This is Misty. Misty is a five-year-old female who has spent her entire life in a puppy mill in Missouri. She has just had a litter of pug puppies. Under normal circumstances she would be recovering and getting ready to breed again. But instead, she can’t lie down; she can’t sit or do anything because her reproductive parts are outside of her body.
Misty has what is called a prolapsed vagina. The pain she is enduring is worse than the birthing of the puppies, the risk of infection is elevating by the hour because of the conditions she is forced to live in. If the person who bred her was responsible and educated about breeding, they could have helped her by taking her to a veterinarian immediately after giving birth. Instead, they left her in her small, wire cage to die.
In order to fully understand the horror of puppy mills, you must first know what a puppy mill is, the conditions these dogs are forced to live in and the health problems these dogs often face. Puppy mills are nothing new. They are breeding facilities that produce mainly purebred puppies in large quantities primarily for income. The dogs are forced to live in cramped, crude and filthy conditions. (PETA, 2009.)
Dogs are often piled together in small, wire-floored cages, with no beds or places to lie down. Puppy mills and commercial breeders rarely take the time to do proper testing for genetic and behavioral issues before breeding. There are seven states known as the “puppy mill states”- Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. (Hearts United for Animals, 2005.) According to research done by Hearts United for Animals, 98% of all puppies in sold pet stores come from facilities that we would consider puppy mills.
The living conditions in puppy mills are often deplorable (PETA, 2009.) Inadequate food, water, shelter and veterinary care lead to problems that end up being very costly for puppy millers to treat, so they usually don’t. Dogs are debarked by shoving a metal pipe down their throat to rupture the vocal chords (HUA, 2009.) Many dogs are injured when their feet and legs get caught in the wire cages. Often their feet and legs are ripped off when they try to free themselves (HUA, 2002.) Dogs often turn aggressive from constant confinement and boredom (HUA, 2002) and as a result, dogs are often trapped in cages with aggressive dogs and have no way to escape. Heating and air conditioning are extremely rare in puppy mills. They freeze in the winter and swelter in the summer. According to prisonersofgreed.com, puppy mill facilities maximize their profits by spending as little as possible on food, medical attention and adequate housing.
Female dogs are bred every time they go into heat, starting as early as six months of age until their bodies wear out and they die at about 5 or 6 years of age (HUA, 2002.) Some of the more “humane” puppy millers offer rescue groups a chance to take these dogs that can no longer reproduce. However, most puppy millers put the dogs down, either by euthanasia, by bashing their heads with a rock, or by being shot. In Pennsylvania, if a kennel breeds less than 60 dogs, they can shoot them without consequence. (ABC News, 2009.) Some puppy mill owners also drop off the dogs in abandoned houses or fields, forcing the dogs to fend for themselves. Many dogs go mad from confinement and loneliness (Helping Animals, 2009.) Dogs often circle incessantly in their cages as the only form of exercise possible. Dogs have no contact with people, other than when they are ripped out of their cages to mate or give birth. These dogs never get to run on the grass, sleep in a bed, play with toys, get treats, or go for a walk.
Animals are prone to many medical issues in puppy mills. Eye issues, blindness, cataracts, rotten teeth, broken jaws, broken bones, hernias, bite wounds, infections, mange, luxating patella’s, severe malnourishment, and lack of socialization occur frequently. After leaving the puppy mill, the puppies that survive are put to the test once more. They must then endure the grueling transport, oftentimes cross-country without food, water, ventilation or shelter before arriving at the pet store. (PETA, 2009.)
Besides being inhumane, puppy mills are also unnecessary. There are about 5000 federally licensed kennels in the US, with thousands more operating without a license (HUA, 2002.) Over 500,000 puppies are born in puppy mills every year (HUA, 2009.) Around 6-8 million cats and dogs enter shelters each year. Of those, 3-4 million are euthanized because there are simply not enough people to take care of these dogs (HSUS, 2008.)
In order for change to come about, the current laws protecting these animals must be changed and enforced. The Animal Welfare Act was passed in 1966, over 50 years ago, to set standards of care for animals. The act only applies to large-scale breeders. It created standards of housing, handling, sanitation, nutrition, water, veterinary care and protection from extreme weather and temperatures (APHIS, 2002.) However, the laws are rarely enforced.
All three of the following kennels were inspected and licensed through the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service. As you can see, none of these mills adhere to the standards most would say are humane.
Nebraska’s laws regarding puppy mills requires these breeding facilities to be licensed and subject to inspection, however they are almost always scheduled visits and not surprise visits. There are 8,300 facilities that are to be inspected yearly. There are 70 inspectors nationwide. That means that each inspector would have to investigate 120 facilities each year. Pushing for better staffing and funding for USDA Inspectors can help shut down some of the worst puppy mills (HSUS, 2009.)
There are several things you can do to help end the suffering of these dogs imprisoned in puppy mills. Firstly, and most importantly, tell your friends and family about puppy mills. Let them know of the misery these dogs go through and the potential genetic and behavioral problems they could be faced with if they choose to buy a puppy from a pet store. Most people have no idea that puppy mills even exist. Next, do your research. When looking for an addition to your family, be aware of where your dog is coming from. Now that word is finally getting out about these inhumane breeding facilities, the puppy mill industry is beginning to fail. (Pet Enthusiast, 2009.) However, it will require the work of everyone to make this industry end completely or begin adhering to stricter laws. According to prisonersofgreed.com, the only way to free these dogs from the torture of puppy mills is to eliminate the demand for puppies (HUA, 2009.) When people stop buying puppies from pet stores, the need for puppy mills will cease.
Lastly, the single most important thing you can do to put an end to these prisons is to not buy your dog from a pet store. Buying a puppy from a pet store doesn’t help the situation at all. It only continues this vicious cycle. According to a state-funded survey in California, nearly half of all puppies sold in pet stores were sick. Adopting from a rescue or a shelter is often times the best choice. There are thousands of great, loving dogs that need a home in shelters and rescues, and they are often much cheaper than pet stores or on-line sites. Also, not all rescue dogs are old, sick, or behaviorally challenged. There are plenty of wonderful dogs that need a home.
However, if you are set on purchasing a dog, you need to be able to recognize a responsible breeder. Responsible breeders should breed for the purpose of improving that particular breed, not as a source of income. They should never breed more than one or two different breeds of dogs. They would never ship a dog cross-country and they would encourage you to see where your puppy was born and to meet the parents. Reputable breeders should also share advice and answer any questions you might have. They might even request a follow up visit a few weeks after to make sure the puppy is adjusting well (Main Line Animal Rescue, 2009.)
There can be several counterarguments with the information I have shared with you today. First, many people may say, “but I want a puppy” or “I want a purebred” Let’s start by addressing this issue. Approximately 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred. There are many breed-specific rescues that only take in purebred dogs. There are also many puppies at shelters and rescues available for adoption. (HSUS, 2009.) As I mentioned earlier, if you are set on purchasing a purebred puppy, contact a small, responsible and reputable breeder. (Main Line Animal Rescue, 2009.)
Another counterargument that could be made is that not all breeding facilities are in fact puppy mills. This is true. There are clean commercial kennels that are licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The most important thing to remember here is to do your research and make sure you are buying a dog from a reputable breeder with a high standard of care for their dogs (Dog Owner’s Guide, 2009.)
Coming back to the story about Misty, luckily, a rescue group came to the mill she was living in. They were there taking a few of the other dogs at the facility that the breeders no longer wanted because they couldn’t reproduce. When the rescuers saw Misty, they insisted they take her to get treatment. She was immediately seen by a vet who performed the surgery that saved her life. Since then, Misty has been adopted into a great loving family who couldn’t imagine their life without her. She is one lucky lady!
As the Hearts United for Animals said, “These dogs deserve to be loved, protected and treasured. They have committed no crime, but they are in prison. They are prisoners of greed.” (HUA, 2002.) Simply by not buying your pets from pet stores who get their dogs from puppy mills, you can do your part in helping end the misery of puppy mills for millions of dogs.
“All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing,” Edmund Burke.