Awareness about puppy mills

Sept. 19 is Puppy Mill Awareness Day, a good time for our community to remember that many puppies sold online or through pet stores come from high-volume commercial breeding facilities where profit often comes before animal welfare.

Puppy mills can keep breeding dogs in poor conditions for years, while puppies may be sold to families who have no idea where the dog really came from. Some buyers later discover their puppy is sick, poorly socialized or suffering from health problems connected to irresponsible breeding.

As a Colorado resident and Humane World for Animals policy volunteer, I believe we need stronger awareness, better enforcement and more responsible choices from consumers. Families looking for a dog should consider adoption first. If they choose a breeder, they should ask questions, meet the breeder in person, see where the puppies and parent dogs are kept and avoid buying from pet stores or sellers that won’t provide transparency.

People can help by adopting from shelters and rescues, learning how to identify responsible breeders, sharing puppy mill awareness information and asking federal lawmakers to support stronger protections for dogs, including the Better CARE for Animals Act and the Puppy Protection Act.

Puppies and breeding dogs deserve basic care, humane treatment and protection from cruelty. To learn more or take action, visit Humane World for Animals at humaneworld.org/stopping-puppy-mills.

Roy Chaney

Colorado Springs

Comments on midterms

I doubt my opinion will be popular in Republican District Five, but I have two comments:

1. President Donald Trump at the newly formed “midterm convention” in Dallas is going to give each and every American adult $5,000 if the Republicans maintain the majority in both the House and Senate, which will cost over one trillion dollars funded by the Trump tariffs.  How noble.  He will be giving us our money back from the increased cost of goods caused by his tariffs.  I’m sure there will be “fine print” in this declaration that will keep many from receiving his “big beautiful gift.”

2.  Jeff Crank and many of his “up for election” Republicans chose to NOT ATTEND the convention.  They have work to do in their districts at this time, also known as saving their seats.  All of them are distancing themselves from President Trump because he is not currently favorable, and, in fact, is a detriment to them.  Not one television add Jeff Crank has placed on television (I don’t watch Fox News so do not know about that station), has had a reference whatsoever about Trump.  He continues to brag about family tax cuts, but has no comment about the cost of gas, groceries, transportation and other important issues that are impacting his constituents.

We are being challenged and tested daily to buy groceries at accelerated costs which we were told would come down immediately in 2025.  They have not.

I hope people don’t take the $5,000 bait.  It is like “drinking the Kool-Aid”.

Trish Beyer

Colorado Springs

Money and city council

Our City Council recently approved rezoning 1,170 acres of undeveloped land in Banning Lewis Ranch without meaningful scrutiny of how the development could strain utility resources. Yet a proposed data center, which would have far less impact, has sparked intense opposition.

The proposed Amara annexation and development south of Colorado Springs also faced significant resistance. We should not approve major zoning changes or development projects until officials can demonstrate that sufficient resources exist without shifting additional utility costs to current residents. I expect assurances that water and power supplies are adequate, only for residents to later face tighter water restrictions and time-of-day electricity rates because resources are limited.

Money talks, and the interests behind the Banning Lewis Ranch development appear to be influencing the current City Council.

Alan Goins

Colorado Springs