Puppy Mills

Oct 18, 2023
3 min read

Puppy Mills are the cruel reality of where puppies come from and are the driving force behind the pet industry cutting corners in order to make mass profit. Learn where the famous phrase ADOPT DON'T SHOP comes from.

Image source: saveapetusa.org

What are Puppy Mills?

A Puppy Mill is exactly what is sounds like: an inhumane, abusive, mass-breeding facility that breeds and sells puppies at high prices to make profit. They do this at the expense of the lives and needs of the mothers, fathers and puppies. The mothers are forced to birth litter after litter until they can no longer physically do so, then of which they are discarded or killed. Dogs in these facilities are often kept in disgustingly confined cages, are not allowed to socialize and are malnourished. The lives for these dogs in nothing more than the view from a cold, dark, rusty cage.

Where do the puppies end up?

The puppies you see for sale online and in pet stores are commonly from puppy mills. According to the Humane Society, "responsible breeders will be happy to meet you in person and show you where the puppy was born and raised—and where their mom lives too." - which is unlikely for a pet store or online ad. When the unknowing families bring home their new pets, they find the puppy has a long list of health problems. This is no coincidence, as puppy mills reject the use of sanitary environments and veterinary care. This is why you ADOPT DON'T SHOP!

How can we stop them?

As of right now, there are approximately 10,000 puppy mills in the United States, with 194,000+ dogs suffering because of them (Humane Society). You may be thinking that there is not much you can do from at home on your couch, which is entirely not true! I have compiled a list of things YOU can do to make a difference for the nearly 200,000 lives of dogs across the country.

Get a sticker! ... or 2 ... or 3...! With just the click of a button, you get to make a generous donation and you get something cute for yourself out of it!
Refrain from going to franchised pet stores like Shake-a-Paw or from BUYING your pets online and encourage others to do the same. Instead, go to animal rescue shelters where you can ADOPT your potential dog.

Become an advocate. You know the basics...now use your knowledge and share it with others! Anyone with any knowledge on a puppy mill is encouraged to fill out this form.

Is your puppy source truthful?

What pet stores are telling you vs what they really mean.

"Our puppies come from breeders, not puppy mills."

Anyone who puts two dogs together is technically a breeder, so this leaves a lot of grey area. Only the truly legitimate breeders work on their own and not with pet stores. Instead, they want to meet you in person and will not give their puppies to just anyone with money.

"All our puppies come from USDA-inspected facilities, so we know they are not from puppy mills."

Unfortunately, USDA or government inspection means absolutely nothing in these cases. There are no laws preventing puppy mills from operating, they only require the minimum amount of food, water and shelter needed for the dogs, and even then there have been instances where facilities still operated despite not meeting these simple standards. There are hundreds of USDA-licensed puppy mills that are currently operating with a never-ending list of violations and cruel behaviors, yet they still regularly sell to pet stores.

For more information on what pet stores tell you vs. what they truly mean, click here.