11/10/2023
22 years ago today, a puppy was born in a puppy mill in Dixon, Missouri. At 4 weeks old she was ripped away from her mom and her siblings, and stuffed in a crate and put onto a semi-truck. She was shipped all the way to Phoenix, Arizona where she spent a few weeks, alone, in a cage, before being shipped to Animal Kingdom Pet Store in Tucson, Arizona.
This is where I met her. She was supposedly 8 weeks old, and she was terrified. She was sick, she had green stuff coming out her nose, and her rear. She wouldn't even make eye contact. She just cowered in the corner. I worked at this store. And she became my project. I wanted to help her find the right home and get her out of that horrible place.
A few weeks passed, and she warmed up to me, but was still sick, and fearful of people. Then the word came down. . . they wanted to "transport" her to a different store. Now with a semi healthy, puppy, this would just mean going to one of the other stores the company owned, but with a sick puppy, that was now almost 12 weeks old. . . I had worked there long enough to know what they meant.
I offered to sign a waiver to not hold the store liable for her illness, and I offered to take her. And they told me I could buy her at full price. . . $1,300 (back in 2002). This was insane. . and I knew it. . but what did I do? I financed a dog. . . I got a credit card, and I financed a dog. Feb 8, 2002, we brought her home. Sick as could be, but she was ours. A few weeks later the store fired me for telling customers the real truth about how sick the animals in the store were. It was worth it.
22 years ago you were born. Shiloh, you were the dog that literally started it all. You were our first Siberian Husky, our introduction to the breed. You are the reason we still put up with these crazy puppies to this day! Thank you. Thank you for teaching us all the things you did. You only lived 11 years, and for most of it you were extremely sick, but we did everything we could to give you the best life. We miss you Shi-lilly. Your memory lives on in the hearts of millions of people. Thank you for being such an amazing dog.
And yes, sadly Animal Kingdom is STILL open in the Tucson Mall. Companion Pets Incorporated STILL sells puppy mill puppies, with Animal Kingdom stores, and Puppies N Love stores across Arizona.