Amanda Hearst: Puppy Love

[highlight_text] I created the organization Friends of Finn to raise awareness and funding to eliminate the puppy mill industry. [/highlight_text]

I’ve always been a huge animal lover. I grew up with cats and dogs (and even goats and donkeys in the Hamptons), but it wasn’t until an adorable dachshund/Chihuahua mix came into my life that I felt compelled to fight for animal rights. Three years ago, I purchased my beloved dog Finn at a pet store in NYC . I knew a little bit about the issue of puppy mills, but the shop owner assured me the store only dealt with breeders, so I bought him. Soon after, I started working with the Humane Society of the United States and learned that 99 percent of animals from pet stores come from puppy mills. I did some research into Finn’s background and learned that he too was a “puppy mill dog.” The news hit me like a bullet in the chest.

At that point I knew that I wanted to do something to stop the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills. I created the organization Friends of Finn to raise awareness and funding to eliminate the puppy mill industry. I recently co-chaired a fundraising gala at Cipriani 42nd street in New York City that honors the lifesaving work of the Humane Society. I’m so happy that so many people, including Rose McGowan, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and my co-chair Georgina Bloomberg came together for such a great cause. We exceeded our fundraising goals and raised $1.5 million dollars by the end of the evening.