It really hit me - these dogs eat, drink, sleep, pee, poop and give birth in these horrible cages, never leaving. They will never know love and tenderness that only comes from a warm, safe home. They'll never snuggle on a cozy sofa, lay in the soft grass, or run on a sandy beach. These dogs will only know loneliness and pain. When I walked out of the kennel, I looked back and saw all these sad, dark eyes, just staring at me, pleading to get them out. It was horrible to leave all those dogs behind. It was wonderful to get the 11 dogs out that day, but terrible to leave all the others.

For the past eight months, I have learned and seen the terrible truth about puppy mills. Everyone I speak to about this issue all ask the same thing, "how are these places legal?" It's hard to believe, but true. Besides the suffering at the puppy mill, many of the puppies that do end up at the pet stores are sick. Many die shortly after they are purchased from the pet store, possible breaking some child's heart.

I'm thankful for my work on the Dog Whisperer. I've always been a "dog person" so it's been wonderful watching and learning Cesar's techniques. I'm proud of our work and I truly hope we inspire the viewers to learn the ugly truth about puppy mills. The best advice I can give anyone considering getting a dog is to please "Adopt, Don't Shop!"