YOU Could Be Helping to Perpetuate Animal Cruelty in America -- And Not Realize It

     Mention "cruelty to animals," and people cringe at the thought of anyone hurting innocent creatures. But the ugly truth is:

* Nationwide millions of dogs, cats and other furry and feathery pets are being mistreated, abused, abandoned, neglected or exploited.

* When buying an AKC-registered dog, you could be contributing to puppy mills. Fully 80 percent of the American Kennel Club's business comes from barbaric mass-breeding programs.

* Most well-meaning pet owners fail to properly investigate when seeking a pet through a breeder.

* Countless shelter pets will never find homes.

* Even when observing possible animal abuse, many Americans hesitate to "get involved." By ignoring the problem, they continue the brutality.

How can you stop it? What can you do? What should you know?

First of all, understand that we are all ultimately responsible for preventing animal abuse. No one is too busy to help. Many high profile celebrities -- including Alec Baldwin, Alyssa Milano, Martina Navratilova, Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson and hundreds of others -- are currently supporting animal rights organizations. They are making a difference and need your help. You can learn more in your own community (visit local shelters and animals rights organizations) or find more information online.

Did you know that when you buy a pet you might actually be contributing to animal cruelty? What's more, you could be bringing a pet into your home that will cause chaos and make life miserable. My own pet story (shared in my new book, PARANORMAL POOCH: A True Story of the Dog Who Healed One Family) is one that has already surprised and inspired countless Americans.

While shopping for a pet dog, my family visited a breeding facility in upstate New York. But this turned out to be a dreaded puppy mill. Later, we acquired an adorable puppy from a breeder we found on the Internet -- one with a seemingly good reputation. The breeder was in Nebraska, far from our Manhattan home. We were impressed with the breeder's beautiful website and the many testimonials from satisfied customers. Arrangements were made, and our new puppy, "Princess," was flown to New York. But soon we began wondering if we had been fooled again. Perhaps the breeder was just another puppy mill with clever promotion.

From the first, Princess acted strange. She had a doggie sleep disorder, never seemed to be hungry, and was quite impossible to train. Princess would sit in the hall for hours and glower at the bathroom, as if angered by something unseen. No one in our family could understand why this cute little dog suddenly became angry and exhibited much negative behavior for no apparent reason.

As we worked to help Princess, we discovered (and started to tell others) about the things you can do to get to the root of animal cruelty, so it can finally be stopped:

* What to learn about a breeder before you acquire an animal. These are the 4 things everyone should do before buying a puppy:

1) Call the AKC and ask for the contact information of the dog club of the particular breed you want to buy.

2) Ask the club to provide references for several reputable breeders.

3) Speak to all of them, check their websites and then check the physical facility of those you like.

4) Don't buy from a breeder who works with more than two different breeds.

* Be a role model in your treatment of pets. Show what it means to be a gentle, loving guardian who considers every animal companion to be a member of the family.

* Support your local animal rescue societies, along with national organizations like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

* Help rescue a pet -- whether from an abusive situation or from a shelter.

* Holistic healing helps such animals overcome fear, aggression, trust issues, and other problems. Seek it out for your pet! There are sites online where you can find out more about holistic healing.

* Become a vegetarian. As a committed animal healer, I have cut out all meat from my diet. This has allowed me to make an easy connection with animals.

* Pets may suffer from the attachment of negative energies. In that case, clearing the negative energy is recommended. Prevention is better than a cure. I have created a special tool that can be used by pet owners: the "Energy Shield". It protects pets and their owners from the negative energy generated by many aspects of our environment.

Of course call the police or your local animal shelter if you have observed or even suspect any type of animal abuse!