Have you ever felt the burning desire to confront those who caused your beloved dog immense suffering? Theresa Strader, inspired by her Italian Greyhound Lily’s heartbreaking story, established the National Mill Dog Rescue in 2007. Lily had been a living example of the cruelty and neglect that dogs in puppy mills face regularly.
The website shared the story of Lily, who had spent the first seven years of her life as a breeding dog. She was kept in a small, cold wire cage in a smelly barn and was never allowed to exercise or interact with other dogs. Lily’s sole purpose was to produce litters of puppies, and she was treated as nothing more than a breeding machine. Unfortunately, Lily had endured a great deal of mistreatment in the pursuit of profit before she was eventually rescued. By the time she was seven years old, she was exhausted and had received little to no veterinary care throughout her life. This neglect had taken a significant toll on her health, resulting in severe dental problems and several mammary lumps. Despite her hardships, Lily remained fearful of people.
The Strader family provided Lily with the care and attention that she desperately needed, ultimately leading to her passing at home in May 2008, in the arms of her adopted father and family, exactly fifteen months after her rescue. During this difficult time, Theresa wrote a heartfelt letter addressed to Lily’s breeder, Martha, which we hope will resonate with anyone involved in the breeding or selling of dogs in mills. In February 2007, Theresa received an email about “50 Italian Greyhounds in need” and decided to help. This led her to Martha’s kennel, where she witnessed the inhumane treatment of hundreds of terrified dogs. Although Theresa has been involved in dog rescue for most of her life, she had never seen anything like this before. The experience has haunted her ever since and serves as a reminder of the importance of decent treatment for all living beings.
I understand that you followed USDA standards, but I strongly disagree with the concept of treating commercial breeding dogs as livestock. Dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago to be our companions, protectors, hunters, and herders.
After rescuing thirteen of your dogs, including nine Italian Greyhounds, two Dachshunds, and two Papillons, I realized that they had suffered more physical and mental trauma than any other dogs I had treated in my 25 years of rescue work. Over the next few months, I learned so much about how to save dogs in need.
However, this letter is about one particular dog – AKC registered “Reedgate’s Rapid Motion,” also known as Lily. Despite her name, Lily was an Italian Greyhound who had never experienced the joy of running because she had been caged her entire life, which weakened her legs.
When Lily came to our home, we removed her chain and gave her a nice collar. We renamed her Lily and set her free at the age of seven and one month. It was a wonderful feeling to see her experience true freedom.
Lily was one of many dogs in your care that suffered from a missing lower jaw. I am curious about the reasons behind this recurring illness and whether you were concerned about your dogs’ pain and ability to eat enough to survive. It’s concerning to think about how many may have died due to this condition, and whether you were even aware of their suffering. It seems that your main focus was on breeding puppies, at any cost.
Nevertheless, Lily found a new home with us and became a precious member of our family. Despite her health issues and anxiety, we showered her with love and care until she found her courage. She had a remarkable impact on everyone who met her, bringing tears to their eyes as they listened to her story and experienced her unconditional love. Rather than being valued for her ability to breed, Lily was now the center of attention in a comfortable and nurturing environment.
It was heartbreaking to witness her struggle through multiple surgeries and procedures to remove tumors and restore her withering face, culminating with a spay surgery that removed her diseased uterus. It’s hard to imagine why you never noticed her pain and suffering, only seeing her as a source of profit.
Lily’s mealtimes were a struggle due to your lack of care, causing us to try various methods to make it easier for her. However, she ended up eating the way she learned at your puppy mill – picking kibbles from the bowl with her feet, spreading them on the floor, and catching them on her tongue before swallowing them whole. Imagine having to eat like that every meal, Martha. I remember when you said you loved Italian Greyhounds, but in reality, you used dogs for your own benefit without considering their well-being for over forty years. You deprived them of the basic necessities they deserved, such as good food, comfortable sleeping arrangements, medical attention, and most importantly, human love and companionship. Lily may not have learned how to run or play, but she learned about being a loving family member. She struggled for seven years of her life at the puppy mill as a breeding dog, but she changed our lives forever.
On May 13, 2008, Lily, an Italian Greyhound, passed away at the young age of eight. Unfortunately, this is only about half of their expected lifespan. Martha, it’s clear that she died as a direct result of neglect that lasted for seven years under your care. One can only imagine how many other animals have suffered a similar fate.
It’s time for the animal industry to face the music and come out of hiding. The truth is spreading, and change is inevitable. It’s time for people like you to find new professions and leave the care of these beloved creatures to those who genuinely care for them.
