Getting a puppy should involve great care and consideration. That cute puppy in the pet store or on the Internet may not be a good deal. Sources should be investigated before getting a puppy. A pet store or Internet price may be expensive and support the cruel puppy mill trade as well as invite a myriad of pet problems.
What is a Puppy Mill?
Puppy mills are breeding facilities which produce mass quantities of puppies for profit. In order to maximize profits, dogs are housed in cheap compact quarters and mother dogs are bred twice a year until they are no longer able to produce. Then they are killed. Puppies are often supplied to pet stores or sold directly from the property or over the Internet.
Puppy Mill Housing
Breeders whose main goal is profit often house these dogs in cheap, cramped, filthy cages. Dogs confined in crowded conditions often fight or suffer wounds and pressure sores that go untreated. Protection from heat and cold, quality food, and employees for proper daily care are given low priority in the budget.
Inbreeding in Puppy Mills
Puppy mill dogs are not bred for quality traits. They are mass bred as livestock for quantity and inbreeding is common. Puppies are often born with genetic problems that predispose them to lifelong health issues which may not be evident immediately.
Veterinary Care in a Puppy Mill
Breeders, whose main goal is profit, often cut corners on veterinary care. Medical conditions such as ear infections and pressure sores go untreated. Grooming and preventatives are neglected. Malnutrition is common.
Socialization in a Puppy Mill
Dogs in puppy mills are merely commodities. They are never part of a family. They do not know the comfort of a warm bed on a cold night. They never know the joy of a romp in the dog park or a swim at the beach. They are not socialized in the pleasures of a kind word and a pat. They exist in miserable, empty lives often developing fears and phobias sometimes referred to as ‘going mad.’ Puppies raised in these conditions lack socialization and often become fear biters or destructive pets. They are also often taken from their mothers before they are old enough which can add to behavior problems such as chewing, biting, separation anxiety, and house soiling.
Risks of Buying a Puppy Mill Puppy
Dollars are paramount so no care is taken with the puppy mill dog to match to the right home, as do rescues, shelters, and reputable breeders who adopt rather than sell. Severe behavior problems are likely to land these puppies in the pound adding to an already overloaded system. For these dogs, a sad and painful life is cut short in the gas chamber of a crowded pound.
For those who manage to stay out of the pound, health issues due to inbreeding and early neglect are likely to cause a life of sickness. Families who fall in love with these puppy mill puppies are often devastated with the suffering and expense and may face an early decision of euthanasia.
Perhaps the T shirt logo, Please Don’t Breed or Buy While Shelter Pets Die, sums it up best.
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