Fight Puppy Mills!!

What is a puppy mill?

The term "puppy mill" is a term coined to describe the mass production/breeding of purebred or pedigreed dogs in less that perfect conditions. These "establishments" often contain more than 200 breeding dogs that live in disgusting conditions and who are regulated by the USDA. The animals live in extremely small cages all their live with little or no medical care. It is animal cruelty at its worse, and what's really bad: it's all legal.

What is the big deal about puppy mill puppies?

The dogs that they produce in incredible numbers each year are the puppy mill puppies. There is certainly no storage of buyers for these animals; they are sold in bulk to pet stores and then on to uninformed consumers. These puppies are not socialized properly, which can lead to many behavior problems later in life such as aggression, fear-biting, and the general mistrust of people. Other than their mental state, many of these dogs are riddled with physical aliments from the lack of vet care and irresponsible breeding. Disease is rampent through puppy mill puppies (a.k.a. pet store puppies) and few dogs come with reliable vaccinations. Mange, sores, parvo, distemper, and puppy strangles are just some of the things vets encounter from these poor animals. There are also genetic diseases and disorders that crop up in these dogs from just putting two dogs together. Irresponsible breeding can enhance disorders and diseases such as blindness, allergies, cancer, and hip dysplasia. There are also many breed-specific illnesses that can occur.

Why doesn't the AKC do anything about them?

The draw of these puppy mills is that their dogs are registered with the AKC (American Kennel Club) if they are purebred. The AKC is a registry of purebreed dogs that is designed to keep track of the wins of show dogs and the breeding (numbers) of dogs. There are only two reasons that you would ever need an AKC registered dog: 1)if you are going to show your dog in conformation classes or 2)if you are going to breed your dog. The first is simply impossible for dogs that come from puppy mills. These dogs are animals that have hardly been taken out of their small cage, much less taken all the time, effort, and money required to put a Championship on a dog. If you are looking for a dog to show in conformation, look elsewhere. As for the second reason, you shouldn't breed a dog from a puppy mill anyways! If you are interested in breeding dogs, ask responsible breeders and visit dog shows.

What if I want to show in obedience or agility?

You don't need a puppy from a pet store to do this. You don't even need an AKC registered dog. If you want to show in AKC obedience, agility, tracking, hunting, herding or junior showmanship you will need a purebreed dog though. You can rescue a purebreed dog from a shelter or rescue organization and even it if it doesn't have papers, you can apply for an AKC ILP (limited registry) number and you may show in everything but conformation. If you don't care if you have a purebreed dog, you can also compete with your mixed breed. There are several organizations around the country that allow you to compete with mixed breed or all-American dogs.

I still want an AKC registered puppy. Where else can I get them but a pet store?

There are plenty of responsible, reputable breeders in your area that are willing to sell you an AKC registered dog as a companion or show dog. The puppies grow up in a loving household and are much healthier and happier than any dog in a pet store.

Dogs from a breeder are very expensive. Why should I buy one from them when I can get a dog that is cheaper from a pet store?

Not all dogs from breeders are expensive. Many breeders offer dogs that are companions for very reduced rates. With this purchase, you have a life-long link to a person who can answer all of your questions and give tons of advise. Also, breeder puppies are healthier and you will spend much less on vet bills than on pet store animals; in the end, you will probably save more.

How do I know I am getting a dog from a reputable breeder?

There are many things that you can look for when you purchase a dog. Here are some tips to help you:

Ask to see the parents. You should be able to see at least one of the puppies' parents on site. While the mother may have been studded by a dog from another breeder, the mother should always be present, especially with very young animals. (There are some extenuating circumstances where the mother would not be there, but get the breeder to explain them.) When you do see the parents, remember: what you see is what you get!
Ask to see where the dogs are kept. Many breeders keep their dogs in kennels. The breeder should openly show you these kennels if you are not already in them to see the puppies. The area should be clean and smell reasonable. Remember that these are *dog* kennels and that they will smell a little doggy, but the sent of urine or feces should not knock you over. Also, puppies are *very* messy some times and short of giving them baths every five minutes, there is not much they can do for the puppies rolling around in a mess! Look for warning signs of unfit conditions such as heavy stench, dogs walking in their waste, very small, unclean living areas, animals being aggressive to other animals in the same pen or cage, and no space for exercise.
Ask about their experience showing. You can bet that a breeder/owner who shows their dogs is not in it for the money. It takes hundreds of dollars to show a dog and unless you have one of the top dogs in the country, you don't win enough to pay back for entry fees, much less the cost of living. People who show are interested in making the breed better, a sure sign of a great breeder. There are also many great breeders who do not show, so it is really up to you to decide.
Ask to see the dog's AKC papers. They should have the actual registration papers or copies of them out for you to look at. Look to see a pedigree also. You can learn a lot about the dog's ancestors from a pedigree. Conformation titles (CH.) are displayed on this and you can see a good idea of how much they were shown.
Ask to see the parent's OFA and other health papers. Do not buy a large breed puppy if the parents have not been screened for hip dysplasia. The OFA (Orthipedic Foundation of America) issues certificates for dogs that have been tested. There are four catogories that a dog can be: poor, fair, good, and excellent. Dogs that are poor and fair have the highest chance of not only getting this disease but passing it on to their offspring. Good and Excellent dogs are the ones you want to look for since they have little chance of passing it on, although it does happen. Many breeds have eye problems also, so they should have a certificate that their eyes have been cleared of problems. You should research what problems your breed and be ready to ask questions about them to the breeder.
Observe the puppies. They should be happy, healthy and well adjusted. The breeder should help you pick out the perfect puppy for you and your lifestyle.
Observe the breeder. The breeder should be asking almost as many questions about your life and home as you are asking them. They are interviewing you to see if they will let you take home one of their babies. They should very interested in what other pets you own or have owned in the past and very concerned about where the pup is going. If they say that at any point they reserve the right to take the puppy back if they think that the dog is not being properly cared for, it is a good sign they really care about where the dog is going. Also, ask about what you would do if you couldn't take care of the dog anymore. They breeder should be willing to take it back permenatly or until they can find it another home. Watch out for those who don't care!

Puppy mills are terrible. What can I do to help put them out of business?

NEVER EVER BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET SHOP! Pet shops are great to get the puppy's food and toys, but not the puppy. Advise all of your friends not to buy their animals from a pet shop and keep passing that around. If you want to get involved directly, you can ask your local shelter what you can do or go to NoPuppyMills.com.

Puppy mills are a horrible thing that needs to be stopped as quickly as possible. The people who run these mills have no business owning animals. They are in it to make money. We all need to do our part to stop them.

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