I want to tell you about the National Mill Dog Rescue. It's an incredible foundation dedicated to responsible breeding and helping the dogs that have fallen victim to selfish breeders who misuse and abuse these fantastic creatures.

It just amazes me sometimes how cruel human beings can be when you look at a mill dog like Lily who was the inspiration behind this organization. Lily's story is sad but not uncommon in the world of mill breeders. Below is her story and more on how my daughter and I are working on helping to find more homes for the dogs and doing our part to educate the public about the need for responsible breeding.

lily's story
by - rich strader
Lily is the love and the light of my life. If you've ever had a special dog like Lily, then you will understand right away what I'm talking about. If you haven't... read on.
Lily was born, raised and perhaps had 13 litters of puppies at the Reedgate Kennels before we were able to buy her at auction. Her time there was spent in a wire cage with a board to sleep on and a rabbit waterer to drink from. While in the mill she received little or no vet care and because of this she lost all her teeth and her lower jaw rotted off, which is not unusual for the smaller breeds in the puppy mills. Everything that was precious to her was taken away (her puppies). The human hand brought only misery.
When she came to me I took her to work everyday and she slept in the warmth of my Irish Wolfhounds stomach. She slowly learned to trust and in 7 months she would come to me to get on my lap! She now loves all humans as no one will ever hurt her again. As you can see from the picture on the right she has her silly moments and keeps a lookout so she won't get caught!
Lily is my inspiration. She can teach anyone about love, courage and the ability to forgive. Unfortunately the cancer she aquired through years of neglect is now close to ending her life. I have promised her she will never be alone again and I will be with her at the end. To date she is responsible for saving over1100 dogs as she is the inspiration and founder of MDRN.Lily died in my arms May 13, 2008. She will be missed.
Two of Lily's friends have written poetry for her, please read it here.

My daughter is a volunteer at the rescue and she goes with my friend Gina Kavali from 98.1 KKFM...(CLICK HERE for more on her blog and additional rescue information)...where my girl fell in love with a 2 year old female Pomeranian named Sugar. Now, Sugar has some health issues from being a mill dog like bad teeth, as you read above is common in the smaller breeds, and she's narcoleptic. We're prepared for the challenge financially as she's going to be on medication for the rest of her life but now we need to make sure the timing is right for all parties. I will be getting by there this weekend to see Sugar and the other babies that need some human interaction and I think it will be good for me to put time into something that I do believe in.
If you can help in any way...monetary donations, food, toys, treats, blankets, dishes, or even your time then please, contact the National Mill Dog Rescue by clicking HERE.