A puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding operation where profit is given priority over the well-being of
the dogs. Unlike responsible breeders, who place the utmost importance on producing the healthiest puppies
possible, breeding at puppy mills is performed without consideration of genetic quality. This results in generations of
dogs with horrible heath problems, and likely hood to die young. They are more than likely to get
•Epilepsy
•Heart disease
•Kidney disease
•Musculoskeletal disorders (hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, etc.)
•Endocrine disorders (diabetes, hyperthyroidism)
•Blood disorders (anemia, Von Willebrand disease)
•Deafness
•Eye problems (cataracts, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, etc.)
•Respiratory disorders
because of horrible conditions.
Puppy mils also force dogs to breed and breed untill they can't anymore, and then they kill the dog. They sell puppies
with sicknesses, but if the puppie's sickness is visual, then they kill the pup to. The cages are also often in colums on
top of each other, with the pup's waste falling on top of the pup below them. They often keep the puppies inside filthey
structures, where they never see the light of day, feel grass, know what happenise is , or even get clean water!!!!
There is about 2,000 through 3,000 USDA-licensed breeders (commonly referred to as puppy mills) operating in the
United States. However, this number does not take into consideration the number of breeders not required to be
licensed by the USDA or the number of breeders operating illegally without a license. Because so many of these
breeders are operating without oversight, it's impossible to accurately track them or to know how many there truly are.
The number of dogs in a puppy mill can vary significantly. Some puppy mills are relatively small, with only 10 breeding
dogs. Other breeders run massive operations with more than 1,000 breeding dogs! Because not all puppy mills are
licensed and inspected, it's impossible to know the true average.
There is no legal definition of "puppy mill." Many pet store owners will tell you they get all their puppies from "licensed
USDA breeders" or "local breeders." In fact, in order to sell puppies to pet stores, a breeder must be licensed by the
USDA! Pet stores often use this licensing to provide a false sense of security to customers, when what it really means
is that they do, in fact, get their puppies from puppy mills.
Please make adoption your first option. Purebred dogs end up in shelters just like mixed breeds. Breed rescue groups
exist for just about every breed possible. If you have your heart set on a purebred, please be sure to visit your local
shelter or find a breed rescue group before searching for a breeder.
If you can't find what you want through a shelter or breed rescue group, please learn how to recognize a responsible
breeder. When buying a dog from a breeder, always be sure to meet the puppy's parents or at least the mother, and
see where the dogs live. Never meet a breeder at an off-site location, and never have a puppy shipped to you sight-
unseen.
The public will stop buying pet store puppies gradually over time, not all at once—someone will eventually purchase
those dogs at the store. Puppies in pet stores are usually sold quickly. If they don't sell quickly, the owners continue to
slash the price until the puppies are sold.
The less they sell for, the less profit the store makes. That means the store will order fewer puppies the next month. And
puppy mills will ultimately produce fewer dogs.
The most important thing you can do to help shut down puppy mills is refuse to shop at a store that sells puppies. You
can also:
Take the pledge. Pledge that you'll never shop in a store that sells puppies—even if you're just buying food or toys.
Join the Advocacy Brigade. You'll receive alerts that make it easy to fight for laws that protect dogs in puppy mills.
Adopt a mill survivor. Puppy mill survivors often need patient, loving adopters who can help them learn to trust people.
Thank you for standing up for puppy mill dogs! -Jaz Fence
the dogs. Unlike responsible breeders, who place the utmost importance on producing the healthiest puppies
possible, breeding at puppy mills is performed without consideration of genetic quality. This results in generations of
dogs with horrible heath problems, and likely hood to die young. They are more than likely to get
•Epilepsy
•Heart disease
•Kidney disease
•Musculoskeletal disorders (hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, etc.)
•Endocrine disorders (diabetes, hyperthyroidism)
•Blood disorders (anemia, Von Willebrand disease)
•Deafness
•Eye problems (cataracts, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, etc.)
•Respiratory disorders
because of horrible conditions.
Puppy mils also force dogs to breed and breed untill they can't anymore, and then they kill the dog. They sell puppies
with sicknesses, but if the puppie's sickness is visual, then they kill the pup to. The cages are also often in colums on
top of each other, with the pup's waste falling on top of the pup below them. They often keep the puppies inside filthey
structures, where they never see the light of day, feel grass, know what happenise is , or even get clean water!!!!
There is about 2,000 through 3,000 USDA-licensed breeders (commonly referred to as puppy mills) operating in the
United States. However, this number does not take into consideration the number of breeders not required to be
licensed by the USDA or the number of breeders operating illegally without a license. Because so many of these
breeders are operating without oversight, it's impossible to accurately track them or to know how many there truly are.
The number of dogs in a puppy mill can vary significantly. Some puppy mills are relatively small, with only 10 breeding
dogs. Other breeders run massive operations with more than 1,000 breeding dogs! Because not all puppy mills are
licensed and inspected, it's impossible to know the true average.
There is no legal definition of "puppy mill." Many pet store owners will tell you they get all their puppies from "licensed
USDA breeders" or "local breeders." In fact, in order to sell puppies to pet stores, a breeder must be licensed by the
USDA! Pet stores often use this licensing to provide a false sense of security to customers, when what it really means
is that they do, in fact, get their puppies from puppy mills.
Please make adoption your first option. Purebred dogs end up in shelters just like mixed breeds. Breed rescue groups
exist for just about every breed possible. If you have your heart set on a purebred, please be sure to visit your local
shelter or find a breed rescue group before searching for a breeder.
If you can't find what you want through a shelter or breed rescue group, please learn how to recognize a responsible
breeder. When buying a dog from a breeder, always be sure to meet the puppy's parents or at least the mother, and
see where the dogs live. Never meet a breeder at an off-site location, and never have a puppy shipped to you sight-
unseen.
The public will stop buying pet store puppies gradually over time, not all at once—someone will eventually purchase
those dogs at the store. Puppies in pet stores are usually sold quickly. If they don't sell quickly, the owners continue to
slash the price until the puppies are sold.
The less they sell for, the less profit the store makes. That means the store will order fewer puppies the next month. And
puppy mills will ultimately produce fewer dogs.
The most important thing you can do to help shut down puppy mills is refuse to shop at a store that sells puppies. You
can also:
Take the pledge. Pledge that you'll never shop in a store that sells puppies—even if you're just buying food or toys.
Join the Advocacy Brigade. You'll receive alerts that make it easy to fight for laws that protect dogs in puppy mills.
Adopt a mill survivor. Puppy mill survivors often need patient, loving adopters who can help them learn to trust people.
Thank you for standing up for puppy mill dogs! -Jaz Fence