Common Myths and Truths About Puppy Mills

TRUTH:  Large Scale Commercial Dog Breeding (commonly referred to as the puppy mill industry) is not only legal, but is thriving in the United States, as well as other parts of the world.  Puppy Mills are licensed and inspected (albeit rarely) by the USDA and state agencies, with breeders allowed to meet the absolute bare minimum of standards.  These are survival standards only – nothing more.   

Every year the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), puts out a report called the Horrible Hundred.  You will see that most of the breeders, many of whom have the worst violations, are USDA licensed, inspected, and approved to breed.  In other words, they are repeat offenders, committing horrible violations year after year, and are not being shut down by the USDA – the very agency whose job it is to protect mill dogs.

A low estimate puts the number of puppy mills in this country at 10,000. It includes both licensed and unlicensed breeders.  Backyard Breeders, as they are referred to, are typically unlicensed and operating on a much smaller scale –  usually somewhere on their property.  Unfortunately, this number is impossible to determine accurately, but it is extremely high in particular areas of some states. In Florida, for instance, one of those areas is Miami and includes many of the surrounding suburbs.

TRUTH: Partially answered in the previous myth, no license should ever be seen as a safety blanket when it comes to buying a puppy. The fact that someone has a USDA license does not guarantee human and ethical breeding practices, and certainly doesn’t guarantee the health of the puppies purchased. Furthermore, run out of any pet store immediately if an employee or, worse yet, the owner swears to you that the puppy you’re considering buying did NOT come from a puppy mill, but rather, from a reputable breeder who ALWAYS puts the health of his or her dogs first and only breeds the mother during ONE heat cycle. If you’re told this, or something similar to this, you are not being told the truth. Think about it. You’re talking to an employee, or owner of a pet store, who wants to make a sale – period. They will NEVER admit that their dogs come from a puppy mill! So make no mistake, according to the HSUS, if you purchase a puppy on line or buy at a pet store that isn’t partnering with a rescue organization or shelter that is showcasing adoptable rescue dogs, you are supporting a puppy mill. Please keep in mind that reputable breeders do not sell to pet stores…but backyard breeders do.

I think it’s important to note that of all the large pet store chains, Petland is the only one that continues to purchase all of the dogs they sell from puppy mills, despite pressure from animal welfare activists to stop doing so and get on board with other pet store chains that don’t support puppy mills. To date, there are more than 200 Petland stores worldwide, with about 140 in the U.S. Collectively, these stores sell tens of thousands of puppies each year, and an alarming percentage of them are sick.

TRUTH: While puppy mills are often associated with countries such as China and Russia, they exist in many countries, including the United States. In fact, the United States is one of the largest producers of puppies in the world, with thousands of puppy mills operating across the country.

TRUTH: Puppies from puppy mills are often kept in unsanitary conditions and are not given proper medical care. As a result, they are more likely to have health problems such as respiratory infections, parasites, and genetic disorders. These health problems can be expensive and difficult to treat, and they can lead to lifelong health issues for the dog.

TRUTH:  Sadly, having registration papers does not ensure that you are buying from a reputable breeder. Most pet stores and websites would like you to believe that if a puppy is registered by the American Kennel Club, this guarantees the puppy will be healthy and a good example of the breed.  This is not so.  The only thing that AKC papers certify is that the puppy is a purebred. The APRI, American Pet Registry, Inc, is a group that began around the 1990’s and is owned by and operates entirely for the large scale dog breeding industry. The dogs that are APR registered may not even be purebred when advertised as so.  The parents of your puppy may be unhealthy or carriers of crippling or deadly health defects which they may have passed to their offspring- your puppy.

TRUTH:  While the puppy you are purchasing might not appear sick, many of them are riddled with genetic diseases that won’t appear until later- that is if you are lucky. Many pet store puppies are sold with kennel cough, giardia and, in a lot of cases, even parvo. Even though the pet store offers a health certificate from a vet, it isn’t anything special that the store does. It is required for any puppy sold commercially across state lines. It only means that the puppy has had a very brief “wellness” check by a veterinarian. This examination does not include testing the puppy or his or her parents for genetic disorders, parasites, or testing for diseases. And if the pet store is offering a one year health guarantee, read it over very carefully! They are designed to protect the store’s interests more than the consumers and can be full of exclusions and loopholes. Sadly, if your puppy is sick, most stores require you to return the puppy in order for you to get a refund or a new dog.  

TRUTH:  This is a line that most pet store owners and employees use on their customers. While they may know the name of the breeder they use, chances are they have never been to their facility. If a pet store employee says this to you, ask to see documentation that shows exactly where their suppliers are located. Sadly, more often than not, the store will not show any paperwork unless you are buying the puppy. And if they do show you papers, you will find out that the breeders they “know” aren’t even in your state. To view some examples of this, check out Bailing Out Benji’s website and the research they’ve compiled on pet stores in several states. You will see proof that pet stores are buying from puppy mills that are often many states away.