Dogs & Puppy Mills

Written By rick dolan

While we are no longer holding Puppy Mill Awareness Day, we still strongly support the cause.  We have our Facebook page (PMAD Salem) and we are still working to spread the word.  Animal-related and puppy mill resources are listed at the end.
( Most of this information is also true for kitty mills).

Help Put An End to Puppy Mills

Millions of people unknowingly buy puppy mill puppies every year.  Through knowledge and education, this "unknowing" can be avoided, with the ultimate goal of closing down puppy mills.

A puppy mill is a large scale dog breeding facility.  Puppy mills have anywhere from 25 to over 1,000 dogs.  They may advertise themselves as a family backyard breeder but that can be misleading. Raising a healthy litter of puppies in a humane, healthy way costs time and money (think of the time, money and effort you expend on your own dog), so to make a profit, puppy mills cut major corners. Dogs have one litter after another like breeding machines. They live in small cages for their entire lives, often in squalor and filth.  Puppies are sold too young (8 weeks or younger) and therefore do not receive the proper teaching and socialization from the mama and litter mates that is necessary for a healthy and balanced animal. There is no screening for genetic defects, and the dogs are not loved, touched, played with, walked, or even let out of their cages.

Imagine your dog being treated this way!  But this is how many of the most popular breeds such as Yorkies, Bichons, Labs, Shepherds, Pugs, and Bulldogs are bred.  That is a cruel and neglectful life for millions of puppy mill dogs but the demand for such breeds is so great that it continues. 

Puppy mills sell an estimated 4 million puppies every year to people who believe they are getting a puppy from a good place.  Millions of the rest of them are euthanized or die from sickness and disease.

To help advocate for laws to be passed to make these facilities illegal, contact your local lawmakers or such organizations as Last Chance for Animals, Animal Legal Defense Fund, The Human Society Legislative Fund or Best Friend's Society to name a few.  Puppy mills are not illegal.  So until they are, you must do your homework. To be certain you do not get a puppy from a puppy mill: 1). Never buy from a pet store no matter how much the puppy tugs on your heart strings.  2). Use extreme caution if buying on the Internet or through a classified ad.  Insist on seeing where the dogs live and do not meet the seller at a different location or accept photos as evidence.  3).  Ask questions - if you are met with resistance you are probably dealing with someone who is not a reputable breeder.  4). Adopt your next pet from a shelter or rescue group but still use caution and ask questions. 

Many shelters label themselves as "no kill" but that is not always accurate.  Millions of animals are euthanized every year simply because they exist.  11,000 animals die every day in shelters.  If your heart is set on a particular breed, look in a shelter (25% of shelter dogs are pure bred), search online for local breed rescue groups or go to a local breeder where you can actually visit. There are now laws being passed in California where buying from puppy mills is illegal and pet stores are teaming up with shelters to sell only shelter animals.

There is also a growing no kill movement...go to www.nokilladvocacycenter.org to find out how you can help create a no kill society.    

Some Animal Related Resources    

rick dolan
Next

My Love for Elephants