Puppy mills are large commercial operations that are created for the purpose of breeding dogs for money. Profit is priority over the dogs’ heath and well being. Puppy mill dogs used for breeding are abused, neglected and their offspring come with a slew of health problems. We must work together to shut down puppy mills and stores that support the sale of the puppies.
Check out these alarming puppy mill statistics:
Let’s break this down. An estimated 3 million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters each year and 2.11 million puppies are sold from mills each year. SO…if we eliminated EVERY puppy mill, the amount of animals euthanized in shelters each year could probably be lessened to about 1 million. Wow.
We need to spread the word. A lot of people don’t realize that when they buy that “OMG SO CUTE!” puppy from the local pet store, it came from a puppy mill. And along with all of it’s cuteness could come these typical puppy mill health problems:
- Giardia
- Parvovirus
- Distemper
- Upper respiratory infections
- Kennel cough
- Pneumonia
- Mange
- Fleas
- Ticks
- Intestinal parasites
- Heartworm
- Chronic diarrhea
Puppy mills are not humane places. Dogs are kept in wire cages without fresh food and water. Multiple dogs are crammed in one kennel, forced to sleep on their feces without the chance to ever leave. The typical age of a female puppy mill survivor is 7 years old, which means she’s been bred for a majority of her life without proper medical attention.
It’s no secret. Puppy mills are unsanitary, horrendous places owned by greedy, selfish, monstrous people who are in it for the money. Currently Missouri is the leading puppy mill state in the US, with a majority of mills being concentrated in the Midwest. Puppy mill breeding is very prevalent among the Amish and Mennonite communities.
How can you help stop puppy mills?
- Don’t buy animals from pet stores.
- Don’t buy dogs online from breeders. If you are buying from a breeder online, the only way to be sure they didn’t come from a puppy mill is to see it with your own eyes.
- Take the pledge that you’ll never shop in a store that sells puppies.
- Adopt a puppy mill survivor.
- If you suspect a puppy mill, contact the ASPCA, National Mill Dog Rescue or Humane Society.
Resources: Puppy mill facts and statistics courtesy of the Humane Society.
Take the pledge to stop puppy mills here!
Lara Elizabeth says
2 million puppies sold from puppy mills each year? That is just staggering. It astounds me how the general public still does not know where pet store and internet puppies come from. I plan to join a weekly protest at one of our local puppy retailers this summer. Great post, Amanda.
Amanda says
Isn’t it insane? That means there are about 2 million uneducated people a year running around out there. Scary. I can’t wait to hear more about your protest! All of the puppy retailers in AZ have been shut down and converted into rescue/adoption facilities as of the law that passed last year to ban the sale of puppy mill dogs.