Puppy mills don’t produce quality pets

Shortly after World War II, the USDA encouraged farmers to raise and sell puppies as an income source. Farmers generally knew little or nothing about breeding standards or genetic diseases. Many entered into this venture with little money and housed their dogs in small cages or coops.

They fed dogs cheap food and avoided providing veterinary care because it was cost-prohibitive. Often the dogs received little socialization or exposure to normal household sights and sounds.

Eventually organizations such as the Humane Society drew attention to this type operation and lobbied for standards of living conditions and treatment. The Humane Society also played a major role in passing the federal Animal Welfare Act. Ironically, it is the USDA that is charged with enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. Because of the shortage of USDA inspectors, they cannot do an adequate job. Even though all 50 states have anti-cruelty laws that should protect animals in such settings, these laws are seldom enforced.

The term “puppy mill” means different things to different people. A place where several dogs are bred for financial gain and the dogs are housed in dirty, deplorable conditions with minimal veterinary care and poor quality food would be considered by most to be a puppy mill.

Hobby breeders usually have few dogs and follow a breeding plan that allows them to preserve and protect the breed standards. These dogs are screened for genetic defects and are well cared for. Families wishing to adopt a puppy from hobby breeders are usually screened to ensure the puppy is being placed in the best home possible.

Commercial breeders and backyard breeders are usually ignorant of breed standards and are only interested in financial gain. They do not screen for hereditary defects. They may or may not give adequate veterinary care or devote adequate time to socializing the animal. They usually sell to pet stores or pet brokers.

Bunchers are considered to be worse than puppy mill operators because they collect dogs from various sources and sell them for research. Often dogs advertised as “free to good home” are taken by bunchers. Animal shelters that charge a low adoption fee and do not require alteration of the animal also are setting these animals up for adoption by bunchers.

Breeding and raising healthy, well-adjusted puppies is expensive and time consuming. An ethical breeder is interested in maintaining or improving the standards for their particular breed. They are careful about placement of their pups and often require spay/neuter of any pups they place for adoption.

Always be wary of any breeder that sells female pups for a higher fee than males, telling you that you can make your money back by breeding the pup. Also be suspicious of any breeder that has more than two breeds of dogs or who always has pups available for adoption.

When adopting a puppy always check out the home environment to be sure the puppy was well cared for and was adequately socialized. Ask to see the mother and don’t buy a pup that is so young it is just being weaned. Ask about the father of the pups also. Make sure the parents were at least 2 years old before being bred so that temperament or genetic problems will have been discovered.

Ask to see registration papers and check the state of origin of the pup. Many puppies from Kansas, Iowa and Missouri come from puppy mills. Anyone not wanting to support a puppy mill should consider adopting a dog from a reputable breeder that only produces one to two litters each year and is willing to show all paperwork on the pups and their parents. Another option is to adopt from a local Humane Society. Avoid pet shops and breeders who always have pups available for adoption.