Save the date of Friday, Nov. 7, or Saturday, Nov. 8, for a murder mystery dinner theatre event, “Haunting of Weybourne High.” Challenge your sleuthing skills while supporting needy pets of Marion County. The Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre Club will perform the original screenplay. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with the show starting at 5 p.m. Participate with and follow the cast at their 1958 high school reunion, where 30 years prior, murder and arson abruptly halted their high school prom.
As part of the play, discover who the murderer and arsonist was who evaded the law for 30 years. Dinner, included in the $60 ticket price, will be catered by Pasta Faire and includes salad, two entrees, sides, rolls, dessert, coffee, tea, and lemonade. Attendees may bring their own beverage. Tickets will be sold from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, at The Landing. This event sells out quickly, so make sure to get there early!
If you love animals, please consider joining the SPCA of Marion County, a 501(c)(3) organization that helps Marion County pets in need. Drop by our table at the Circle Square Commons Farmers Market on Thursdays, or feel free to attend our monthly meeting every third Thursday at 1 p.m., at the Friendship Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall, 9510 SW 105th Street, Ocala, FL 34481. To learn more, please visit SPCAofMarionCounty.weebly.com, follow us on Facebook (Marion County Fl SPCA), or email spca.marion.county@gmail.com. Our next meeting will be on Thursday, Sept. 18. Donations of pet food and supplies will be accepted on the porch of Evelyn Sarnes-Holiday at 8880-C SW 94th Street, Ocala, FL 34481. To avoid accidental ingestion by a pet, please do not use staples to close opened bags.
Behind tidy fences and Craigslist ads promising “purebred puppies,” a hidden world thrives, one where profit outweighs animal welfare. Backyard breeders, often operating without licenses or oversight, contribute to the growing pet overpopulation crisis while skirting health and safety standards.
Unlike responsible breeders who prioritize health screenings, socialization, and clean environments, backyard breeders may house dogs in cramped, unsanitary conditions. Puppies are often taken from their mothers too early, lacking crucial early care and social development. This leads to lifelong behavioral and health problems for unsuspecting families who adopt them.
Many backyard breeders overbreed female dogs, risking their health and reducing them to litter-producing machines. Meanwhile, overwhelmed shelters struggle to care for unwanted or abandoned pets – some of whom come from these very operations.
The public often confuses backyard breeders with reputable breeders, making education key. Before adopting, ask to see the parents, the living conditions, and veterinary records. Better yet, adopt from a local shelter or rescue organization.
It’s time to shine a light on these hidden operations, and please, adopt, don’t shop. Animals deserve better – and so do the families who love them.
Report suspected backyard breeding to your local animal control or humane society.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
