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Ban Puppy Mills
What is a puppy mill?
A puppy mill is a mass breeding facility that produces puppies for sale.
There are thousands of puppy mills across the country, producing over 2 million
puppies per year. These facilities, most of which are inspected and licensed by
the U.S.D.A., are notorious for their filthy, overcrowded conditions, and the
unhealthy animals they produce. Many of the dogs suffer from malnutrition and
exposure, usually remaining outside year round, enduring both freezing
temperatures in the winter and intense heat in the summer. Cat breeding occurs
on a smaller scale and under similar conditions.
Puppy mill conditions
Puppy mill kennels generally consist of small, outdoor wood and wire cages
or crates. The animals are cramped into these filthy cages. Their eyes are
filled with pus and their fur with excrement. Many of the puppies suffer from
malnutrition and exposure. Like pet store owners, breeders save money, and thus
maximize profits, by spending little on food, shelter, and veterinary care.
Puppies consequently receive below standard food, minimal if any veterinary
care, and inadequate shelter which, combined with the inbreeding prevalent in
puppy mills, produce animals with genetic diseases and abnormalities. Puppies’
legs often fall through the bottom of their wire cages, causing additional
injuries.
“Brood Bitches”
Female dogs kept in puppy mills their entire lives are called “brood
bitches.” They are typically undernourished and receive little veterinary care,
in spite of being kept perpetually pregnant. Their puppies are frequently taken
from them before being weaned. As a result, some puppies do not know how to eat
and thus die of starvation. At approximately six or seven years of age, when
they can no longer breed more puppies, “brood bitches” are killed.
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Rescued puppy mill dog suffering from a severe case
of untreated mange and a ruptured eye. |
“Brood bitches”, like this dog, could easily have 50
puppies before she is killed. |
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The
hind leg of this dog was eaten off by another dog.
She lay for two days without medical attention, even
though the puppy miller was aware of her condition.
She died shortly after rescue. |
This
mill dog’s body is covered with sores. Her cage
barely allows room to turn around. |
Transportation and Sale
At four to eight weeks of age, puppies are taken from their mothers and sold to
brokers (or retail businesses). The brokers then pack them in crates and
transport them for sale at various pet shops. Frequently, the puppies are not
provided with adequate food, water, ventilation, or shelter during transport;
consequently, many die en route. Those that are not sold will be killed, brought
back to the mill to breed, or sold to laboratories for research.
The Law
Puppy mills are regulated by the US Department of Agriculture, under the
Animal Welfare Act, which, passed by Congress in 1966, established minimum
standards of care for animals bred for commercial sale. It is estimated that
there are more than 5000 licensed puppy mills currently breeding and selling
animals commercially in the US. These licensed mills provide local pets stores
with an estimated 500,000 puppies and kittens each year. However, there are
thousands more breeding facilities with equally horrific conditions which remain
unlicensed and unregulated because they sell dogs online or directly to the
public.
Inspectors for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), under
the USDA, are charged with inspecting and regulating thousands of puppy mills,
as well as research facilities, zoos and circuses each year. Understaffed and
with authority limited to an inadequate Animal Welfare Act, kennels are
inconsistently inspected and anti-cruelty laws are rarely enforced in the rural
areas where most puppy mills are located. Even when licensed breeders are found
to be in violation of AWA, puppy mill operators are allowed to remain open while
they remedy them. Repeat offenders often refuse to allow Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service workers to enter and inspect their facilities; these kennels
sometimes remain licensed in spite of this noncompliance.
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) falls far short of what most individuals would
consider minimum standards of care, and this is acknowledged in the USDA’s own
materials.
“Individuals who operate facilities in these categories must provide
their animals with adequate care and treatment in the areas of housing,
handling, sanitation, nutrition, water, veterinary care, and protection
from extreme weather and temperatures. Although Federal requirements
establish acceptable standards, they are not ideal.
Regulated businesses
are encouraged to exceed the specified minimum standards.”
*Source,
APHIS AWA Factsheet
The
American Kennel Club
Although the AKC claims to be devoted to advancing the health of
purebred dogs, it typically spends only about 2% of its total
yearly income on research towards that end. Moreover, AKC papers
do not guarantee the value or health of a puppy. The
organization does not try to work with breeders to improve mill
conditions, perhaps because breeders pay the AKC millions of
dollars in registration fees for purebred dogs each year.
A Call to Action
What is LCA doing to end puppy mills?
LCA is proud of its ongoing efforts to end puppy mills.
Learn more about past and current campaigns to raise awareness
and end the suffering of animals in puppy mills.
What You Can Do
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Adopt, Don't Shop! Adopt from an animal shelter or
rescue group; never buy from a pet store. Remember that 25%
of shelter animals are purebreds.
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Contact your elected officials. Ask your elected
officials to outlaw puppy mills. Urge them to demand that
the USDA enforce the Animal Welfare Act. For your senators’
and representatives’ contact information, visit
www.vote-smart.org
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Learn the laws. Animal welfare and breeding laws vary
greatly by state. Learn what's happening in your state by
clicking here. Understand federal law by reading the full
text of the Animal Welfare Act.
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Spread the word. Write letters to the editors of your
local newspapers about the horrors of the puppy mill
industry and its connection with pet stores.
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Educate others. Distribute brochures about puppy
mills and pet overpopulation outside of pet shops. Convey
the cruelties of puppy mills and the importance of adopting
from shelters.
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Vote with your dollars. Do not shop at stores that
sell animals. Ask shopping mall managers not to renew the
lease of the pet store on their property.
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Report abuse. Report pet store abuse to whomever is
responsible for enforcing anti-cruelty laws in your town.
Write a detailed statement of the abuses and take
photographs, if possible.
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Donate to LCA. Your contributions allow our Special
Investigations Unit to continue investigating and exposing
puppy mills and the pet stores that sell animals supplied by
puppy mills.
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Attend a Protest or Organize Your Own!
Contact us for information on joining the weekly
protests in Los Angeles, or for materials to start a protest
in your town.
Contact:
Campaigns@LCAnimal.org or 310.271.6096 x 27
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