How to Spot a Puppy Mill
If you've decided to add a new puppy to your family, there are lots of things to plan! You'll want to make sure that your puppy is coming from a responsible breeder and not a puppy mill. Where you get your puppy from can play a big role in their lifelong health and behavior.
What Is a Puppy Mill?
Puppy mills are typically large, commercial breeding facilities that churn out puppies or various breeds or breed mixes at a rapid rate. Some puppy mills may not be based in a large facility but instead run out of a farm or other property. Large puppy mills and backyard breeders place profit over animal welfare.
Because the goal is to profit from selling puppies, the living conditions of the dogs and puppies are unsanitary and cramped. Dogs are often kept in small cages or pens. It's all about volume rather than ensuring the dogs have a good quality of life and receive much-needed socialization and veterinary care. The breeder dogs at the puppy mills can be kept for years in inhumane conditions.
Puppies from puppy mills are often sold through pet stores. Fortunately, an increasing number of cities, counties, and states are banning sales of puppies at pet stores to stop commercial breeding. However, in response to this crackdown, many puppy mills have moved online, advertising their puppies for sale on websites and social media.
Why Are Puppy Mills Bad?
Puppy mills are not only bad for the breeding dogs and puppies born and raised there, but they also damage the entire dog population. The inadequate healthcare, lack of attention to genetic problems, inappropriate nutrition, and the conditions the dogs live in severely affect long-term health and behavior.
Health Concerns for Puppy Mill Dogs
Dogs and puppies at these facilities do not receive adequate preventative veterinary care, socialization or nutrition, which can lead to lifelong health issues.
The breeding females are often undernourished and generally receive little medical care. The puppies are usually prematurely weaned from the mother, which causes emotional trauma to the mother dog and puppies. When the females are no longer able to produce puppies. At that point, they are usually auctioned off, abandoned, or euthanized.
How To Spot A Puppy Mill
There are a few red flags to watch out for that can mean a puppy is coming from a puppy mill:
You cannot see the "home" or kennel where the puppy was raised.
You cannot meet the parents of the puppy.
The breeder has multiple breeds or breed mixes available from their kennel. Especially "exotic" or in-demand breed mixes.
Cheaper than usual pricing for that breed or extremely expensive pricing.
The breeder seems to always have puppies available.
There is no puppy contract or minimal paperwork required to purchase the puppy.
There are no records or veterinary exams, and the vaccines are not given by a veterinarian. Puppy mills will vaccinate the puppies themselves.
How To Avoid Puppy Mills
You want your new puppy set up for success, and where they come from sets the foundation. Do a lot of research and ask a lot of questions.
Do not purchase a puppy from a pet store.
Always ask for referrals from people who have purchased a puppy from a breeder.
Ask about vaccinations and veterinary care the puppies receive before going home. Make sure you get paperwork that backs this up.
Make sure there is a breeder contract. Reputable breeders will have a clause about taking the puppy back (at any age) if there is an issue or other circumstance that means you can't keep the dog. This helps prevent their dogs from ending up in shelters.
Ask to see where the puppies are raised and to meet the puppies' mother (the father too, if possible, but often the father of the litter is not a part of the same home).
