Finally, A Way To Do Some Good While Looking At Adorable Puppy Photos

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When Suzanne Donaldson purchased two adorable Morkie puppies from a pet shop, she didn't anticipate contempt from her dog-loving friends.

"The backlash I experienced from purchasing these dogs is not what I expected. I thought I would be welcomed into the dog community," the creative consultant told HuffPost over the phone. Donaldson admits she purchased her dogs naively. "Had I been more aware, I would have chosen a different path." It didn't take long for Donaldson to learn about the horrors of puppy mills -- where many of the pets sold in puppy stores come from -- and the importance of dog adoption and rescue.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (ASPCA), dogs bred at puppy mills are often severely neglected and unhealthy: "Unlike responsible breeders, who place the utmost importance on producing the healthiest puppies possible, breeding at puppy mills is performed without consideration of genetic quality. This results in generations of dogs with unchecked hereditary defects." At puppy mills, money is prioritized over animal welfare, and as a result, the animals are often subjected to second-rate lives.

Fortunately -- as it is said -- knowledge is power. While Donaldson wasn't going to abandon her newly purchased pups for rescued ones (the Maltese-Yorkie hybrids quickly found a way into her heart), she became determined to find alternative ways to raise awareness around animal welfare. Her website, Mrs. Sizzle, which launched Wednesday, June 11, will serve as a resource for animal lovers and a space that will inform readers how to help animals in need.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/suzanne-donaldson_n_5432284.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592