What Is a Puppy Mill? And why should you care whether the puppy you buy comes from one? By the formal definition, a puppy mill is a large-scale breeding operation that produces large numbers of puppies for profit. What the formal definition overlooks is that most puppy mills are inhumane in their treatment of breeding dogs and puppies. Many are filthy, and are run by people who have no idea about or concern for the genetic implications of breeding or about what dogs require in terms of basic health care and socialization. Many are simply hellholes in which the breeding dogs are kept in the most deplorable conditions—dogs confined to small wire cages for their entire lives, fed inadequately, kept in unheated buildings, denied basic veterinary care. The breeding dogs are sick, wounded, and malnourished. And their lives are miserable. When their breeding usefulness is over, they may be killed or dumped. Large-scale mills do not take their older dogs to shelters, as a rule, because they don’t want to draw attention to themselves. In rescue, we are sometimes fortunate enough to rescue dogs from breeders that are considered to be puppy mills. These dogs always—without exception—have health problems, most of which have been chronic and neglected for years. So why should you care whether the puppy you buy comes from a place like this? Because the chances that the puppy you buy will have genetic defects that will cause disease are extremely high. Because puppies in mills are so poorly socialized that they often develop severe fearfulness and shyness. And because the money you pay for that cute puppy in the window will go right back to the mill owner, who can use it to buy and mistreat more dogs. If you are thinking of buying a puppy from a pet store, if you want to take part in the efforts to eradicate puppy mills, or if you just want more information, use the links below to educate yourself.
Links to Information about Puppy Mills
www.canismajor.com/dog/puppymill.html. A good place to start, this site includes extensive definitions of all types of businesses involved in dog breeding, as well as a link to a harrowing eyewitness account of a puppy mill. Hearts United for Animals. A personal favorite of many dog lovers and LDDR members, HUA began as a no-kill rescue shelter in Nebraska. HUA has become one of the strongest voices against puppy mills in the U.S. They work tirelessly to educate the public about the evils of puppy mills and they are a significant lobbying force, urging government officials to enforce existing animal welfare laws and to pass stronger new legislation. HUA has a web site devoted entirely to puppy mills. It's probably the most comprehensive web site about puppy mills on the Internet.
www.millbusters.com. This web site offers not only educational information about puppy mills, but a forum for discussions and a comprehensive, up-to-date page of news items about puppy mills and millers. An excellent site, but not for children; many of the photos of actual mills are graphic and heartbreaking. www.nopuppymills.com. An outstanding website maintained by Kim Townsend. It is relevant, concise, current, and specific, as well as clear and easy to navigate. Thoughtful while avoiding rhetoric. www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/5150/puppymills.htm. An excellent little site that contrasts characteristics of puppies who come from reputable breeders with those that come from puppy mills. Flawdogs Adoption. This Missouri organization rescues dogs from puppy mills and always has a long list of available dogs, many of them dachshunds, for adoption. Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project. An excellent and complete source of information about puppy mills in general and in Wisconsin in particular, where Amish and Mennonite "farmers" are following the lead of the Pennsylvania Amish and adding dogs to their "livestock." www.wonderpuppy.net. Wonderpuppy.net is a great web site, containing numerous links to information available on the Web about various issues related to dogs. This particular link will take you to their page with info on puppy mills, breeders, and breeding your own dog.
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