Lucy is seven-years-old and is the product of an Oklahoma puppy mill. For seven years, her home has been the inside of a crate, never a warm soft bed with her owner at her side. Lucy is very frightened of people, due to her lack of socialization. She has not experienced the gentle touch of a loving owner and sadly, Lucy is most comfortable in a crate all alone, because this is all she knows. Her life consisted of breeding, delivering and caring for puppies. She never got to go on walks, or car rides, or swim in a lake or pool. She was never loved, she was fed improperly and most likely, she was given inadequate or no veterinary care. As soon as Lucy's owners felt her puppies were old enough to be weaned, the litter was taken away and sold to pet stores around the country. Lucy's horrible story is repeated every day.
     Lucy's puppies have a strong likelihood of having hip dysplasia (a faulty fitting hip joint which is a ball "femoral head" and socket "acetabulum" arrangement), distichiasis (a condition in which eyelashes are abnormally located in the eyelid margin) or even subaortic stenosis SAS (one of the most common canine congenital heart diseases in the nation). These symptoms may not be detected immediately, but because Lucy and the Golden with which she was bred were most likely not evaluated by a veterinarian who specialized in these areas, the possibility can't be ruled out that she is not a carrier of these common genetic defects. Her puppies are very likely to inherit such defects.
     Sadly, if Lucy is a carrier of any of these defects, her puppies will be subjected to years of pain and discomfort, or euthanasia. Her puppies will be very lucky if they happen to have owners who are willing to pay for all the very costly medical bills (veterinary exams, medications, x-rays and surgeries) needed to treat these defects.
     If you don't want to adopt a Golden from a rescue organization, then please don't purchase that cute, cuddly puppy from a pet store. Reputable breeders would never sell their puppies by the litter to a pet store. To find a reputable breeder, check with your Golden Retriever Club of America puppy referral contact in your area. If there isn't one in your area, then ask the breeder you intend to buy your puppy from to allow you to view certificates on the Golden's parents, stating that they are not carriers of these awful defects. If the breeder cannot produce the documents, don't purchase a puppy. Ask to see both of the puppy's parents. If they aren't on the premises, don't purchase a puppy. Sometimes, the stud dog isn't on the premises, but a reputable breeder should be able to show you all the information regarding that dog (medical certifications and photos). If he or she cannot, don't purchase a puppy. If something just doesn't seem right, don't purchase a puppy. Find another breeder. Call veterinarians, and ask them if they can recommend any reputable breeders in your area. Don't respond to advertisements in the newspaper; buy puppies from someone on the side of the road, or out of the back of a pickup truck in some store parking lot.
     Please educate yourself as much as possible before purchasing your puppy. You research the new car you want to buy, or the latest electronic gadget out on the market… and these are just material objects. They feel no pain, and give no love in return. A Golden has so much to give, and can be such a wonderful companion, given the right breeding and circumstances. Please do your part to help eradicate our nation's puppy mill problem. Knowledge is power, and you can make a difference to all the Lucys and their puppies.