What is a puppy mill?
There is no exact definition for the term puppy mill, however the ASPCA defines it as a “large-scale commercial dog breeding operation”. Puppy mills got their start after World War II when the farmers came home to failed crops and were in desperate need of added income. Soon enough, chicken coops were being filled with puppies ready to be sent out to the suburbs. However, these farmers had little knowledge of dog care and not nearly enough money to provide veterinarian care, hence the beginning of a long tradition of puppy mills. Today, these operations have stayed true to their roots and are known as putting profit above the well being of their animals, thereby paving the way for some horrifying cases of neglect and mistreatment. Because of this neglect, dogs coming from these puppy mills have been recorded as having a full list of diseases and infections, which have sometimes cost them their lives once they are in a new home. There are no specific laws pertaining to puppy mills so they fall under commercial breeding when it comes to federal and state regulating. There is a minimum standard of care set for the operations and they must be licensed. However, as of 2014, there are twenty-two states that do not set regulations at all. There is also a very limited number of inspectors working to investigate and check up on these puppy mills, leaving most to slip through the cracks. The Humane society estimates that there are about 10,000 puppy mills currently operating in the U.S., collectively making anywhere around $300 million a year. They make their money by either selling their puppies to pet stores or directly to consumers through the Internet and newspaper advertisements. Puppy mills are clearly a controversial topic and the question remains, should further action be taken to put an end to these operations?
There is no exact definition for the term puppy mill, however the ASPCA defines it as a “large-scale commercial dog breeding operation”. Puppy mills got their start after World War II when the farmers came home to failed crops and were in desperate need of added income. Soon enough, chicken coops were being filled with puppies ready to be sent out to the suburbs. However, these farmers had little knowledge of dog care and not nearly enough money to provide veterinarian care, hence the beginning of a long tradition of puppy mills. Today, these operations have stayed true to their roots and are known as putting profit above the well being of their animals, thereby paving the way for some horrifying cases of neglect and mistreatment. Because of this neglect, dogs coming from these puppy mills have been recorded as having a full list of diseases and infections, which have sometimes cost them their lives once they are in a new home. There are no specific laws pertaining to puppy mills so they fall under commercial breeding when it comes to federal and state regulating. There is a minimum standard of care set for the operations and they must be licensed. However, as of 2014, there are twenty-two states that do not set regulations at all. There is also a very limited number of inspectors working to investigate and check up on these puppy mills, leaving most to slip through the cracks. The Humane society estimates that there are about 10,000 puppy mills currently operating in the U.S., collectively making anywhere around $300 million a year. They make their money by either selling their puppies to pet stores or directly to consumers through the Internet and newspaper advertisements. Puppy mills are clearly a controversial topic and the question remains, should further action be taken to put an end to these operations?