Mill Valley, CA…On the heals of a Dateline NBC television report detailing the inhumane conditions and unethical goings-on of the standard puppy mill operation, In Defense of Animals (IDA) is warning the public and media that these practices will continue for as long as animals are viewed and treated as mere commodities – mere property or things to be used, abused and disposed of at an "owners" whim.

One need to look no further than the millions of healthy, loving animals who are, year after year, disposed of, and subsequently killed, in our nation’s shelters – because they are simply too many animals and not enough homes – to witness the unimaginable harm that befalls animals because they are seen solely in terms of the benefits that they bring to their human "owners."

"The gruesome and wholly inadequate conditions that one sees in puppy mills are a direct consequence of viewing animals as commodities, and is precisely what will happen every time that money is the bottom line," said IDA president, Elliot Katz, DVM. "The USDA must clamp down on puppy mills and align itself with the majority of our society who view their companion animals as members of the family, and not just objects or things. And, as members of our family, they should be accorded the simple dignities of shelter, comfort and love – dignities that puppy mills can’t come close to providing."

To counter the ongoing injustices that befall animals because of their status as property, IDA launched the "They Are Not Our Property, We Are Not Their Owners" campaign. The "Property" campaign seeks to educate people that our society’s institutionalized abuse, neglect and exploitation of animals is directly linked to their status as property. The campaign has grown into a coalition of over 150 national and international animal protection organizations dedicated to evolving the social paradigm into one that views and treats animals, not as commodities, but as individuals with needs and interests of their own.

"When people purchase an animal from a puppy mill, backyard breeder or a pet store, they are literally ensuring that millions of animals will continue to be bred, disposed of and then tragically killed in our nation’s shelters," said "Property" program coordinator, Russell Tenofsky. "We must teach people, especially our children, to only adopt and rescue animals and never to buy them. It is then, and only then, that we will see an end to the vile and pernicious puppy mill trade."