"How much is that doggy in the window?' Ever wondered where that cute little puppy in the pet shop window comes from? The sad reality is that it could very well come from one of the many disgusting puppy mills throughout the country.

On Tuesday 10 February Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre's Inspector Wynand le Roux accompanied a team from Jacaranda 94.2fm  to one of these alleged puppy mills in Haakdoringboom, Pretoria North, with the aim of exposing this shameful practice and to allow the media to see first hand just what goes on  behind the scenes. What they came across will not easily be forgotten by the team or anyone else who has seen the photos and the video footage taken and is now available on the Jacaranda 94.2fm Blog website!

Rotten chicken carcasses littered the plot, feathers were all over the place, cow's udders were lying around to be eaten and the stench was unbearable. Flies were feasting on dogs ears causing big open wounds while a three- legged pot in the middle of the room where the puppies are born was crawling with maggots!! Dogs were being housed in dilapidated shacks all over the plot and they had to fight their way through long grass to find some of the dogs which were being housed in camps that were completely hidden amongst the mess and the bush!

No animal should have to live under these circumstances.  Most of the dogs are free to roam around as they wish. This means that they come on heat and fights break out amongst them. One poor little dog had deep gashes in her back as a result of these fights. Her wounds had however remained un-noticed and un-treated!  It is a case of who covers who, no-one would know, and YOU are the one that ends up paying for a "pure bred pedigreed dog", when that is not what your hard earned money or love for the breed expects.  The cute little bull dog that you have paid in excess of R5000.00 for, looks quite the picture but as she/he grows up, you notice you have a bulldog cross boxer.

On Monday 16 February Wet Nose returned to the plot together with a Health Inspector. Mr van Aardt arrived shortly afterwards insisting that his dogs were in good condition and that there was nothing wrong with the conditions in which the dogs were being kept. After what seemed like forever, the negotiations in the hot sun were resolved and Mr van Aardt signed over forty four of his dogs to Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre to be re-homed.

Thirty five of the dogs were immediately transported to Wet Nose and the remaining nine will be collected during the week. The dogs were checked for injuries and sicknesses and some are currently under veterinary care. They have all been bathed, which was a traumatic experience for them as they are not at all used to water, despite the filth they were living in. Some seem not to have had much contact with people and are terrified to be approached or touched.

Having taken in so many dogs has put Wet Nose under a lot of strain as there are now almost two hundred dogs in their care. Being a "Right to Life" organization means that none of the dogs will be put down, but will instead be housed, fed, medicated and loved until the day that every one of them gets a home.  This is a monumental task to take on and Wet Nose is appealing to all animal lovers for donations of food, bowls, funds and a "for-ever Home"  for these orphans saved from a living HELL.

So, next time you see that cute little puppy in the window, make an extra effort to find out where it comes from!