puppy mill

Puppy mills are commercial for-profit mass breeding kennels designed to produce puppies for sale to pet shops and individuals. Puppies are typically housed in filthy, dark, and cramped crates. As they are kept outside throughout the year they are exposed to extreme heat and cold. Many of the dogs suffer from malnutrition, dehydration and numerous other diseases. As these are for profit enterprises there is little spent on veterinary care, food, water and vitamins. The dogs are bred repeatedly by the mill dealers without regard to genetic best practices which result in birth defects and congenital diseases in the puppies, and depletion illnesses in the mother dogs.

At four to eight weeks of age, puppies are sold to brokers or individuals, packed into overcrowded crates and transported. They are not provided with adequate care during this process and many die en-routes or arrive at their destinations near death.

There are few regulations that govern these operations and most enforcement action occurs where animal cruelty law violations can be asserted. Occasionally a state will try to pass legislation to provide relief to the puppies with little success.

Discussion on the blogs focus on banning puppy mills, and urging consumers to avoid pet shops where puppies from these mills are sold. Additionally, animal welfare advocates are working out transport programs designed to bring desired animals to people so they will not feel the need to order from a mill.

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Latest blogosphere posts tagged “puppy mill”

 

• Behavior Differences in Dogs from Pet Stores Versus Breeders

  
  — Authority:
  Recent research shows that dogs purchased as puppies from pet stores are more likely to have behavioral difficulties than dogs obtained from breeders. This is particularly the case in terms of aggression and fearfulness. read more
  1 week ago

• On Puppies, Pet Stores, and Behaviour Problems

  
  — Authority:
  If you buy a puppy from a pet store, could you be getting more than you bargained for? It has long been thought that puppies from pet shops might have behavioural problems. A new study by Franklin D. McMillan et al investigates this by comparing puppies from pet stores to those from non-commercial breeders.  ...
  1 week ago

• BBS Rescue Spotlight: Safehaven Small Breed Rescue

  
  — Authority:
  Puppies are small and helpless creatures who need our love and care. Now imagine a puppy that has never had human interaction and lives its days in a cramped cage with inadequate care. On top of that, this small dog has a birth defect. This is the scene in many puppy mills across the nation. [...]
  1 week ago

• A Vegan...Challenge...?

  
  It's All About Me! Deal With It! — Authority: 123
  The interaction most people have with vegans, is bad. People telling you " what you are eating, and how you are the demise of the animal population ". And then I decided I want to try to be vegan. Gasp!! I love animals more than people, yet I still eat some of them. But I dont like to be judge-y ! I was raised ...
  2 weeks ago

• What is a Puppy Mill?

  
  — Authority:
  “Puppy Mill” – few terms bring about such a visceral reaction in the dog world. But what exactly is a puppy mill? Well in addition to there being no legal definition of a puppy mill, until recently there was no agreed upon industry definition either. Recently, after two years of work, the American Pet Products ...
  4 weeks ago

• Saved from a puppy mill, dog feels grass for first time

  
  DogGeek.com - Everything dog. Dog news, dog friendly hotels, training information, adoption, dog parks, dog sitters and more — Authority: 147
  Lizzy was saved from a puppy mill thanks to rescuers at the National Mill Dog Rescue. She got the surprise of her life when she walked on grass for the first time.     Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
  4 weeks ago

• THE PUFFINGTON HOST

  
  — Authority:
  FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE STOP US BEFORE WE PUFF POST AGAIN
  4 weeks ago

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