`Puppy mill’ solution

In response to your June 29 article titled, “Federal inspectors unable to cope with `puppy mills’,” and the statement that “all Americans care about the humane treatment of animals,” there is a solution.

Once action that would significantly help inspectors to cope and would satisfy caring Americans would be to outlaw the sale of puppies in pet shops, which are the destination of most puppy mill offspring. People who want puppies should go to private breeders who guarantee good health, sound temperament, and progress begun in socialization in an atmosphere of attention and affection.

There is no better place to look for a good dog than an animal shelter. Dogs and puppies at shelters are much less expensive. They are often mixed breeds and thus are more likely to be free from inherited defects, and the choices are extremely numerous and at the momement, excellent because unfortunately the loss of jobs has forced many dog owners to take their pet to shelters…. Shirly M. Hatch Brownfield