Transformation of 'Puppy Mill Mama' After Being Rescued Melts Hearts

A social-media video that traces a former 'puppy mill' dog's journey back to health after being rescued has tugged at heartstrings across the internet.

The clip was shared to TikTok on June 23 by @adopt_a_pet and has more than 464,000 views. It shows the female poodle 'puppy mill mama' growing in confidence after being adopted by a loving family. The video's creator had shared in the post that the frail pup wouldn't even look at her new family while traveling home with them by car, because she was "expecting the worst."

"Our rescue is Colorado Animal Care Foundation. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rescues dogs in need. This video is the transformation of a puppy mill mama. She is 2.5-years-old and was rescued from a puppy mill in Missouri with six 2-week-old puppies on Memorial Day," the video's creator, who doubles up as a staff member at the shelter, told Newsweek.

"Now, her puppies are 6-weeks-old. Mill dogs, especially adults, come petrified of all humans. They expect us to abuse them, and continue to breed them. It takes time to rehabilitate these dogs."

"This mama slowly started trusting humans and this video shows her the day we picked her up and showed the progress we made on how she is trusting me. It's sad because I've seen super young puppies be scared of humans because of what happened to them in the mills. It is rewarding seeing their progress once they are free," they added.

The pup's new owner said the dog had been rescued three weeks prior to the video going live. The footage shows audiences clips both of the poodle looking frightened at the puppy mill and of her playing with other dogs with confidence while wagging her tail in her new environment. The video is captioned: "The best part is seeing the transformation."

What Are Puppy Mills?

Puppy mills are commercial breeding grounds or farms where puppies are produced rapidly and by force, often in poor and unethical conditions, for monetary profit.

Animal-welfare organization PETA says that puppy mills are a "well-kept secret of the pet-trade industry."

"They supply animals to pet stores and purebred enthusiasts without any concern for the millions of animals who will die in animal shelters as a result.

"It's standard practice for puppy mills to keep animals in cramped, crude, and filthy conditions without proper veterinary care or socialization," PETA adds on its website.

The organization says that female dogs like the poodle featured in the TikTok post are typically bred over and over again until they can no longer produce puppies for profit. At that point, the female dog is usually auctioned off or put down.

What Do the Comments Say?

The TikTok post has been liked by over 25,000 users and commented on more than 150 times.

"So many people don't understand what puppy mills are about. It is so sad," one user wrote.

"I purchased a puppy mill mom when they couldn't breed her anymore. best dog I've ever owned," another added.

A third TikTok user shared: "Thank you for saving her."

Update 06/29/23, 10:14 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional comment and original images from @adopt_a_pet.

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