Information on Puppy Mill Life

"A puppy mill is the equivalent of a factory farm for dogs," says the website for Puppy Mill Awareness Day (AwarenessDay.org), a nonprofit organization in North Carolina funded to promote the awareness of puppy mills and discourage the purchase of animals from pet stores. They state that even though "commercial breeders" (another name for puppy mills) must hold a U.S. Department of Agriculture dealer license, the standards to hold the license are "little more than requiring food, water and shelter."

Significance

The USDA allows licensed breeders to own anywhere from several hundred to more than a thousand dogs, keep both males and females in cages for the duration of their lives, and breed their dogs as often as possible to make as many puppies as possible, says AwarenessDay.org. They estimate that four million dogs come out of the nearly six thousand USDA-licensed puppy mills yearly, with 20 percent of those ending up in shelters. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that the 3,700 pet stores in the country that sell dogs and cats profit from the 500,000 puppy mill puppies they sell each year.

Function

According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), life in a puppy mill typically consists of living in a small cage made of wood and wire mesh with minimal human contact and inadequate food and water. Since puppy mills are in business to make money, they routinely cram as many breeding dogs and puppies into as few crates as possible, leading to filthy sanitation and disease issues.

PETA says, "Female dogs are bred twice a year and are usually destroyed when they are no longer able to produce puppies." A middleman or broker buys a truckload of puppies, packs them into crates, often without adequate food and water, and ships them in cargo trucks to the pet stores that buy them. "Breeders, brokers and pet stores ensure maximum profits by not spending money for proper food, housing or veterinary care," states PETA.

Medical Issues

Commercial breeders often leave deformed, sick and weak puppies to die in their cages, while the ones that make it to the pet store endure a myriad of diseases, states Kyra Kirkwood in "The Cruel Side of the Dog Business" published in the Spring, 2008 issue of Dog's Life magazine. Veterinarians commonly diagnose skin infections, intestinal and external parasites, upper respiratory problems, parvo virus, canine distemper and genetic problems including dysplasia and deafness once these puppies make it into a caring home. Some of these dogs die after leaving a grieving family and large medical bills behind, while the ones who survive often suffer with chronic illnesses.

Behavioral Issues

Because puppy mill dogs are unused to being handled, human contact and interaction in a home often creates fear and confusion in the rescued dog, states the HSUS. Many of these dogs spend their entire lives in cages and never experience grass, stairs, doorways, gravel driveways or any of the other accoutrements of day-to-day living. They need time to relax and adjust to the noises of children and household appliances and may show aggression if approached too quickly. Training will need to include house training and walking on a leash. Once they become acclimated, some puppy mill dogs feel severe separation anxiety when left alone and may need to be crated.

Warning

AwarenessDay.org warns potential puppy buyers against purchasing from a commercial enterprise by noting the differences between puppy mills and responsible breeders. Typically, puppy mills have more than one breed to sell at a time in a very large kennel with often 50 to 100 dogs on the premises. They don't allow customers on the property, preferring to ship the dogs to the buyer. Puppy mills don't require references from puppy buyers and refuse to take back the dog if the owners can't keep it. They display their USDA license so they can sell to pet stores; reputable breeders have no need for a license.

References

• Puppy Mill Awareness Day: Puppy Mill Information
• The Humane Society of the United States: Get the Facts on Puppy Mills
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Puppy Mills: Dogs Abuse for the Pet Trade
• Dog's Life Magazine: The Cruel Side of the Dog Business
• The Humane Society of the United States: Caring for the Puppy Mill Dog

Resources

• ASPCA: Adopting a Puppy Mill Dog
• Veterinary Partner: Puppy Mills & Backyard Breeders vs. Responsible Breeders