Oprah tackles PA puppy mills on Friday's show

Main Line Animal Rescue's

Bill Smith

took out a billboard ad a few months back near

Oprah Winfrey

's Chicago television studio begging her to do a show about the horrors of puppy mills.

» READ MORE: Looks like he got his wish

.

Friday's "Oprah" is devoted to puppy mills, which are rampant in the Lancaster area. Smith and MLAR will be featured on the episode and recently teamed up with "Oprah" contributor Lisa Ling, formerly of "The View," to go undercover at Pennsylvania puppy mills where dogs are forced to breed under abusive conditions.                             

Smith was interviewed on Oprah's couch last Wednesday for the show, which airs at 4 p.m. Friday on 6ABC.

An "Oprah" spokesman says that the billboard played a role in the decision to cover the topic, but adds that "Oprah wanted to do the show because of her passion as a pet owner and as a tribute to her recently deceased and much beloved dog Sophie, an American Cocker Spaniel, who passed away March 10."