As I read my local newspaper’s abbreviated free version that comes out every week, I’m always drawn to the classifieds.  I read in amazement and sadness, the number of people advertising puppies, varying from golden retrievers to chiweiniepoos or whatever combination of breeds someone has come up with that they can apparently sell for hundreds of dollars.  Around the holidays, they make sure they include how they’ll be ready for Christmas.  I cringe at those ads for several reasons, not just because they are directly across from ads that the only local no-kill shelter runs begging for monetary help with vet bills from the latest sick dogs brought in that someone found dumped or with the vet care of a kitten thrown out of a car window.  I cringe because I once got a puppy as a gift, and while my situation is different than most, there are still some things I want to pass on about my experience to help others.     Read more