Puppy Mill Awareness

There are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills in the United States (this includes both licensed and unlicensed facilities). Over 2 million puppies bred in mills each year. An estimated 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in shelters every year.

Where are puppy mill puppies sold?

• Nearly all puppies sold at pet stores come from puppy mills. Pet stores are the primary sales outlet for puppy mills and are essential for keeping puppy mills in business.

• Both licensed and unlicensed mills sell to pet stores (many mills sell to pet stores without the required license and are not held accountable).

• Puppies are bred in mills and then shipped all over the country. For example, puppies bred in the Midwest may be shipped on trucks to southern California or Florida.

• The shipping conditions are inhumane. They can be forced to go up to 12 hours without food or water, and they are confined in a small space where diseases can be easily transmitted. Many puppies do not survive.

What You Can Do

(source: https://www.lcanimal.org/index.php/campaigns/puppy-mills/what-you-can-do)

• Adopt from an animal shelter or rescue group; never buy from a pet store. Remember that 25% of shelter animals are purebreds

• Volunteer at your local animal shelter or rescue group

• Ask your elected officials to outlaw puppy mills. Urge them to demand that the USDA enforce the Animal Welfare Act. For your senators’ and representatives’ contact information, visit www.vote-smart.org

• Write letters to the editors of your local newspapers about the horrors of the puppy mill industry and its connection with pet stores