Whether you gaze into the sad eyes of a puppy in the pet store window and want to 'rescue' the lonely pooch, read the ad in the newspaper and the couple seems so trustworthy, or find a website with photos of green hills and beautiful puppies that insists the puppies will only be sold to "loving families"... beware! A cruel, mass dog-breeding facility could hide behind each of these scenarios.
Cruel Reality
Puppy mills frequently house dogs in shockingly poor conditions, particularly for the breeding stock animals who are caged and continually bred for years without human companionship and then killed, abandoned or sold to another 'miller' once their fertility wanes. These adult dogs are bred repeatedly to produce litter after litter without hope of ever becoming part of a family.The result is hundreds of thousands of puppies churned out each year for sale at pet stores, over the Internet and through newspaper ads. This practice will end only when people stop buying these puppy mill puppies.
Buyer Beware!
If you want a dog in your life, please don't buy a puppy mill puppy. Pet store clerks and other sellers will never admit their dogs come from puppy mills. In fact, the clerk may have no idea where the puppies actually come from. How do you separate fact from fiction? The facts:Pet Stores
Pet stores cater to impulsive buyers and consumers seeking convenient transactions. These stores don't interview prospective buyers to ensure responsible, lifelong homes for the pets they sell, and the stores may be staffed by employees with limited knowledge about pets and pet care. Buying a puppy is a lifetime commitment. A professional Breeder in your area will be your best resource for purchasing the right dog for you and your family, and will be there to help and offer advice for all the years after.References:Puppy Mills:The Humane Society of the US http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/
Prisoners of Greed http://www.prisonersofgreed.org/Commercial-kennel-facts.html
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals http://www.aspca.org/puppymills
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals http://www.peta.org/issues/companion-animals/puppy-mills-dogs-abused-for-the-pet-trade.aspx
IDA USA Anti-Puppymill Campaign http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/puppymills/puppymills.htmlPet StoresBuying a Puppy/The Humane Society of the US http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/tips/buying_puppy.html
Friends of Animals: Puppy Mills, Pet Shops and AKC Basic Facts http://www.friendsofanimals.org/programs/spay-neuter/puppy-mills-pet-shops-the-akc-basic-facts.html
MSNBC Investigation Ties Pet Chain to Puppy Mills http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27822309/ns/health-pet_health/t/investigation-ties-pet-chain-puppy-mills/#.Tm5I1F2n87A
Puppy Mill Awareness Day http://www.nj.com/hudson/voices/index.ssf/2011/09/day_about_evil_of_puppy_mills.html