Quick Statistics:• 4-5 million animals die in shelters every year (roughly 11,000 every day)
• 20% of animals in shelters are purebred
• It’s estimated that 4 million dogs are bred in puppy mills every year
• There are nearly 6,000 USDA-licensed commercial kennels in the U.S. (and untold
numbers of unlicensed).
What is a puppy mill?There are many different definitions of the term “puppy mill.” Best Friends’ definition of a puppy mill is any breeder who raises dogs for commercial sale—meaning their reason for breeding dogs is to make money. Puppy mills can be poorly maintained, filthy places, or they can be fairly clean and well-organized, but the common thread is both types breed dogs for sale. We consider any commercial dog breeder to be a puppy mill.
How can you tell the difference between a puppy mill and a “good breeder”?In order to make money, a puppy mill operates differently than what we consider a responsible, and more importantly, a
humane breeder. The list below describes characteristics that indicate a breeder is operating as a commercial enterprise instead of breeding as a hobby:
Common signs of a puppy mill:Pictured right: USDA-licensed kennel in Minnesota• Puppy mills usually have several breeds of dogs for sale at the same time
• Puppy mills will often offer to ship dogs to new owners
• Puppy mill breeders usually will not allow customers to view their property or kennel
• Puppy millers do not require an application or references from people buying a puppy
• Puppy millers do not ask buyers to return the dog or contact them if at any point in the dog’s life if the owners cannot keep the dog.
• Puppy mills keep a lot of dogs and always have a lot of puppies in order to make a profit
• Puppy mills breed females every time they come into heat, so they are pregnant or nursing at all times.
• Puppy mills are often USDA-licensed so they can sell puppies to pet stores. A USDA license is a red flag that breeders are in the business to make money.
• Puppy mills supply pet stores with puppies
• Puppy millers do not typically have their dogs screened for genetic defects (eye, joint, hip and other congenital problems that can be painful and expensive to treat, if treatment is even possible.
What’s wrong with a breeder having a lot of dogs or making money from breeding, as long as they take care of the dogs?Even if a commercial breeder keeps dogs clean and relatively healthy, they still breed females every time they come into heat. The dogs still live in cages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and have little or no human contact or love. Their purpose in life is to sit in a cage, constantly producing new puppies to make a profit for the owner. We feel this is inhumane, even if the breeder is not “legally cruel.” Life for a dog in even the “best” puppy mill is one that no creature should have to endure, especially companion animals that for generations have been considered man’s best friend. Even in the “best” puppy mill, dogs will live in a cage until they are sold to another breeder, or until their bodies give out and they can no longer produce puppies anymore.
How can people be sure they’re not getting a dog from a puppy mill? What about making sure a puppy is raised humanely?If you are determined to purchase a puppy rather than adopt,
never, ever buy from a pet store or online. In fact, with millions of animals, including purebred dogs and puppies, entering shelters every year, we believe anyone can find their perfect rescued puppy or dog if they simply take the time to look and research rescue groups and shelters—and it’s a sure way to not support inhumane breeding facilities or puppy mills.
Pictured Above: Small, purebred dogs waiting for homes at a county shelter in Lancaster County, CaliforniaThere are thousands of wonderful pets available for adoption on rescue websites, and it is easy to search for particular breeds or ages of pets. There are websites just for shelters and rescue groups to showcase their available animals. A few good sites are:
•
www.petfinder.com•
www.1-800-save-a-pet.com•
www.pets911.comYou can also find a dog by contacting a local breed rescue organization if you search
www.google.com. Enter a city or state, the breed you are looking for, and the word “rescue.” Every pet adopted is a life saved!
What about purchasing a dog or puppy online or in a pet store?Never buy a dog or puppy from a pet store or through the internet. Never buy a dog unless you see where it was raised, and meet its parents. Pet stores get their puppies from commercial breeders, or puppy mills, because of cost and convenience. They buy dogs wholesale from breeders who raise and sell them commercially. It’s all business. Don’t be fooled by registration papers, claims that dogs are from “local breeders,” guarantees or free vet visits. No matter what the store says, it is always safer to adopt a dog or purchase through a reputable hobby breeder where you can see where the dogs are raised. Purchasing dogs online is even more dangerous than buying one from a pet store. In most states, breeders need no license to sell dogs directly to the public. They are never checked out by inspectors and they often are only selling through the internet in order to avoid inspection.
If a dog is registered or “has papers,” does that mean it is high-quality or healthy?Registration papers or a pedigree is worth is worth no more than a blank piece of paper.
Anyone can register a dog by filling out a form and paying a fee. Registration means that the dog’s name and existence has been duly recorded with the registry, but papers are no guarantee the dog is purebred or healthy. Purebred, registered dogs can be kept in cages for their entire lives just like non-registered dogs can.
Pictured right: Poodle for sale ($1,800) in a Los Angeles pet store.Is it true that there are often health or behavior problems found in pet store puppies?Yes, and they are significant. Puppies raised in cages away from human contact miss out on important socialization that will affect their behavior for the rest of their lives. Because they are taken away from their mothers as early as possible for sale, they miss out on what mother dogs teach puppies—how to interact properly with other dogs and with people.
Common health problems found in dogs from puppy mills and sold in pet stores:
• Internal parasites, some that can infect humans as well
• Deadly diseases such as Parvo and Distemper
• Congenital defects such as luxating patellas (displaced kneecaps) hip, eye and heart defects. These often do not become apparent until years after dogs are purchased and the pet store’s warranty is long expired.
Are puppy mills legal?Yes. The federal government (USDA) regulates breeders who sell animals to pet stores, and there are no laws against the keeping and breeding a lot of dogs. The industry is regulated just like the livestock industry. Consider dogs in pet stores “factory farmed.” What is illegal is animal cruelty, and that is what sometimes causes commercial breeders to be shut down. Best Friends believes that even the cleanest, up to USDA-standard commercial breeding facility is inhumane because the females are kept perpetually pregnant and dogs are forced to live in cages their whole lives.
Where can I learn more about puppy mills and what can I do about them?Go to www.network.bestfriends.org/truth. There are more resources located there, as well as news about the pet trade, legislation, ways you can get involved, and how to take action locally. Humane organizations have been fighting puppy mills for decades; learn how you can help.
So many dogs are waiting for homes! That’s why we encourage people to adopt, not shop.Pictured below: Small-breed dogs at South Los Angeles animal shelter