For Rosa D'Ascoli, getting a new puppy was a joy—and a cinch! A quick trip to a New Jersey pet shop and she had her dream dog.

At first glance, Gizmo was perfect. In six days, he had a fever and no appetite. Despite gentle training, he was jumping at strangers. Soon, a lump formed in his neck. Nine months later, Gizmo died. Angry and heartbroken, Rosa was determined to find out what went wrong.

Behind the Scenes
Though they appear happy and healthy, pet shop puppies often develop serious health and personality problems. The problems are a result of how the puppies were bred and raised. Most pet shop dogs come from places known as puppy mills. Rosa discovered that Gizmo came from an Iowa puppy mill operating without a license.

"Puppy mills make litters and litters of puppies—about 400,000 a year," says Eric Sakach. "Puppy mill owners sell their dogs online, in newspapers, and to pet shops around the U.S. To save money, they put them in crowded cages without good food, shelter, or veterinary care."

How does Sakach know so much about the puppy business? This former investigator for The Humane Society of the United States conducted dozens of undercover raids. "I found pups in horrible conditions. Cages were unbelievably dirty, filled with dog droppings. Dogs were sick and left out in the cold, heat, and rain. I rescued dogs with raw skin, missing fur, and ribs sticking out. What I saw was terribly sad, but having the police shut those places down was very satisfying."

Opt to Adopt!
What can KIND kids do to stop puppy mills? "In the future," Sakach recommends, "don't get puppies from pet stores. Don't trust newspaper or Web ads where you never get to see the facility. If we stop buying puppies from these places, puppy mill owners will go out of business.

"The best place to get a dog is from an animal shelter. Shelter animals are often trained, spayed or neutered, and examined to be sure that they're friendly, healthy, suitable pets. If you adopt a dog from a shelter, you're in the business of helping pets."