from puppy mills! Don’t forget to head over to their facebook page!
(This article will be continuously updated as I receive more event info. Some groups are still putting the finishing touches on their event info.) If your group would like to be included in this event, please send us an email at bailingoutbenji@gmail.com …. Join the rest of the state in standing up against puppy mills!
If you are interested in brochures about puppy mills, please send me an email as well and I will send you the file!
And AS ALWAYS, please “like” Bailing Out Benji on facebook 🙂 And don’t forget to share this article, to give these events the publicity that they deserve!
I would like to send out a special thanks to Happy Medium, who worked very hard on flyers for these events! They were efficient, hard-working and I would recommend them to anyone that needs marketing of any kind!
**I also want to note that Bailing Out Benji never asks for donations. All of the work we do is simply because we love animals.**
