Puppy Mill Problem

Imagine having to live in an empty room with no entertainment, communication, or exercise. Thousands of dogs face these conditions everyday. A dog living in a "Puppy Mill" might never set foot on the ground, instead living its entire life in an metal cage. It might never play with a toy, ever be pet, or ever be apart of a family. In a puppy mill, the only goal is to impregnate dogs to deliver litters as fast as possible.

What is a Puppy Mill?
Puppy mills first arose in the 1950's as large-scale dog breeding operations aimed at creating large profits. Dogs born at puppy mills are often sold online (at reputable looking sites) or to large pet stores. Conditions at puppy mill facilities are almost always dangerous and extremely uncomfortable for the dogs. One common practice to minimize waste clean up is to keep the dogs in elevated wire cages, so that waste falls below and is easier to clean. These wire cages often cause cuts in dogs' paws that can lead to infection and pain. Food, water, and veterinary care are almost never adequate, and many "breeder dogs" will never in their lives see the outdoors.

Profits mean everything at puppy mills which means female dogs are given no recovery time between litters. As soon as it is possible for a breeder-dog to have another litter, they are quickly impregnated. When the dogs are no longer physically able to give birth they are usually killed.

Because dogs at puppy mills are not properly cared for and are inbred, unlike with private breeders, many of the dogs suffer from hereditary and diseases, most common of which are heart disease, blood disorders, and eye problems.


Political Action
Currently the ASPCA is leading the effort to adopt laws to outlaw the inhumane practices of the puppy mill industry. But regulating the puppy mill business is not easy. The biggest struggle arises in how to regulate online sellers. These kind of sellers fall into a federal regulation loop hole where they can only be regulated by the states. Not all states have laws against puppy mills and those that do don't inspect the puppy mill facilities. In addition, although some federal laws like the Animal Welfare Act and the 2008 Farm Bill do exist, enforcing them remains a major struggle. But there is hope. Currently pending is the 2011 Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act (PUPS) which aims to bring commercial dog breeders under federal regulation and close the online seller loophole.

Shopping Safely
Animal rights groups like the ASPCA and the Humane Society agree, the best way for consumers to fight puppy mills is to avoid buying puppy mill dogs. Here are a few tips:

• Adopt - Look first to your local shelters and rescues. Not only will you be saving a like by buying from one of these sources, you also guarantee that you're not supporting a puppy mill. When we bought our Golden, our veterinarian in Denver referred us to the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies. We ended up adopting a dog who had been rescued from the tragic conditions of a puppy mill. Before she was rescued, she had never once played with a toy.

• Say No to a Pet Store - More likely than not, the cute puppies you see at your pet store came from a puppy mill. Often they are advertised as "pure-bred" dogs raised at a local breeder. Don't believe it. 

• Never Buy Online - The internet is the number one retail outlet for puppy mill owners. They often use fancy and reputable looking websites that falsely advertise healthy dogs. The vast majority of dogs sold online come from puppy mills.

• Buy from a Breeder - Buying from a small scale breeder is always a safe option. Be sure to meet you future dog's mother. That way you can be certain of the safe conditions your dog came from.