Many people do not know what a puppy mill is, or how cruelly the dogs in these facilities are treated. Only through education and information can we begin to end their suffering.
What is a puppy mill?
A puppy mill is any breeding facility that places profit above the welfare of the dogs they house. Dogs and puppies, crammed into small cages or hutches are routinely denied veterinary care, exercise, quality food, or socialization with humans. The young are ripped from their mothers before they are eight weeks old and are shipped to pet stores in the back of sweltering eighteen wheelers while the parents remain behind. These poor dogs are bred every heat cycle, often to their own brothers or sisters, producing sick and genetically damaged litters. The only time many of these dogs ever leave their tiny cages is when they can no longer produce puppies. They are then either shot, abandoned, drowned, left in their cages to starve to death, or sold in mass lots at auctions to other breeders. Their lives have no value to the 'farmers.'
Life Inside a puppy mill
Life inside a puppy mill is horrible. The dogs often live in wire cages stacked on top of one another. Since they never get to leave they spend their entire lives walking on wire- which is very painful and causes misshapen paws. The cages are tiny and restrict movement-so the dogs get no exercise and often have joint and muscle problems. Feces and urine run from one cage into another- so the dogs are constantly surrounded by and covered in excrement. Inside the barn the air is fetid year round- sweltering in summer, freezing in winter, damp when it rains. If the dogs are housed outside they face the elements without protection every day of their lives. It is a miserable existence.
Where are puppy mill puppies sold?
Puppy mill puppies are sold in pet stores, over the internet, and even through innocent-seeming newspaper ads. By purchasing a puppy from a pet store it is very likely that you are supporting these inhumane practices. Ninety-nine percent of the dogs sold in pet stores in the United States come from puppy mills. They are often sick, injured, and may have temperament issues or genetic defects. Responsible breeders would never allow their puppies to be sold in pet stores. Quality breeders have waiting lists and applications for their puppies. Pet stores sell puppies to anyone with the money to pay for them.
If you purchase a puppy from a farm you may also be supporting the cruelty of puppy mills. For many 'farmers' their most valuable cash crop is puppies. The myth of the kindly farm family whose beloved pets have had a litter- is just that- a myth. The rural and quaint landscape belies the cruelty hidden in the out-of-sight barns. Don’t be fooled by picturesque scenery. Don’t be fooled by the media portrayal of a culture that has been romanticized on television and in the movies.
How do I find a great puppy or dog?
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