Let Me out and Love Me / Zoi's Story

Welcome, readers!
It is our goal to educate people about commercial breeding and encourage them to rescue companion animals from shelters.

There are breeders in Missouri that have over 1,200 dogs at their facilities. The animals never set foot on grass, have proper grooming, get an individual vet visit or know love. Many times, they go completely mad in the confinements of minimal measurement. It's cruelty.

With all of the love and compassion that I've been shown by my companion animal friends, I couldn't turn my back on them. Not when they need my voice so much.

Please share information with your friends and educate yourself. Visit a shelter and commit to never buying a puppy from a store ever again. Loving dogs means loving them when they need it most!

Zoi's story: Zoi's long life of about 10 years had been spent in a substandard puppy mill in Taney County, Missouri. She was rescued by a team of cruelty investigators who convinced the owner of the puppy mill to relinquish all of his animals. The case never went to court, so Zoi was available for adoption almost immediately through the Humane Society of Missouri. A couple of years later, Zoi was brought into HSMO as a stray. The adopter had given her to a cousin, who wasn't responsible enough to make sure that she was taken care of. As a result of the miserable life that Zoi had, she had to have 7 dental extractions, her jaw is decayed on the left side of her muzzle. She has luxating patella, a stomach prone to bloating and she is virtually unable to maintain a healthy coat of hair. Zoi's turn for the better came with a serindipitous collaberation. The wonderful shelter ladies were very particular about Zoi (her name was Michelle) and her care. I was a volunteer (still very new) and was asked to hold Zoi for a short time to get her used to contact. It took her a few minutes to be okay with me holding her, but eventually she settled down into my lap and stretched out. I massaged her hairless back and felt helpless for her. My heart sank at the thought of anybody neglecting her ever again. I left the shelter that day feeling heavy. When I returned a week later, there she was, crying for me to pick her up. So I did. And I never put her back. She's been with me and her loving family for almost two years. She has really taken a shining to Jim. They are so close.