It’s amazing to me how many dog loving people that I meet who don’t know what a puppy mill is. If you buy a dog (instead of adoption or rescue), and the breeder doesn’t want to come to your home or at least ask you a million and one questions, you need to question THEM. In fact, you need to question them anyway. You need to ask to see where the puppies were born, to meet the mother and father (at least the mother), what health tests have been done on the mother and father, is the breeder active in any breed clubs, what temperament testing and socialization has been  done,  what food have the puppies been receiving, what inoculations have been given, ask for references from previous puppy buyers, can you have your own vet check the puppy out before committing, and well, you get the point.

At these puppy stores, the breeder isn’t even present. In fact, most of them will tell you they can’t even give you the address to the breeder’s home. This should be a HUGE red flag. The article below is something that I got from the Humane Society of the United States. I hope that you read this and think about adoption or at least a very reputable breeder before going to these puppy stores. We need to take a stand against this cruelty.

Puppy Mills

Can you imagine forcing your pet dog to live his or her entire life in a small wire cage with no human companionship, toys or comfort, and little hope of ever becoming part of a family? That is what life is like for a puppy mill breeding dog. Help us stop this cycle of cruelty that contributes to pet overpopulation and the suffering of countless dogs.

Puppy mills have been around for decades. They continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for-words puppies in pet store windows and on legitimate-seeming websites. Puppy mills house dogs in shockingly poor conditions. After their fertility wanes, breeding animals are often killed, abandoned or sold cheaply to another mill to try and get “one more litter” out of the dog. The annual result of all this breeding is millions of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.

Buying A Puppy

Questions to ask yourself, and how to prepare for a new pup

The first step on the road to pet ownership is to ask yourself some tough questions: Why do you want a puppy? Can you afford one? Are you prepared to take care of a dog every day for his entire life?

If you’ve decided you’re ready for a dog, follow The HSUS’ top five puppy buying tips and you’ll be far more likely to secure a healthy, well-socialized dog who doesn’t drain your emotions or your pocketbook. One, in other words, who doesn’t come from a puppy mill.

1. Consider adoption. Adopting a dog instead of buying one is one of the surest ways to strike a blow against puppy mills. To find the perfect match, you’ll want to choose the right one for you and your lifestyle. Animal shelters have dozens of dogs, many of them purebreds, just waiting for homes. There are also breed specific rescue groups for every breed of dog, including “designer” or “hybrids” like Labradoodles and Puggles. Mixed-breed dogs also make wonderful pets. Read more about adopting a puppy through a shelter or breed rescue group »

2. Find a responsible breeder and visit their premises. Responsible breeders provide a loving and healthy environment for their canine companions, one that they will be proud to show you. Never buy a puppy without seeing where they and their parents are raised and housed with your own eyes. Read more on how to find a good dog breeder »

3. Don’t be fooled by common claims made by pet stores when pushing their puppies. Despite what they may tell you, pet stores do sell puppy mill puppies. Read more about the false claims commonly made by pet stores at the Pet Store Doublespeak page »

4. Don’t be swayed by a great website or ad. Just because a website says great things about their “home raised” or “family raised” puppies doesn’t make it true. Many puppy millers pose as small family breeders online and in newspaper and magazine ads. For many years The HSUS has aided local authorities in the rescue of puppy mill dogs across the nation. In almost all cases the puppy mills sold puppies via the Internet using legitimate-looking ads or websites that made claims that couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

5. Avoid the temptation to “rescue” a puppy mill puppy by buying him. Even though your intentions may be good, don’t buy a puppy with the idea that you are “rescuing” him or her. Your “rescue” opens up space for another puppy mill puppy and puts money into the pockets of the puppy mill industry. Pet stores won’t leave their cages empty and websites won’t leave their pages blank. The money you spend on your puppy goes right back to the puppy mill operator and ensures they will continue breeding and treating dogs inhumanely. If you see someone keeping puppies in poor conditions, alert your local animal control authorities instead of buying.

What You Can Do to Stop Puppy Mills

Help stop the cycle of cruelty

Check out this list of things you can do to help stop puppy mills:

Get an education

Whether you’re thinking about getting a dog, want to educate others about puppy mills or just want to learn more, check out FAQs about puppy mills and puppy buying tips.

Kids and teens: help stop puppy mills with A Cause for Paws.

Go online

Stop puppy mills by visiting our pages on Facebook and MySpace.

Help make your local pet store “puppy friendly”

The Puppy Friendly Pet Stores initiative asks dog lovers everywhere to work with their local pet stores to encourage them to develop and implement “puppy friendly” policies by refusing to sell puppies in their store and supporting homeless pet adoptions instead. Stores that already do not sell puppies can sign up to show that they are taking a stand against puppy mills and to “make official” their policy of not selling puppies. Learn more here »

Be an advocate

There are many things you can do to help dogs in puppy mills. “An Advocate’s Guide to Stopping Puppy Mills“ is a good place to start with many ideas that can propel you into action. ”A Guide to Using Local Ordinances to Combat Puppy Mills” is designed to help you work for the passage of local laws in your own community that will improve the lives of dogs in puppy mills.

Download “An Advocate’s Guide to Stopping Puppy Mills” »
Download “A Guide to Using Local Ordinances to Combat Puppy Mills” »

Or, you may order the more extensive kit that includes the guide as well as everything you’ll need to start spreading the word about puppy mills in your community, including printed materials, letter templates, tips for developing legislation and activity ideas. The kit is designed to help you discuss the puppy mill issue accurately and intelligently, whether speaking to friends and family or the local media: $3 each. Download the order form »

Lobby for better laws

Contact your federal and state legislators and let them know that you’re concerned about the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills and want the puppy mill issue to be a priority for Congress. Ask them to expand the reach of the Animal Welfare Act to include kennels that sell large numbers of puppies directly to the public.

Get “Stop Puppy Mills” stuff

Spread the word about puppy mills wherever you go with stickers, T-shirts, bookmarks, dog collars, and flyers, or download a banner or badge for your website or blog »

Speak up

Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper is a great way to get the word out about puppy mills in your community. Write your own version—a short, polite letter is most effective—or download a Microsoft Word version of the template that you can alter.

Furnish your vet with flyers

Download and print these flyers and bring them to your veterinarian or groomer’s office: “Getting a Puppy?” and “How to Find a Good Dog Breeder” are designed to help potential pet owners avoid puppy mills.

Donate

Help The HSUS in our ongoing campaign to stop puppy mills. Please make a donation today.

I don`t hold animals superior or even equal to humans. The whole case for behaving decently to animals rests on the fact that we are the superior species. We are the species uniquely capable of imagination, rationality, and moral choice – and that is precisely why we are under an obligation to recognize and respect the rights of animals.
– Brigid Brophy