,Attention, Future Puppy Buyers!!
This page is here because we hope that by spreading the word, one day there will be no more puppy mills, and the need to euthanize unwanted pets will be a thing of the past.

Puppy Mills: What are they?

What most of us don't know is that many of the dogs sold in pet shops right here in the USA are produced by Puppy Mills.

The number of puppies born in puppy mills and sold in pet shops is said to be up to half a million a year. Most puppy mills are in the mid-western states of the USA, and they are famous for the horrendous conditions the dogs are forced to live in. Owners of puppy mills are in it for the money alone, regardless of what inhumane conditions the animals that pay their way have to endure.
The cages that these dogs are kept in are usually small wooden boxes with chicken wire  for a floor, stacked one on top of another to accommodate more animals. You can imagine what the animals in the bottom cage get covered with. These cages are usually outdoors with no place for the animals to take refuge from the weather. These animals are often malnourished and sickly. Often the carcasses of dead puppies or adults are left to decay with other animals for days before the owner bothers to remove them.

Female dogs are bred continuously without a resting period in between heat cycles. This wears their bodies out quickly;  the dogs are usually destroyed at around six or seven years of age, when they can no longer produce puppies. Often the puppies are taken from their mothers prematurely; anywhere between 4 to 8 weeks of age, they are plucked from the cage. These poor little babies are sold to a broker, who packs them  in crates and sells them in turn to a pet shop. They travel mostly in the back of pick up trucks or tractor trailer rigs, usually without any food, water, or shelter from the elements. By the time these puppies have gone from the puppy mill, to the broker, and finally to the pet shop, they may have traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles.  Since the animals get such horrendous treatment and live in such deplorable conditions while in the mill and during transport, approximately half of all puppies bred in puppy mills die before they even reach the pet store.

Sadly, greedy people, cutting costs by skimping on food, shelter, and certainly veterinary care are responsible for the birth, suffering and untimely death of too many innocent animals. These dogs are frequently inbred with no attempt to identify or prevent any of the ailments that inbreeding can produce. Genetic defects and personality disorders can be a ticking time bomb for the puppy and to the unwitting owner as the puppy grows. Hip Dysplasia is a common ailment with pet store puppies. Often an owner who paid a premium price for a "purebred" puppy ends up having to pay many more dollars to a vet. Unfortunately there are times when there is no cure, or the owner doesn't have the resources or the time to try to address the puppy's physical or personality flaws. The animal is then disposed of, and many times destroyed.

Interestingly enough, most private breeders, especially responsible breeders who breed for the betterment of the breed itself, refuse to sell to pet shops because the treatment there can be just as bad as in a puppy mill. Animals who are left in small cages, starved and sitting in their own feces, or perhaps getting urinated and defecated on by the animal in the cage over him at the mill, don't turn out to be desirable pets. Even in pet stores, many are isolated from human contact in their early months, kept in areas so small and cramped that stretching would be a luxury. This can lead to serious behavioral problems in the animal that won't manifest themselves until the new owners take their "cute little fur ball" home and he starts barking incessantly, constantly digs holes in the yard, destroys everything in sight, or displays other anti-social behaviors.

Millions of unwanted cats and dogs are destroyed in Animal Shelters across the nation every year. If you think all of these animals are mixed breeds or "mutts," so to speak, think again. A good percentage of those animals are purebreeds.  One day we can put a stop to this vicious cycle. In order to do this, however we must stop lining the pockets of the guilty parties responsible for running these mills.

Please, if you're looking for a companion, won't you consider dropping by your local animal shelter or SPCA first? Also there are rescue groups for almost every single breed of dog. If you're interested in a particular breed, they're a great place to start. Who knows? Maybe your next best friend is only one day away from euthanasia at the local shelter, waiting for you to save him.