What Are Puppy Mills?

Soon it will be time for the jingle of bells, the little man in the funny red suit and thoughts will be turned to what shall I buy for the loved ones on my list. In many homes the thought of a puppy crosses the mind of a parent, especially if, throughout the year, there has been whining and begging for a puppy.

Puppies are great gifts and can become a treasured part of a child's life, but only if you the parent realize the responsibility a puppy brings. Do not think that getting your child a puppy will teach total responsibility, no matter what the child tells you it will do in order to get what it wants.

You, the parent, have to be ready and willing to take over the responsibility if your child fails to live up to its word. That said, it is time to look into where to look for that precious gift and what to be on the lookout for.

Pet stores are a great source of pedigreed puppies, yes/no? Pet stores for the most part (not all, mind you) deal knowingly or unknowingly with puppy mills.

What are puppy mills?

Puppy mills are breeding facilities that produce purebred puppies in large numbers for profit. A puppy mill has little or no interest in the health of the puppy or its parents. As long as the pair can produce what appears to be a healthy puppy, they are only kept for breeding purposes.

Puppy mills do not do health checks to rid a particular breed of certain health problems nor do they spend the money to have their breeding pairs checked to remove their own particular health problems.

How is a puppy mill run?

Most dogs in a puppy mill do not see the light of day or ever feel the cool green grass under their feet. They are kept in small cages one on top of the other for as long as they can be bred. The dogs are filthy, usually not in the best of health and the females are bred every single time they come into heat.

Puppies and/or their parents are never socialized, handled with love and care or even have proper veterinary care.

Puppy mills have little regard for bloodlines and will breed a sister and a brother together just to get the litter.

The puppies and the parents are generally fed low quality food. Puppies are generally taken early from their mothers and are shipped in trucks to various pet stores. Some die on the way and those that do not, you can be assured will have problems, once you are the owner.

Puppy mills have no regard for such conditions as hip dysplasia, eye problems, behavioral problems, psychological problems or other genetic disorders. Their sole goal is providing a warm body and to let you worry about the condition and health of it after the sale.

How did puppy mills come about?

You can blame our government. The concept began in the 1960's when the government suggested that "cash strapped" farmers begin to breed dogs for profit in order to supplement their income.

That suggestion took flight and literally there are thousands of such breeding places currently found within the United States. The Midwestern states such as Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, and Pennsylvania having the largest number of puppy mills.

The onset of television and the showing of a "cute puppy" will make the demand for that particular breed skyrocket and thus grows another puppy mill.

The government instituted USDA-Inspections of facilities that breed puppies, some states even require state kennel licenses and inspection, but that does not mean they are not puppy mills. The USDA rarely if ever revoke a breeder's license or even fine a breeder for repeated violations. Some states require licenses, but do not have enough inspectors to go around or the budget to carry out the inspections properly. Just because a breeder can say that they are USDA licensed is not a guarantee that the business is not a puppy mill. A driver's license does not make a person a good driver, does it?

Pet stores and the Internet are prime sources for these puppy mills to sell their dogs to. Many of the dogs sold in the pet stores end up with medical problems that if they do not show up within a few months will rear their ugly heads within the first year or two.

How are Pets Stores handling these allegations?

Pet stores are happy to tell you that they only deal with breeders and not puppy mills. However, in plain English, anyone who has puppies for sale can be considered a breeder. Responsible breeders want to know whom their puppies are going to, they want to meet you and would not consider selling to a pet store.

Pet stores will also say that their puppies come from USDA-inspected facilities - there are hundreds of so called licensed puppy mills with violation lists as long as your arm that are USDA-inspected at one time or another, selling to pet stores.

If your pet store says they only deal with breeders they know - ask for documentation, you will generally see the puppies come from out of state locations and not from your area.

One of the best sales pitches they give is "our puppies come with a health certificate," this truly proves nothing. The certificate means the puppy was seen by a veterinarian for a quick overall check up, but did not include any testing or checking for any genetic diseases or problems.

The health guarantee which is another sales strong point, is designed full of loop holes that protect the store's interest and not yours. More than likely you will have to return the puppy in order to get a refund on your money or you will accept the problems the puppy brings and pay all the bills yourself. It is a case where you are doomed if you do and doomed if you don't because by the time the puppy's illness or problem shows up, you heart is already entwined around the little one and you cannot give it up.

Having a set of registration papers does not prove the puppy is from a reputable breeder, it is only a record of the puppy's parents and possibly other earlier generations. These papers do not ensure that your puppy is a healthy one or that it is free from any genetic defects. Registration papers do not show if the puppy and its parents were raised in a human environment, socialized and fed proper food,

Puppy mills keep their breeding dogs in cages, they are never allowed to play and be cuddled, most never see the light of day and when they can no longer breed successfully, they are discarded.

If you are in the market for a puppy consider these alternatives and do not buy a puppy from a pet store or even think of buying one, sight unseen from the Internet.

Adopting a dog from a no kill shelter, Humane Society or the ASPCA is one of the best ways to put the puppy mills out of business, plus you are saving a life. Many purebreds can be found at any of these places. Mixed breed dogs make fabulous pets, remember your children want a dog, not a label or a status symbol

If you are determined to buy from a breeder, do your research and then visit the breeder. True breeders will be happy to show you where your puppy lives, introduce you to the parents and allow you time to spend with several puppies, so that you get the one just right for you.

Do not be swayed by pet store ads or a website that is promoting a wonderful sale. Nine chances out of ten, the puppies are from a puppy mill and you are playing Russian roulette in regards to the puppy's health issues and your own happiness.

Another bit of advice is "put aside your good intentions" and do not rescue a puppy from a puppy mill, buying that puppy makes room for one more and gives the puppy mill and the pet store more incentive to keep filling the cages.

Last, but not least, when buying a puppy from a breeder, keep in mind the breeder should be asking you as many questions as you are asking them. They should be interested in how you are going to take care of their puppy and if your relationship with the puppy will be life long. A reputable breeder will take back a puppy, no matter how old, if you are unable to take care of it for any reason.

If you are ready to get a puppy, do your homework, research breeds to see which dog is right for you, even if you are looking for a mixed breed (mutt) check out the breeds you see in the dog, to make certain it fits your lifestyle. Do not expect a greyhound to be happy in a small one-room apartment with no yard to run and play in.

Having a pet should be a commitment; a pet is a living creature and should not be considered as a one-night stand, a status symbol for the moment or as a disposable object.

To learn more about puppy mills visit the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at http://www.aspca.org

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