How does NMDR's founding dog, Lily, directly tie in with this weekend's rescue?
As NDMR prepares for both of its rescue teams to meet up at a dog auction in Missouri this Saturday, we are reminded of our roots - Lily. Lily, NMDR's founding dog, was rescued by Theresa in 2007 at a dog auction. Rumor has it that a few dogs from Lily's exact same puppy mill will be auctioned off this Saturday.
How many will be rescued from the auction?
A very small percentage of the dogs NMDR rescues come from the auctions. Most get picked up by NMDR's rescue teams upon being directly released from puppy mills. Of the 80 to 100 dogs that will be rescued this weekend, 90% will come straight out of the mill, directly into our arms. Space is a bigger issue than funding when it comes to NMDR's purchasing dogs at auctions. Most of the worn out, retired breeding dogs will sell at an auction for less than a dollar. NMDR could rescue hundreds of dogs at a time at any given auction, but transport and kennel space is a never ending issue. It is estimated that Gail and Shirley will be transporting 10 to 15 dogs back to CO from Saturday's auction.
What is a dog auction?
A dog auction is an event very similar to a cattle or horse auction. A dog is put on display for bids and is sold to the highest bidder. Most of these dogs are puppy mill cast-offs. They are either too old to be productive breeding stock, or they are not successful at producing puppies. Also, a puppy miller may have too many dogs of a specific breed so they will sell off some and purchase others to diversify their stock.
Below, is a short video clip featuring Theresa's comments about dog auctions:
(Thank you to Jenesis Productions for providing the video)
Why bother?
If NMDR is already picking up over 70 dogs released from puppy mills this weekend, why bother to stop at the auction on Saturday? Great question. Thanks to Lily and because of Lily's call to action, NMDR will never lose sight of it's mission: Putting an end to the cruelty of the commercial breeding industry by both educating the public and raising the standards required by breeders. It is important to revisit our roots - a dog auction which brings our hearts back to where we were founded. Will it make a huge impact on the world if NMDR rescues 10 dogs from that auction on Saturday? No. But it will make all the difference in the world to the few dogs who's lives are saved. NMDR will recharge its batteries by revisiting the raw underbelly of its mission. At the same time, the 10+ dogs rescued will go on to touch an infinite amount of lives as they will surely live on in their family's hearts, just as Lily has. It will make a difference.
Photo's of Lily before she was a name. Dog number 251:
Video
If you've not had an opportunity to enjoy Lily's 3 minute video, please take some time out of your day to head back to our roots with us and view the true core and reason behind National Mill Dog Rescue. Click here to see the video on youtube.
Have you found your Lily?
Although most of us will look over at our faithful canine friend and say an immediate "yes," the real answer is that most of us will not find our own flesh and blood "Lily" who lives with us in our day to day lives. Finding a dog who moves a few people deeply enough to start an organization that affects thousands of people and dogs, and, will eventually change the standard of the dog breeding industry across the nation, comes along only once in a lifetime.
I, the editor of this piece, am proud to say that I have found my "Lily" and it is.... Lily. The dog mentioned above called us all to action and because of her, NMDR, its volunteers, its mission and its thousands of dogs rescued exist today. If you haven't found your "Lily" before today, you have now.
How can you help with this rescue?
This is the tough part for us. Asking for donations is never easy. However, after taking a deep breath, we realize that we're not asking for fancy things or Cadillac's to go pick the dogs up in. NMDR had to rent a large transport vehicle for the 50+ dogs that Theresa will be picking up because we couldn't fit all the souls who needed to be rescued into NMDR's RV. Everyone on each of the rescue teams is volunteering 100% of their time. As you can see from every video of NMDR, the volunteers work hard and you can literally see the blood, sweat and tears (and dog poop) on their faded t-shirts and jeans. When we ask for donations, they are for the dogs. The reality is that rescuing dogs and caring for them takes money. Our reality is that we need your help and we must feel no shame in asking for it.
NMDR cannot do this without you. All donations made today will go directly to the current rescue - 100%. Beyond the trip money for a rescue, our largest expense is vet care. When these 80+ dogs are rescued this weekend, they will ALL need vaccinations and to be spayed or neutered.
Please donate anything you can today to help us make this a successful rescue and to expedite the care of the dogs when they return to the kennel on Sunday. Any amount will make a difference, even a few dollars. It all adds up and we are beyond grateful.
Donate today. Please don't wait. Our rescue teams didn't.
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