"The Puppy Industry"

Puppies ... are such innocent and irresistible creatures. 

It's difficult to believe that in a country where shelters are overflowing with homeless animals, the majority of whom will ultimately be destroyed,  there exists a thriving industry making profits by producing dogs in quantity, without any regard for the quality of their lives.  

This industry does exist, however, in several forms and names.

"Puppy Mills" aka "Commercial Dog Breeding Facilities"

The Places We'd All Rather Not Think About

Commercial dog breeding facilities and puppy mills are pretty much the same thing.  The sole mission of a puppy mill is to make money.  Often the adult "breeder" dogs
live their entire lives in cages, crammed together and let out only for breeding purposes.  It is sometimes the case that more than one dog is forced to live together
in rabbit-hutch style cages, living in their own waste, without medical care or human companionship.  Life for these dogs is simply an existence of  misery.

Puppy mills sell their "product" to pet brokers and pet stores.  Puppy mills also occasionally advertise their puppies on the Internet, in local papers and trade magazines.

Although advertised as healthy, adorable purebreds, these puppies are born in a breeding ground ripe for disease and congenital defects.  These are puppies from females who have been bred too early and too often, received minimal veterinary
care (if any), low quality food and an even lower quality life.  When no longer able to "produce" the females are discarded as useless.

A puppy mill can be a small "off the beaten path" operation or a large "thriving" business, but it is always a place where the lives of dogs matter only as much as the money made breeding them.

No reputable breeder EVER owns, operates or partners with a puppy mill or a commercial dog breeding facility!
 

Almost Home Dachshund Rescue:  What Is A Puppy Mill?

Photos of Puppy Mill In Lancaster, PA

Meet Some Rescued Puppy Mill Dogs
 

"Puppy Brokers" aka "Dog Brokers" 

The "Professional" Dealer

A broker is the "middle man."  They are often the ones who purchase puppies "in bulk" from mills or backyard breeders and then sell them to pet stores, to another broker, or directly to the public.

A broker will buy puppies at a "bulk rate" from a miller or perhaps a dog auction, then sell them "wholesale" to a pet shop who then sells them "retail" to the public.  Everybody profits. $$$

Some brokers deal at auctions.  Some sell directly to the public.  Many brokers will tell you that they are doing a breeder friend a "favor" and "helping" to sell a litter of puppies.  Do not be fooled.

A puppy from a broker is a puppy from a mill
or an otherwise unethical breeder.

No reputable breeder will EVER work with a broker
to find homes for their puppies!

Bunnie's Story

"Dog Auctions"

The "Nightmare"

Dog auctions are popular marketplaces for puppy millers, dog brokers and many backyard breeders.  This arena brings out the true greed of the commercial dog industry.

Dogs are referred to as "breeders" and held up for bidders by their scruff, ears, or hind legs.   A dog is judged only for its potential to reproduce; teeth, eyes, and functional limbs are considered optional.   Sickly dogs are frequently brought to auction and sold.  Skin conditions, bladder infections, infected or missing eyes and ears are commonplace and considered irrelevant.   As long as the dogs will still come into heat, they are valuable.

Most of these dogs have never seen carpeting or even grass, and walk like they are on a strange planet.   Their paws are often swollen from living on wires.  Perhaps most disturbing is the emotional state these dogs live in daily.  

To many, an approaching human is terrifying.

No reputable breeder EVER participates in a dog auction!

Volunteer Rescuer's Account:  An Arkansas Auction

Volunteer Rescuers Account:  A Kansas Auction

"Pet Stores"

The "Friendly" Salesman

Pet  stores are the "friendliest" face of the puppy mill industry.   Our impression of pet stores is often flavored with "friendly" salespeople who may even refer their customers to a "friendly" veterinarian or a "friendly" dog trainer. 

This doesn't change the fact that the puppies sold at pet stores are the product of unethical breeding practices that are not friendly to dogs!    When you purchase a puppy from a pet store you may very well be contributing to the cruelty of puppy mills and dog auctions.  At the very least you are supporting the irresponsible/unethical practices of backyard breeders.

Pet stores count on the emotional appeal of their inventory and your ignorance of the truth behind the puppy industry to make their sales.  Please do not give them your business.

No reputable breeder will EVER place their puppies
in a pet store to be sold!

Puppy Mills, Pet Shops & Why You Should Avoid Them

10 Reasons Not To Buy A Puppy From A Pet Store

Dog Play: The Pet Shop Owner's Thanks

"Backyard Breeders"

The Tragedy of "Ignorance and Irresponsibility"

The term "backyard" here refers to:

1) anyone who is breeding  outside of a legitimate, publicly recognized circle of breeders adhering to a formal code of ethics;  

2) anyone who breeds from less than champion stock and/or without the proper genetic health screening; 

3) anyone who breeds for ANY REASON other than improving the quality of the breed they are producing according to the recognized standard for that breed.

Unfortunately, the practice of backyard breeding is rampant! 

Backyard breeders pop up everywhere.  Sometimes they are next door neighbors who just neglected to spay or neuter their animals and "accidentally" had a litter.  Sometimes they intentionally breed their dogs because it's "fun".  Sometimes the "fun" is enough.  Sometimes they also think of it as a good way to pick up "a little extra money".

Most of the time a backyard breeder really believes that they are doing no harm.

Often a backyard breeder tries to pass themselves off as legitimate.  They may express distaste for breed standards, preferring to experiment on their own, or  perhaps even dabbling with "designer breeds".  They may advertise their litters as "custom bred" or "rare".

Sometimes they are our best friends, our ministers, our business associates or our family ---  people we would otherwise love and respect.   Backyard breeding, however, no matter WHO is doing the breeding, is unethical. 

It is playing around with a dog's life irresponsibly and
should be stopped. 

The tragedy of backyard breeding is easily witnessed by visiting any animal shelter
and looking into the desperate, lonely eyes of an animal who was bred through carelessness or was the undesirable product of a "designer blend" and now has no place to belong. 

Of the 53 million dogs in this country, two thirds of them come
from backyard breeders.
 

Boxerworld Article:  Backyard Breeders

Almost Home Dachshund Rescue:  What Is A Backyard Breeder?

Shelter Dog Rescue:  Are You A Backyard Breeder? 

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