American Hero Dog to Make Appearance in Vero Beach, Florida This Sunday

Berthoud, CO, December 3, 2015 (Newswire.com) - ​Harley is a hero in every sense of the word!  He recently became the American Humane Association’s 2015 “American Hero Dog” during a star-studded event in Beverly Hills.  This great honor was bestowed upon Harley for his tireless efforts over the past four years spreading awareness about puppy mills.  Additionally, Harley’s campaign, “Harley to the Rescue” has saved more than 500 dogs from puppy mills and raised more than $500,000 to provide medical care for those dogs and many others. Learn more about Harley: www.harleypuppymilldog.com

This little one-eyed dog is known worldwide. Harley inspires hope and confidence in people of all ages and in all walks of life who are able to relate to his less-than-perfect appearance and his approachable, down-to-earth nature. He’s been featured on the cover of popular magazines and on television and radio, and he is considered a social media sensation.

"Harley's a big deal, he educates people every day. He represents to me what everybody loves about dogs, their ability to forgive and to live in the now."

Theresa Strader, Founder, National Mill Dog Rescue

Dr. Annette Sysel, a Vero Beach resident and the American Humane Association's 2015 Hero Vet, will co-host the Vero Beach Meet & Greet with Harley.  Dr. Sysel has developed a drug to fight cancer in dogs and cats, which has shown a very promising 100% success rate in preliminary tests. Once the drug is approved by the FDA, it will be available to help the 8 million pets that die each year from cancer.  Learn more here: www.bauerresearch.org

About Harley
After spending 10 years living in a cramped, filthy cage in a puppy mill, where he'd lost an eye when his cage was power-washed, Harley was on the brink of death when he was finally freed. He immediately received much-needed medical care and found love with a special family. He began to thrive.

To the surprise of the veterinary community, 4 years later, this strong-spirited little 6-pound Chihuahua is still going strong in spite of medical conditions caused from his years living in a cage. Harley works hard educating children and adults alike about puppy mills. His campaign, ‘Harley to the Rescue,’ has raised more than $500,000 and Harley has personally participated in the freeing of more than 500 dogs from puppy mills across the Midwest.

At 14 years old, Harley seems well aware that his life has a purpose. Whether it be a fundraiser in his honor that draws close to 2,000 people, or visiting an elementary school classroom to educate our youngest generation about where pet store puppies really come from, Harley’s magical personality grasps the hearts of all who meet him.

What is a Puppy Mill?
A puppy mill is a large scale commercial dog breeding operation where dogs live in cages and are bred repeatedly, producing puppies to be sold in pet stores across the country and online.  When the dogs are "used up" and can no longer produce puppies, they are disposed of, often at only 5-6 years of age. There may be as few as 100 breeding dogs or as many as 1,000 breeding dogs housed at a single facility. It is estimated there are approximately 10,000 puppy mills in the USA. Most of the dogs live in deplorable conditions - in tiny wire cages, stacked one on top of another, in buildings and barns which often have no heating or cooling. The dogs are not socialized, they receive little or no veterinary care, they do not have beds or toys, and they never get to run or play in the grass – some dogs never even see the sunlight. And though they yearn for it, they never receive love.

Learn more about Harley: www.harleypuppymilldog.com