EverythingDogBlog #37
How Much is That Doggie in the Window?

(This blog first appeared on ColumbiaPatch.com on April 12, 2013.)

Old Tune, New Times (with new words)

    

Times change and not always for the better, but, fortunately, we have an old tune for the new times - with new words!
By Skye Anderson, MS

How many of us remember that catchy doggie song by Patti Page, first topping the Hit Parade Top Ten charts in 1952? (Perhaps you are also familiar with “Mockin’ Bird Hill” or “Tennessee Waltz” or other songs Patti sang for us.)

At that time, in the 50’s, pet stores were an acceptable source of puppies but - no more. Nowadays, most pet store puppies are the poor products of puppy mills, a farming industry: mother dogs are generally kept in small cages, bred twice a year, and never see grass, sky or a veterinarian.

Truly, pet store and Internet puppies are too expensive in many ways, including health and heartbreak, but thanks to Patti Page and her ‘new’ song, more people will hopefully realize that homeless (rescue and shelter) dogs and puppies are less expensive by far and in better health. And as Sandy Brokaw, credited with the idea for the revised song lyrics, said, "If you really want to live with a purebred dog, you don't have to go to a pet store."

For more information on puppy mills, see http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/ orhttp://nopetstorepuppies.com/common-online-scams or http://www.thepuppymillproject.org/ or the HBO documentary, Madonna of the Mills, at www.madonnaofthemills.com.

To hear Patti sing the new words, go tohttp://www.humanesociety.org/news/profile/2009/10/old_song_new_tune_103009.html, Old Song Carries New Tune: Patti Page sings new “Doggie in the Shelter” song for HSUS.

And here are the words to ‘How Much is that Puppy in the Shelter?’ (now: “Do You See That Doggie in the Shelter?”) (courtesy of HSUS [Humane Society of the United States] and Mixed Media Entertainment, Inc.):

"Do You See That Doggie in the Shelter?"

Chorus: Do you see that doggie in the shelter,
The one with the take-me-home eyes?
If you give him love and attention,
He will be your best friend for life.

In each town and city ‘cross the nation,
There's so many dogs with no home,
Hungry with no one to protect them,
Lost in this world all alone.

(repeat chorus)

Collies and beagles by the roadside,
Puppies and dogs in the street.
Once they are rescued by a shelter,
They'll finally have something to eat.

Doggies and kitties who are homeless,
With sad eyes and tails hanging down,
Let's do what we can to show them kindness,
And let them know they've been found.

(repeat chorus)

As we keep Patti in our hearts (she died on January 1, 2013), let’s also keep the new words in our hearts, as well. Even better, let’s turn them into good deeds and put the puppy mills out of business!

As the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) says, “Make (pet) adoption your first option!“

Adopt, Don’t Shop!