Puppy mills are a very tough topic so let's skip a nice intro and get down to business.
These people are all about business so much so that they completely disregard any concern for the animals they have, and we're not just talking about dogs this happens with many animals. Female dogs that are ready to breed are kept in small cages for the rest of their lives, the only stimulation they have is their puppies until they rebreed her and take them away. They have not gotten the experience of being a real dog and the sad part is they don't even know that life beyond that cage exists. They are treated like props, a business arrangement and not like an actual being. They are constantly bred, but for what purpose? Producing sub-par puppies that have little chance to survive a long life because of the harsh conditions they are born under. No warm house with soft beds and caring hands to help nurture them until they are adopted. They don't get the pleasure of gallivanting around lush green grass so take any preconceived notion about pet store pups out of your head and let reality set in.
So here is what you're really buying:
When a retailer says they are licensed it does not mean that they are going above and beyond, it means that they do the minimum. For instance, the minimum requirement for crate size for the dogs is to be 6 inches longer than it on each side. Breeders see this as just 6 inches, not more. The mom and pups have to exist in that crate with only 6 more inches of space than the size of mom. WOW, doesn't that seem like so much room? she has enough room to turn and pace(sign of stress). no, they don't get exercised contrary to your belief, they just sit in that cage being bred over and over and over again until they can't produce good puppies anymore when that time comes they have no use for the breeders and are most likely killed. They only care about the profit and put in the bare minimum amount to their animals because all in all they just want the money, regardless of what they've done to get it.
Cages are stacked on top of each other and kept outside. Their food and water often crawling with various disease causing parasites. This exposure to the harsh climates can cause many different types of diseases and sickness to occur. They can become infested with fleas and ticks, and the puppies because they are not quite old enough to control their body temperature can get pneumonia and other respiratory issues that will cost you loads of money to treat. Some mills will not clean the cages and these doggy families are to live in their own urine and feces until someone cares enough to clean them. The thing is you will never know if there is anything is wrong with your puppy until you get home and days later its dead. just drops dead. know why? because they were not treated properly prior to you buying, and the thing is THEY DON'T CARE. There is a condition in the contract you sign that does not allow you to return, or get your money back after a purchase so all in all you're screwed with a sick puppy. explain that to your kids. Most sick dogs after they are purchased are taken to an animal shelter because the owners don't have the money to treat it and can't return it to the store and the dog has to deal with more cages with no love until it's done or they treat it. What a wonderful story.
The dogs you see in the stores are probably registered to some kind of database like AKC to show that they are purebred, but guess what these places really only require the dog's paperwork, no in person check up. So dogs that are in the worst conditions can be registered and no one would know that they are suffering. Just because they are purebred with papers does not mean they are in the best health whatsoever. So many dogs in the puppy mill industry are in need of proper health care and need that extra TLC receive none of it, but thank God they have their papers.
Next time you enter a store that sells those precious looking puppies please do take the time to ask them where they receive their puppies from and I can promise you'll get a practiced response from the employees. When you get a name do your research and see where these dogs are coming from before you spend close to a thousand dollars on a dog. And if you want to ask "how much is that doggy in the window" remember that it's probably a thousand dollars, plus the vet bills to fix any issues from neglect, plus the pain and suffering of all parties involved. Remember there are more mills than you could imagine that are not even under the department of agriculture regulations so they are free to do as they wish. Sub-par care= sub-par puppies.
Please do your research prior to purchasing any animal at all, and to be completely blunt with you animal shelters are your best bet for a new furry addition to your family. Animal shelters are straight forward, give the animals proper care, and are not afraid to tell you of any pre-existing concerns with the animal so you're not surprised later. If your local shelter does not have the one you are looking for please do try Petfinder.com as well as other sites that work with shelters and find your new bestfriend.
P.S adopting my dog was the best decision I have ever made.
#adoptdontshop
Want to help shelter pets but cant adopt them?
Dosomething.org has a campaign that could help curb your itch. It requires minimal effort but a lot of fun. Go to a shelter and find a pet, take a picture of him/her and post about it on your social media to help get the word out about it!
