Puppy Mill Facts and Why They Should Be Shut Down

There is never a shortage of greedy people who have no problem jumping into any business that will line their pockets with cold hard cash. Dog breeding is no exception. Puppy mills have dogged (no pun intended) legitimate breeders for decades. A black mark in an otherwise loving business of dog breeding that produces exceptional and well socialized animals for show or pets. I have been the care taker of some fine dogs over the years. Five were purebreds that came from reputable breeders. The rest have been mixed breeds, all of them rescue dogs.

A true animal lover, I am passionate about owning a pet for the right reason. Opening your home to a dog should never be done lightly. Especially if it's your first pet. All family members must be considered before bringing in any dog regardless of whether it is a purebred or a mixed breed. Not all dogs are good with kids. Consider vet care that will be needed, food expense, time spent grooming and exercising and available space.

Legitimate breeders scrutinize their dogs to evaluate the best breeding pairs for future litters. They strive to pair healthy dogs with desired qualities to insure the breed remains in good standing with AKC (American Kennel Club) requirements as well as with the buying public. Legitimate breeders raise dogs because they love their particular breed and are relentless in striving for perfection through responsible breeding and continued veterinary care to insure quality and health.

Opportunistic people who run puppy mills love it when the media gives attention to a certain breed. All they need is a healthy male, a couple of breeding females and they are in operation. Females come into season every 6 to 8 months. Depending on the breed of dog, a female can produce litters anywhere from one pup up to 12 or more twice a year. Females are generally bred each time they are in season with no concern for their continued health or that of their pups. Any dog that becomes sick or injured will seldom receive proper vet care because the owner doesn't want to risk a veterinarian turning them in. Dogs will spend their entire life locked in cages for breeding and raising their pups, once they are born. As they grow older and are no longer useful to the puppy mill owner, if they live that long, most will be killed or dumped.

A puppy mill is in operation for one reason. Money. Produce as many puppies as possible. Hundreds of thousands are born each year in the U.S.. If a female dies, they are simply replaced and the process continues. Females are allowed to breed with brothers or fathers. The practice of inbreeding produces dogs that are riddled with health problems and often times, aggression and behavior issues. Genetic defects will affect most puppies and they will more than likely die at a young age. The puppies are given no human contact and an unwitting buyer could have a difficult and painful experience trying to socialize a new pet. Puppies live in pest infected cages or runs that are overcrowded and filthy. The pups have no place to sleep except on the cage or kennel floor that is covered with feces.

If you are in the market for a purebred dog, responsible breeders only raise one or two breeds. Pedigree papers should be available for the parents and the pups should also have been registered with the American Kennel Club. The dog runs and kennels are clean as are the dogs. The animal you want looks like the dog in the picture. All of your questions and concerns will be answered and you will not be pressured to make a quick decision.

Puppy mill owners follow a different path. A kennel owner who refuses to allow you to visit their facility and offers to meet you somewhere else should be avoided. If you are not allowed to pick out your own pup, or you see multiple breeds of dogs, think long and hard about what you are about to do. If pedigree papers are no where to be found; forget dealing with this person. Even if they do have papers, take a close look at their operation, ask lots of questions and evaluate the dogs and their environment closely before you buy. Insist on seeing the kennel before you buy a puppy. Don't be pressured into making a decision "right now". If your "purebred pup" doesn't look like a Beagle or Siberian Husky, they probably aren't purebred. Puppy mill owners aren't concerned with proper breeding, so you could be paying big bucks for a dog that is certified by the owner to be something they are not.

Once you have made the decision to open your home to a dog, consider adopting one. There are plenty of puppies and older dogs in shelters who need a good home. Purebreds and mixed breeds. If you've decided a purebred dog is for you, consider breed specific rescue groups.

The only way to shut down puppy mills is to know how to spot one and where not to purchase a puppy. Avoid shopping malls and pet shops. Even though they will assure you their pups came from legitimate breeders, there is a good chance they didn't. The bulk of puppies sold in pet stores are supplied by puppy mills. Check carefully before you buy from any pet shop, any website, classified ad in the newspaper or anyone you don't know. Educating yourself about puppy mills before your search begins can help save you and your family from a puppy that had the misfortune of being born to a human whose only concern was how much money they could get for it. Purchasing any dog from one of these puppy farms only encourages the owner to stay in operation. The best way to shut them down completely is to not give them your business. Turn in anyone you suspect of running a puppy mill to your local authorities. We can't save the dogs that are already living in filthy, crowded, uncaring puppy mills, but we can stop future puppies from having to endure the same fate.

Puppy Buyers Guide, The Humane Society of the United States

Breed Rescue Groups, American Kennel Club

Stop Puppy Mills, The Humane Society of the United States