A puppy mill is a place where puppies are mass produced for profit and sold to pet stores. These dogs can have terrible illnesses which are usually not discovered until the puppy has been brought home and the owners have bcome attached to it.
Puppy mill dogs are bred indiscriminately, resulting in a large number of puppies who are severely inbred of afflicted with genetic disorders, both physical and emotional.
Female dogs are bred from their first heat cycle at six months, and continue to be bred every heat cycle until their bodies give out from exhaustion at four or five years of age, when they are disposed of.
Puppies may be unable to bond with their new owners due to lack of socialization.
The dogs receive little or no veterinary care, resulting in an astounding amount of preventable diseases and death. Some of these diseases may not be detected until after the puppies are in their new homes, leaving the unfortunate owners with large veterinary bills, and possibly the death of their pet.
Often neglected, the dogs may be insufficiently fed and may not have access to fresh water.
Puppy mill conditions are completely insanitary, with cages frequently resting on mounds of feces.
Puppies are seperated from their mothers far too early, to ensure that they arrive at the pet store at their cutest and most sellable. This creates insecure and maladjusted puppies.
Up to half of all puppy mill dogs who survive long enough to be shipped to pet stores arrive dead due to the stress of their journey.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Don't buy a dog from a pet store. Puppy mill owners breed dogs for profit. If they are no longer making money on their puppies, they will be forced to go out of business. It is also the consumer who is left with the financial and emotional expense of an unhealthy and unhappy pet.
If you think you may have found a puppy mill, or discover a sick puppy in a pet store, contact your local shelter or Humane Society.
If you are thinking of getting a dog, check your local shelter or rescue organization. Millions of dogs are euthanized every year because they can't find homes in time.
