It can be hard to resist that puppy you see for sale in the window of a pet shop. But a closer look into how these stores obtain these animals reveals a horrifying truth behind puppy mills. There is an enormous demand for purebred puppies in the United States. Approximately 44.8 million American homes have at least one dog as a pet (APPMA). Roughly 90 % of puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills (PAWS). There are thousands upon thousands of homeless dogs throughout the United States who need homes. However, many people insist on purchasing a purebred, a registered puppy from a large commercial breeder or pet store rather than adopting a mixed-breed dog of unknown origins. The term “puppy mill” does not have an official or legal definition.
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The dogs are commonly housed in makeshift shelters where they are subjected to the scorching sun and bitter cold without protection from wind, rain or snow. Besides the appalling conditions, rampant inbreeding and lack of concern for congenital defects or inherited diseases. Commonly female dogs are bred at every heat cycle, usually beginning at six months of age. Once their weak bodies can no longer generate profit for the breeder, they are considered a drain on the mill and are usually destroyed by five years of age (ISAR). The enormous number of puppies’ mass produced in puppy mills adds to the tragic problem of pet overpopulation and the killings of millions of unwanted dogs each year. Buying a puppy from a pet shop perpetuates the vicious cycle by encouraging more breeding, which leads to more killing (ISAR).
All puppy mills should be closed down to stop the inhumane way of living and breeding …show more content…
However, current procedures are ineffective and inadequate. Staff shortages sacrifice the ability to properly manage the arduous task of inspecting the facilities and enforcing even the minimal requirements of the Animal Welfare Act. Many breeders simply refuse to license their kennels, thereby excluding them from the investigations (ISAR). Legislation to regulate puppy mills is not enough to stop money-hungry breeders from rampantly adding to the pet overpopulation problem. These factories do not need to be regulated, but rather outlawed entirely. Consumers have the power to end puppy mills. For years, ISAR has called for a boycott of pet stores that sell animals. According to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, the number of pet stores selling dogs has remained around 3,500 down from approximately 6,000 over the last ten years
The dogs are commonly housed in makeshift shelters where they are subjected to the scorching sun and bitter cold without protection from wind, rain or snow. Besides the appalling conditions, rampant inbreeding and lack of concern for congenital defects or inherited diseases. Commonly female dogs are bred at every heat cycle, usually beginning at six months of age. Once their weak bodies can no longer generate profit for the breeder, they are considered a drain on the mill and are usually destroyed by five years of age (ISAR). The enormous number of puppies’ mass produced in puppy mills adds to the tragic problem of pet overpopulation and the killings of millions of unwanted dogs each year. Buying a puppy from a pet shop perpetuates the vicious cycle by encouraging more breeding, which leads to more killing (ISAR).
All puppy mills should be closed down to stop the inhumane way of living and breeding …show more content…
However, current procedures are ineffective and inadequate. Staff shortages sacrifice the ability to properly manage the arduous task of inspecting the facilities and enforcing even the minimal requirements of the Animal Welfare Act. Many breeders simply refuse to license their kennels, thereby excluding them from the investigations (ISAR). Legislation to regulate puppy mills is not enough to stop money-hungry breeders from rampantly adding to the pet overpopulation problem. These factories do not need to be regulated, but rather outlawed entirely. Consumers have the power to end puppy mills. For years, ISAR has called for a boycott of pet stores that sell animals. According to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, the number of pet stores selling dogs has remained around 3,500 down from approximately 6,000 over the last ten years