Why You Should Care About Puppy Mills

 If you are an animal lover…..

 Inhumane treatment of dogs.

• Female dogs are bred every heat cycle (twice per year).  Usually bred until they are 7-9 years old.  Average 6-8 puppies per litter.  That’s 84-144 puppies PER DOG.  ON AVERAGE!  Many dogs can have up to 12 puppies per litter!
• Sanitary issues – contaminated water, build up of feces and hair

Imagine living on your bed – having to eat, sleep, play, and go to the bathroom on your bed and never getting to leave.

• Lack of social interaction with both other dogs and people.  Dogs are social pack animals.  Fear of people, noises and normal day to day interactions.
• Physical abuse and neglect.
• Physical ailments and health issues that are not attended to.
• Using no anesthesia, breeders will debark, dock ears and tails and perform c-sections.
• After dogs are no longer useful, they are abandoned, shot or drowned.  The lucky ones get turned over to rescues.

 In 2008, Two eastern Pennsylvania kennel operators shot 80 dogs after wardens ordered some of the animals examined by veterinarians.   Wardens had ordered 39 dogs checked for flea and fly bites. They also issued citations for extreme heat, insufficient bedding and floors dogs’ feet could fall through.   The kennel owner stated he feared the state was trying to close his kennel, and said a veterinarian recommended destroying the dogs. “They were old, and we were hearing that they don’t want kennels anymore,” he said. “The best thing to do was get rid of them.”

 Commercial breeders and pet stores do not care about quality of the puppy.  Instead, their concern is financial gain and product sales.

• Purchasing a puppy from a pet store supports puppy mills by adding to their bank accounts!
• You are not “rescuing” a puppy mill dog if you purchase a puppy at a pet store.
• Purchasing any products from pet stores which sell puppies also supports puppy mills.

 A study from doctors at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the top veterinary medicine and research institutions in the world, shows that 83% of breeder dogs from commercial kennels suffer from behavior problems as opposed to 54% of “normal” dogs.

 Health issues. 

• Puppies get sick from being transported and exposed to all kinds of other puppies and dogs.  They also get sick from living in filthy conditions and improper health care.  Parasites, worms, parvo, distemper, and respiratory diseases are all common in puppies from puppy mills.
• They can develop health issues later in life, not seen as a puppy.  Hip dysplasia, allergies, bone diseases, cancer…  Poor quality breeding increases the likelihood of health problems.

 Expense to owner.

• Commercial kennels and pet stores usually do not cover the cost of vaccines, spay or neuter or perform certified health checks on the breeder dogs used to produce the puppies they sell.  A puppy at a pet store can cost anywhere from $500-$1500.  Consider the cost when the owner must pay this fee as well as all the additional costs of vet care (spay/neuter, vaccines, training classes, etc.). 

 

If you are an average member of society…..

 Your tax dollars!

• This is your tax money used for kennel inspections, re-inspections & court costs for trying animal neglect and abuse cases.

Behavior issues of other people’s dogs could affect you and your family.

• Puppies from puppy mills, because of the lack of proper social skills, can suffer from behavior issues that could affect you, your children or grandchildren.  Dogs who are fearful of people have potential to bite if put in a fight or flight situation.