Puppy Mills and Pet Stores

I must admit this is not a topic I enjoy writing about, but it is something that needs to be addressed and I hope after reading you will feel the desire to take action.

I’m sure you have all seen the puppies in the pet stores. These stores litter this country. They can be found in malls across the nation. There are the chain pet stores as well as the privately owned boutique shops where thousands of puppies are sold each year. I know a puppy is cute no matter where it comes from, but you might want to consider its source before handing over your credit card. Most of these pet shops are supplied by puppy mills. Or, they may get their pets from brokers who buy from the puppy mills. Let’s face it. This is business, people. You may want to believe that every pet shop owner is a true dog lover and that each of those puppies was born and raised in a loving caring environment, but that is simply not the case. Most businesses are not about love. They are about money or, sometimes, the love of money. There is no difference with the puppy business. Many people have realized this and they are cashing in on their share of the profit by establishing these puppy mills.

So, what exactly is a puppy mill?

Puppy mills are places where dogs are bred and sold purely for profit. The breeders  do not care about creating quality dogs. They only want to breed puppies at a fast rate. The more puppies their dogs produce the greater their income. These puppy mills are home to hundreds of thousands of dogs throughout the country. They live in less than adequate conditions. They are crammed into cages with barely enough room to stretch. The bitches are used over and over until they cannot produce anymore and then they are usually killed or discarded. Many of these females live very short lives. Five years would be about how long they are actually useful to the business before they are not needed anymore. During their short lifetime they never get the chance to know true affection. The puppies that are born in this environment are taken away from their mothers at a very young age. Many of them die from diseases and those that don’t are left an even crueler fate. They are forced to suffer through malnutrition and discomfort. Some lose their limbs when they get caught in the grates of the cages. This is due to overcrowding and insufficient shelter. The puppies cannot survive in the severe weather at these mills. Some freeze to death. Others die from the heat or are burned by the wire cages. Those that do manage to survive the horrors of the puppy mills are sold to brokers or directly to pet stores. Some puppy mills sell their pups to unsuspecting buyers directly through the internet.  They are simply someone’s paycheck; an object to be used in this sick trade. They are loaded onto trucks and airplanes and shipped to all parts of the country. Many do not survive the trip.

Unfortunately puppy mills are a reality here in the United States. They are the main suppliers of pet stores. As long as there is a demand for these purebred pups these businesses continue to thrive. What many people do not realize is the puppy they are taking home often times is riddled with diseases or physical disabilities. Many have suffered enough emotional trauma to leave them mentally scarred. Lots will even die within weeks of purchase. Some states have lemon laws that allow you to take your sick or dead puppy back for a refund, but is that really enough? This is a living, breathing creature we are talking about not a broken toy.  Sadly, as the puppy-selling business continues to grow so does the need for places that sell puppies in bulk for better deals. There have been cases reported of people smuggling puppies in from Mexico, the little dogs stuffed under the seats of the car. Airport workers often report crates of puppies being flown in from overseas more than half dead upon arrival. There have even been reports of puppies shrink-wrapped for transit. Know this: There are people in this world who do not look at a dog and see anything behind its kind, loyal eyes. They see only a commodity. These people need to be stopped. 

Puppy mills are legal in the United States and they make up a majority of the breeding facilities monitored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There is an Animal Welfare Act that states that all animals must be given adequate care. Yet, the law is very vague and not actively enforced. There are too many puppy mills and too few USDA employees to conduct the proper investigations. These laws are basically not given the seriousness they deserve. In addition to that there are loopholes that make it easy for the puppy mills to stay in business. For example, those that sell directly to the public over the internet or through other means bypass the federal regulations. Many facilities are not even required to be licensed and those that are licensed are continuously allowed to renew despite prior violations.

So, what can you do to stop puppy mills?

Do not under any circumstances buy a puppy from a pet store without at the very least asking for paperwork showing where the puppy came from. But, do not be fooled. Many pet stores have falsified documents to make it appear your puppy came from a safe, local breeder. Also, these store employees can be very convincing. Just because the puppy came from a breeder licensed by the USDA does not mean it was not a puppy mill. As I mentioned before these facilities are legal and many are licensed. Trust your gut. If you have even the slightest suspicion the dog came from a puppy mill, don’t buy it. Do not support these businesses. The pet shops stay in business because of the consumer demand. If everyone went to their local shelter and adopted a dog or visited a rescue organization soon these pet stores would be forced to shut down. And without the stores puppy mills would close as well as they would have no one left to sell to. There are thousands of dogs in need of homes. You should not have any trouble finding a good, faithful companion. There are plenty of puppies that need rescuing too. If you absolutely must have a pure breed first ask yourself why. Although they make good pets too they are more prone to health issues. Mutts are healthier and more likely to be gentler and good with families. They do not have the types of psychological and physical problems that come along with being inbred for so many generations. If you still want a pure breed try looking in your neighborhood. Many people have a litter of puppies they were not expecting. Some local breeders who take good care of their pets just breed occasionally. They should always have both the parents on hand and make sure they let you see the type of environment the dogs came into. After all, they could be running their own small scale version of a puppy mill.

Missouri, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Arkansas are the states where most puppy mills are located although they are spread out throughout the country. If you think you’ve located a puppy mill near you you may want to try your hand at investigating. Photos will help in your pursuit to get the place shut down. But, do not do more than you can. Fight for the cause, but don’t get arrested for trespassing. You cannot help from behind bars. Alert the local authorities to your findings. Contact PETA or the Humane Society. They will help you with how to proceed or they will take over when they can.

Spread the word about puppy mills to your community. Many of the animal organization websites have fliers that you can print out. Voices tend to be heard better when increased in number.

Stay strong. Stay informed. Stand up for what you believe in.

If you have more information on how to stop puppy mills please post it in the comments below. Also, feel free to share with us any success stories. That always helps boost morale.