What is a Puppy Mill, and how do I avoid buying a puppy from one?
Puppy mill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A puppy mill, sometimes known as a puppy farm, is a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with an emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and is often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of dogs in their care. Similar types of operations exist for other animals commonly kept as pets or used as feed for other animals. The term can be applied to operations involving other animals commercially bred for profit, e.g. "kitty mills." There are an estimated 4,000 puppy mills in the U.S. that produce more than half a million puppies a year. Commercial kennels may be licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture which may inspect the kennels routinely. For-profit breeding on a smaller scale is sometimes referred to as backyard breeding. •
Differences in breeding conditions
The American and Westminster kennel clubs state that responsible breeders raise their animals with the intent to produce healthy dogs, and to ensure that all animals are provided responsible homes and socialization. In puppy mills, females are sometimes bred every time they are in heat to increase profits, resulting in gradually decreasing sizes of litters. Dogs in puppy mills are often bred indiscriminately. While the puppies produced may come with pedigrees, the pedigree itself is neither an indication of quality nor authenticity. Pet stores selling these dogs may be unaware of breeding conditions. The American Kennel Club is by law not held responsible nor do they guarantee the health of the dogs they sell. Effects Due to the frequently poor breeding conditions in puppy mills, puppies bred there often suffer from health and/or social problems. Puppies raised in a cramped environment shared by many other dogs become poorly socialized to other dogs and to humans. Dogs are then transported over long distances in poor conditions, sometimes resulting in animal stress and death. As the surviving mill dogs grow older, they are more prone to developing respiratory ailments and pneumonia, as well as hereditary defects such as hip dysplasia. In addition, mill dogs are more prone to have problems with their temperament. Puppies from mills are usually sold as purebred dogs in an attempt to attract the higher prices associated with purebreds. However, due to the indiscriminate breeding practices of puppy mills, the dog may not actually be a purebred puppy. The vast majority of puppy mill animals are sold to pet stores by "dealers". Some puppies are sold by dealers masquerading as authentic breeders.History
According to Canis Major V. publications, puppy mills originated in the post-World War II era. Midwestern farmers looking for an alternative crop reacted to a growing demand for puppies, resulting in the development of the first commercial puppy business. As the business grew, both small and large retail outlets began to sell puppies through pet departments. At around the same time, the first pet store chains were born. Through indifference or ignorance, many puppies were left unsocialized or exposed in existing chicken coops or rabbit hutches. In addition, veterinary care for these puppies was often overlooked because of an inability to pay. As a result, organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States began to investigate breeding kennels, leading to the passage of the Animal Welfare Act of August 24, 1966. According to the Humane Society of the United States, thousands of puppy mills are located around the country. A high concentration of both puppy mills and breeders has been reported to be in the states of Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri.Hobby breeders
The term "puppy mill" has been widely used by animal rights groups in protests against breeders who have substandard breeding conditions. Such breeders, sometimes labeled hobby breeders, are often cited by animal rights groups as puppy mills. Hobby breeders claim that emotional rhetoric, sensationalism, and pictures of dirty kennels are used to justify additional legislation or additional restrictive licensing that travels well beyond the initial goal of removing dogs from truly deplorable conditions. Some hobby breeders argue that many attempts to legislate puppy mills would put them out of business. Many hobby breeders argue the laws, which often require extra paperwork and inspections, would be more of a nuisance than help in shutting down puppy mills. Such breeders often cite existing lemon laws for puppies as sufficient protection for both dogs and prospective buyers.Media coverage
On May 29, 2008, MSNBC aired a report about puppy mills, in which Oprah Winfrey revealed an industry fraught with problems and apparent cruelty. The broadcast showed puppy mills with small cages, with Chicken wire floors, stacked in rows from floor to ceiling, and stated that many dogs spend their entire lives within these tiny cages. Many of these dogs are sold on the internet or by pet retailers to buyers who are unaware of the dogs' backgrounds. The report claimed that customers who object to this treatment of puppies unknowingly allow the industry to thrive. It also pointed out that many of the puppy mill bred dogs suffer long-term health problems.Legislative response
United States of America
In the United States, some elements of the dog breeding industry are regulated by the Animal Welfare Act of August 24, 1966. In recent years, state legislatures have passed new laws aimed at eliminating the worst abuses at puppy mills. New laws include limits on the number of breeding females, requirements that facilities be licensed and inspected, and requirements that dogs be given proper veterinary care. Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Virginia passed puppy mill laws in 2008, and 10 states passed laws in 2009 to crack down on abusive puppy mills. Iowa is the most recent.Australia
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has responded to the problem of puppy mills in Australia by proposing the Animals Regulation of Sale Bill. It would ban the sale of dogs through pet shops, the internet or newspapers. The aim is to crack down on impulse purchases and shut down unregistered backyard breeders. These breeders should no longer easily profit from the sale of the dogs and the number of unwanted and abandoned animals could drop. Opposition to the bill comes from the Australian Veterinary Association and the Pet Industry Association. They say that the bill makes no difference to shelter admissions or euthanasia rates. Some claim that the bill will only serve to push unregistered breeders further underground. In New South Wales alone, more than 60,000 animals are put down each year. Australia-wide the number is over a quarter of a million.United Kingdom
In 1996, Britain passed the Breeding and Sale of Dogs Act which requires annual veterinary inspections for anyone breeding five or more litters in one year. Breeding females are restricted to one litter per year and six per lifetime. Breeders who choose to be members of the UK Kennels Club are required to register purebred puppies for sale with that organization and must certify the conditions under which the puppies were raised. Breeders who sell puppies by misrepresenting these standards may be liable to prosecution under the Sale of Goods Act 1979.How to Recognize a Good Breeder
When choosing a breeder look for one who does the following:
•Encourages you to meet and spend time with your puppy's parents, and allows you to see where they spend most of their time. Area is clean and well maintained.
•Has a consistant and VERIFIABLE retirement plan for their Moms and Dads, into pet homes ( NOT breeding them until they are 10+ years old and euthenized or passed on to another breeder)
•Provides you with thier full name(s), registered business name ( if any), and Physical address including county (see below why this is important).
•Is knowledgeable about County,State and Federal laws where they live concerning breeding and selling dogs.
•Has an up to date sales contract and health guarantee that you have access to read BEFORE the purchase.
•Prefers meeting potential adoptive families, Including children. Will not sell their dogs to just anyone.
•Doesn't sell animals too young—sells puppies only after they are 8 to 12 weeks old.
•Can provide references from other families who have purchased puppies.
•Keeps breeding dogs healthy, well fed, and well socialized.
•Provides professional veterinary care for all their animals. ( this can be verified when you contact thier vet)
•Has a good relationship with a local veterinarian and provides you with the vet's contact info to check as a VERIFIABLE reference for themselves as breeders and the quality of thier puppies.
*Don't forget to ask the Vet if they have actually ever been to the breeder's place to see how they care for thier puppies and dogs!
•Bases breeding frequency on mother's health, age, condition and recuperative abilities.
•Does not breed extremely young or old animals, they can verify this for you by showing registration certificates.
•Does not Inbreed or "LineBreed".
•Discusses positive and negative aspects of particular animals and breeds with potential owners.
•Encourages multiple visits to meet the puppy.
•Provides information on the specific breed you are interested in and guidance on puppy and dog care.
•Will Take Back the puppy/dog or assist in re-homing for any reason, for the life of the dog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***If you find a breeder that passes all these criteria, there is one last step- Check with:
**** The better business bureau of dog breeding - Their county Animal control! ***
Stop and think about this! If someone has bought a sick or abused puppy/dog they probly had a complaint called in on them. If the neighbors have complained about smells(poor houskeeping), loose dogs(inadiquate supervision) etc.. they have had a complaint called in!
Complaints on a breeder may be under other peoples names, so please ask them to check under the address you have for the breeder as well as any assumed business names!
If they have had citations in the past for neglecting or abuse of animals or selling sick puppies, this is where you will find the information. You may also want to check with the Humane Society office in thier county as well.
This is PUBLIC information and you have every right to check.
**To be fair, please remember that their may be false complaints that have been called in on someone, if you suspect this is the case, give the breeder the opportunity to explain the situation to your satisfaction.***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE GRAPHIC! THIS IS WHAT MAY BE BEHIND THE FENCE!**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
