Oprah Winfrey, though all her dogs are purebreds and have come from breeders -- including the golden retriever and cocker spaniel who died in the last year -- says she plans to turn to animal shelters for her future dogs.
Winfrey's cocker Sophie died last month of kidney failure, and the talk show host says she plans to dedicate an upcoming show investigating abuses at puppy mills to her, according to the Associated Press.
"Sophie gave me 13 years of unconditional love. She was a true love in my life," Winfrey says on the broadcast scheduled to air Friday. (Advance remarks from the show were released Tuesday by Harpo Productions.)
The show features special correspondent Lisa Ling investigating puppy mills, which Ling calls "horrific" and "haunting." Winfrey says the show is "for anybody anywhere who loves a dog, has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic right to humane treatment."
While Sophie was not a product of a puppy mill, and her three current dogs all came from breeders, Winfrey says in the future she would look to adopt from an animal shelter. "I would never, ever adopt another pet now without going to a shelter to do it. I am a changed woman after seeing this show," she says.
