Dogs are packed into gas chambers and gassed to death. Yes, in America, just like the Holocaust. Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays or unwanted "waste" from puppy mills and pet stores.
A puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding operation where dogs are bred at unhealthy speeds to be sold at pet stores. At puppy mills, profit is given priority over the health and well being of the dogs.
Puppy mills usually house dogs in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, without adequate veterinary care, food, water and socialization. The dogs don’t get to experience treats, toys, exercise, or basic grooming, and they live in cages with wire flooring that injures their legs and paws. Many puppy mills keep their dogs in cages that are stocked into columns, outside to face all of the elements.
Puppy mills began to form in the US after World War II when the US Department of Agriculture began to promote purebred puppies as a fool-proof “cash” crop.
This was the beginning of the problem we are facing today.
In order to maximize profits, female dogs are bred at everyone opportunity with little to no recovery time between litters. When, after a few years, they are physically depleted to the point at which they are no longer able to reproduce, breeding females are often killed.
Puppy mills are NOT uncommon. In the US, there are many LEGAL puppy mills treating animals this way every day.
These places are breeding dogs. They are often unhealthy dogs because their parents were not raised in healthy conditions. It is not the dogs’ fault, but buying from pet stores only supports and encourages puppy mills.
The less people buy from pet stores, the less demand the stores will have for the puppy mills, the sooner they go out of business.
Dogs from pet stores often come from puppy mills, where they were not living healthy lives, or were born from unhealthy, diseased, ill-treated parents.
Only one in every 10 dogs born ever gets a home and only 1 in every 12 cats ever gets a home the rest are strays and get killed - we do not need to keep breeding. We need to adopt the animals that are going to be killed and stop leaving opportunity open to create more.
Beautiful, well-tempered dogs, purebreds even, are put to sleep every single day.
Supporting pet stores is supporting puppy mills. Adopt - don't shop or buy from breeders.
Everyone can help make a difference to stop puppy mills and the gassing of dogs. As enticing as a pure bred might sound, choose to adopt or rescue your dog from a rescue group or shelter.
Adopt don't shop.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/top-10-reasons-spay-or-neuter-your-pet
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter
http://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/puppy-mills/puppy-mill-faq