Q: Do puppy mills really exist?

A: Unfortunately, puppy mills exist right across the country. Their presence is well documented. Their purpose is to breed puppies solely for profit. When the owners cut corners, the animals suffer terribly. Make no mistake: puppies by the thousands are bred in horrible, sickening conditions, so that retailers will have puppies to sell to consumers.

Q: What’s the difference between a puppy mill operator and a breeder?

A: Puppy mill operators have one goal: profit. Unlike reputable breeders, profit takes precedence over the animals’ health and well-being. Reputable breeders spend time and money researching the breeds, improving bloodlines, seeking the best and most current medical treatments, socializing their puppies, and carefully checking out prospective owners. In other words, they ensure their puppies are well-cared for from birth onward. Reputable breeders would never sell their puppies to a pet store. Puppy mill operators sell to anyone with the cash.

Q: Don’t commercial puppy breeders have to be licensed by the government?

A: The USDA has issued licenses to breeding facilities since 1971. The USDA exists primarily to promote commercial farmers, not to police them. In 1998 for example, 4100 dog breeders were licensed (there are no figures available for unlicensed breeders), and of these, only 29 had their licenses revoked as a result of USDA inspection. There is a low level of enforcement and the USDA does not consider the shutting down of inhumane facilities to be a priority.

Q: What about the AKC?

A: While the American Kennel Club (AKC) does not condone puppy mills, they have no effective screening of applicants. Papers are issued to anyone who applies and pays the $20 litter registration fees, which generate huge income for the AKC. But very little of this revenue goes toward inspections of breeding facilities; and like the USDA, the AKC does not take responsibility for the horrifying conditions that exist at so many puppy mills.

Q: Do all pet store puppies come from puppy mills?

A: Nine out of ten puppies sold in pet stores come from puppy mills.

Q: How can I tell for sure if the puppies come from a puppy mill?

A: Ask the pet store staff to see the puppy’s registration papers. The place of birth will be listed there, and chances are it will not be a local address. More likely, it will be out of state. If you are not allowed to see the registration papers, or given excuses, it is almost certain to be a puppy mill puppy. A puppy broker will have transported the puppy in from a “breeding facility”—a puppy mill.

Q: The owner of our local pet store says he gets the puppies from local breeders for the convenience of his customers. Isn’t this acceptable?

A: Remember, no reputable breeder would sell their puppies to a pet store. No reputable breeder would support the puppy mill system by supplying puppies to a retail outlet. No reputable breeder puts profit above the puppies’ health and well-being.

Q: What’s wrong with profit?

A: Profit is good. Puppies who are sick, malnourished, filthy, dehydrated, neglected and crawling around in their own urine and feces for the sake of profit is bad.

Q: Can’t I help one little puppy by buying it and taking good care of it?

A: The puppy you buy will be replaced by another one…on and on, until the puppy mills close or are shut down. The puppy you buy may also be dangerously unsocialized, sick and prone to painful and expensive hereditary health problems.

Q: Where can I buy a healthy puppy?

A: You may save the life of a puppy if you look first at your local humane society or ASPCA. They often have purebred puppies, or will notify you when a dog of the breed you prefer comes into the facility. Rescue organizations are always looking for good homes for their dogs. You can also check breed organizations for the names of reputable breeders in your area.

Q: Is there anything I can do to help shut down puppy mills?

A: First, boycott pet stores that sell live animals, and enlist your family and friends to do the same. Ask your legislators to enact effective, enforceable animal cruelty laws. Contact IMOM.org for more information.