Whats so bad about puppy mills?

Question

We might get a new dog and it's from a pet store. The dogs come from a dog ranch/ puppy mill.. whats so bad about puppy mills? The dog looks healthy and his nose is damp.

Answer 1

What is so bad is that you will be dealing with very expensive vet bills and more than likely a dangerously unstable dog due to crappy genetics, which means it will be put down no longer than five years.

Answer 2

At a puppy mill 4 or more dogs are in a 2x2 cage. They do not get food so you can see ribs. Way to many puppies are there. They never clean the cages either which is terrible for a dogs/puppies paws which could give them an infection. They are not treated kindly and have diseases or ticks because they have not gootn the vet care that they need

Answer 3

Puppy mills breed dogs just to turn a profit. The puppy may look fine and healthy now but later on in life (because it was more than likely bred with parents will genetic problems) will have these same problems. Puppy mills are dirty places and the dogs are never let of of their cages and are made to sit in their own filth for their entire lives. Some dogs have never touched the ground and they are 5 years old. If you buy from puppy mills/pet stores you are just funding the poor treatment of animals. Check out this video of undercover footage of a puppy mill.



This is a very watered down version. Click around to find other videos of how these mills treat their dogs.

Answer 4

In puppy mills the animals are kept in small cages that are hardly ever cleaned. The females are often mated so they give birth until they die. The dogs get sick and are neglected and even live in their own waste. This process goes on and on as people buy more dogs from pet stores that quite often get their animals from mills. The reason your dog looks so healthy is that the people who run the mills will choose the best looking ones, clean them up, and ship them off to be sold. You can help solve two problems at once by getting a dog from an animal shelter. 1. The problem of puppy mills 2. Overcrowding at animals shelters.

Answer 5

Think about it like this: Dogs are kept in cramp, unsanitary conditions. They don't receive any vet care, or have any human interaction beyond occasional feeding. The mothers are bred every heat cycle with no rest from the constant cycle of pregnancy, whelping, and nursing. The puppies are taken from their mothers way too early, taking away those few vital weeks they would spend learning important socialization. Because they don't receive vet care at the mill, they may come to the pet store with parvovirus, distemper, or some other potentially fatal illness. Even if they are lucky enough to avoid illness and behavior problems for their first few months, when they're older a genetic illness may surface that you didn't bargain on. And guess what? It's not covered on that health guarantee you got when you bought that puppy. You spend thousands on your puppy, trying to keep it alive, but eventually, after years of suffering, that puppy will die way earlier than it was supposed to.



This isn't even the worst of it. The more you buy from pet stores, mills, and backyard breeders, the more they will continue to pump out the puppies. If you stop buying from mills, they will be forced to go out of business, stopping the cycle and stopping the suffering of millions of dogs throughout the country.



So, I plead you. Don't buy from a pet store. It's heartbreaking, but what about all of those wonderful dogs in shelters? They need a home too, and if you adopt one of them you will not be supporting a horrid organization such as a puppy mill. You'd be saving money too, since I haven't seen a shelter charge more than about $300, while pet stores will usually charge into the thousands for a puppy with about as much of a guarantee when it comes to its genetic health.



Edit: Silly is correct. Getting a puppy under 8 weeks is begging for trouble. Those first few weeks of a puppy's life is imperative to its well being far into its future. Puppies learn vital socialization skills form their mother and littermates during this time, including bite inhibition. You can take a puppy home at 8 weeks, but 12 weeks is always preferable. It's worth a few weeks wait.



You really seem resistant about this whole thing...it's people with an attitude like that that cause puppy millers to thrive, and their dogs to pay.

Answer 6

Puppy mills breed males and females repeatedly. They do not have vets on staff or take their animals to vets. None of the parents are health certified so they can pass on genetic diseases (like hip dysplasia, knee problems, etc.). They're not temperament tested. The parents are sickly and they breed sickly puppies.



They're kept in tiny cages and never let out. The conditions are miserable and filthy. They get no fresh air or exercise. They are offered no human compassion. They are fed poor quality food in inadequate amounts. The puppies are taken from the litter and mother too early.



Puppy mills are being banned in many places. They are inhumane, cruel, and an insult to animal welfare.



Read below.

Answer 7

I cannot even bother to answer other than to say that if you have not researched this with all the internet sites at your fingertips then maybe you deserve a dog that will have health and behavior problems.



Go on youtube... put in Puppy Mills and see what you get.



Would you... if your dog had pups.. be quite happy to put them in a pet store which is stressful enough anyway, and then have them sold to absolutely anyone and not have a clue who they are sold to, and how they are looked after. That is where pet store pups come from.



Google puppy mills and see for yourself.

Answer 8

Puppy mills are bad for the personality of the dog, you should talk with your vet AND spent time with the dog to be sure it is the dog you want.

Answer 9

the time you spent asking this question is time wasted that you could have been researching puppy mills.

puppy mills are bad for a reason. i'll let you do your own research.

it doesn't matter what a dog "looks like". you can look healthy but that doesn't mean you are.

just beware that many dogs from puppy mills have abuse problems. many also have genetic problems later on in life. this is due to the overbreeding, no health testing, etc ways of life of puppy mill owners and back yard breeders.



ADD: damn it all to hell. just damn it. you DO NOT receive a puppy if the pup is under 8 weeks of age. 12 weeks is preferred, but 8 weeks will do in most cases. the pup needs to be with the mother and siblings. if they don't have any (like i suppose this pup doesn't) then they need to be under the close care of a vet or breeder. depending on their developmental growth, the pup may need to be there longer. the point of getting a puppy is to have one already healthy so you can nourish and love the pup. you don't get a sickly pup, or a pup that's underage. i know you know nothing about dogs, otherwise you wouldn't be asking this ridiculous question. damn it all. i'm out.



ADD: you just said that he's 6 weeks old. you said "the puppy is like 6 weeks old and they rescued him when he was 2 weeks old." if he's 6 weeks old, he doesn't even need to be up "for sale" by the pet shop. you didn't state when you were going to pick him up. all you said was you're going to the pet store tomorrow. for someone so dense who doesn't know about puppy mills, i wouldn't doubt that you or some whack pet store would try to get a puppy at 6 weeks of age.

Answer 10

Have you ever seen momma dogs that have been bred ever 6 months all of their lives, have you ever seen poor defenseless puppies that come out of those scummy places.

I have. In Dec. 2009 I fostered 30 momma and puppies that came from a Amish puppy mill/farm

Sick and covered in feces and urine and dirt. So thin it was amazing they had any strength to even move. Three tiny puppies died in my arms while I coaxed their litter mates and mommas back to health. Had them for 5 months till they all were well enough to go to new homes.

Go ahead and buy your pet store puppy, and watch it die from some under lying illness.

Answer 11

The dog may LOOK healthy, but can you see his bones? His potential eye issues? His heart and other organs? no.



Puppy mills are breeding solely for profit, and as such, care very little about the health and welfare of their dogs, as vet treatment and adequate housing and care would cut into their profits.

B*tches and puppies are crammed into cages - often so small that they can't stand up fully or turn around. These cages are so crammed that many dogs and puppies die in the fights that break out due to the close proximity the dogs are forced to live in (almost standing on top of one another). Their feet and legs can also be lost when they get trapped in the gaps between the bars of the cages and are torn off. The mill is unlikely to waste money on treating this, so will often either kill the dog (not necessarily humanely) or just let it bleed to death.

Very often, there is no heating or air conditioning, which leads to many dogs freezing to death in inter, and many more cooking to death in the metal cages which are effectively ovens in the summer. The psychological effects on the dogs are also awful. These dogs have never been allowed to move, in effect, and develop some awful mental and psychological issues.

They breed from their b*tches at every heat (including the first, when her body is not even close to ready to bear puppies), for as long as she holds out. They literally breed her to death. When she cannot reproduce anymore, and is a quivering incontinent heap, they kill her. She may be only 5 or so years old in many cases.

A common problem with dogs rescued from mills is that their jaws have rotted away after tooth decay was not prevented or treated. They also frequently have untreated eye ulcers.

The mills have jumped right onto this "teacup" trend and so are breeding very unhealthy dogs, usually runts, together to produce the smallest puppies possible. To aid in this, they may induce the puppies early, meaning that most won't survive. The have also been known to starve the pups during critical growth periods to keep them small (and ill). On top of this, the puppies may be taken as young as 3 weeks old, and sold as a "teacup" dog.

Answer 12

Many things, and I know I will forget to tell you half of them



1 over priced for their quality

2 poorly bred dogs (the parents were not taken to shows to prove they are worth breeding - nor where they tested for genetic health problems many of which show up later in life)

3 you support AMAZINGLY HORRIFIC cruelty - the parents are kept in tiny cages, never let out, breeding over and over and over their necks broke when they can breed no more - by buying from a pet store you SUPPORT and REWARD this and encourage it to continue

4 pups often have copropagia (eat own poop)

5 pet stores are not honest - they want your money and will not tell you all the problems associated with the breed.



and more



read'

http://therealowner.com/dogs/what-are-puppy-mills/



and

http://gomestic.com/pets/the-problem-with-pet-stores/



EDIT - yes they LIED - you do not "Sell" a rescued animal - you ADOPT it out for cheap! pet stores are NOT pet rescues! unless the pup is $200 or less, it is NOT a rescue!

Answer 13

They encourage dogs to mate then keep the dams (females/mothers) in small cages and barley feed, give water and never walk them. They get bred over and over till they cannot reproduce any more or have complications and then are either abandoned or killed inhumanly.



The puppies that are produced are not healthy what so ever and cost more in vet bills than they do for the actual dog. You get a sick puppy with no injections, micro chipping, castration or spaying. Why pay a ridiculous amount of money for a sick mutt or poorly bred "pure bred" when you can get one for a small re homing fee from the shelters/pounds?



They are byb to the extreme and don't care what so ever about the dogs. Its disgusting and inhumane.

Answer 14

Dogs in puppymills are overbred with diseases and not treated for them. In addition, they are stuffed in dirty, cramped cages, and deprived of proper love and nutrition. Their "breeders" are unknowledged and only "breed" them for the money. The pups are often born with genetic defects and certainly almost always sickness.



Dont support the puppy mills-DO NOT BUY A FROM A PETSHOP.



ADOPT! Or find a really reputable breeder.

Answer 15

At puppy mills the mothers only live to push out litter after litter after litter. They get no food, exercises, or love. there copped up all day. They get almost no food. They don't get cleaned at all. THERE ALL SAD.

Answer 16

i bought a akita pup from a puppy mill...i think, ive noticed that when we did get him he was 6 weeks old and they did not introduce solid food to him, so he had a bit of a **** eating problem...but a week of good food fixed that, he did some with a vet certificate of health and they were there on the phone with me the whole time, i dont think that puppymills are really that bad, some are, it kind of depends on the breed, small dogs usually get it the worst, they are so small they can breed alot at a time, they dont eat much either to its inexpensive, some people just rely on their dogs for their income, and its a good thing, but should only be done by people who value the dogs for their loviness and not what kinda paycheck they can bring,



ppl say they "rescue" dogs all the time, truth is that people just give dogs away all the time, especially when their dogs have babies and they are not prepaired for it...getting your dog fixed is important, it really is, unless you have some special personalities and time to commit to them procreating.





PUPPY MILL IS A STRONG WORD, and only describs 20% of the dog breeding that is going on, the other 80% is mom&pops breeders who supplement their income selling puppys, if you know what to look for you can avoid the 20%, i know alot of ppl who bought dogs online, and i myself have bought a few. just talk to the person on the phone, or try to meet them, it will help, if they are shady you can report them.

Answer 17

well in puppy mills they are cages so small they have barley enough room to walk. they live in their own urine and feces most of the dogs will get diseases or die. my friend bought a baby chihuahua from petland and it stopped breathing.

Answer 18

The pictures may explain:





http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://avenuek9.com/wp-content/uploads/puppymill2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://avenuek9.com/2010/11/puppy-mill-cruelty-prevention-act-passes/&h=480&w=640&sz=80&tbnid=y89JGvGUGJhq2M:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpuppy%2Bmills&zoom=1&q=puppy+mills&hl=en&usg=__pcnT0YtELIu7QSppVIS60YVw-SQ=&sa=X&ei=5MlqTbmaIdCHhQeT9YnzDg&ved=0CC4Q9QEwAQ





http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PAQLbPdnUus/TLdaYYaa5II/AAAAAAAAPyk/VjnyegHVsF0/s1600/puppy-mill4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://theportuguesewaterblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/puppy-mills.html&usg=__Bti2ZZN7XzdVIIL7J6ZMP6KL9E4=&h=278&w=600&sz=42&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=YJ4Hay57VeAdbM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=206&ei=C8pqTbGSH4-whAe6juWsDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpuppy%2Bmills%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D807%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=249&oei=C8pqTbGSH4-whAe6juWsDQ&page=1&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:0&tx=84&ty=73





http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zKZaIPw_1s4/SqM0rAq5tuI/AAAAAAAACv0/4pkDh1kWCro/s320/Puppy%2BMill-Dirty%2BDog.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lovingforaliving.blogspot.com/2009/09/dogs-need-to-wag-their-tails-to-help.html&usg=__GzLHkG5QOJMnaXqchYe8D_WNQoo=&h=306&w=315&sz=17&hl=en&start=20&zoom=1&tbnid=5xbdi80-FxLhsM:&tbnh=155&tbnw=160&ei=KcpqTdSoAtP-4watrvjeCQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpuupy%2Bmills%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D807%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C448&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=327&oei=C8pqTbGSH4-whAe6juWsDQ&page=2&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:20&tx=42&ty=58&biw=1259&bih=807



http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://thecommunitarian.org/images/090429_puppy_mill2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://thecommunitarian.org/Local/090429_puppy_mill.php&usg=__vOmrhpN7_LV5mfwg8LHlkLzo5PE=&h=600&w=400&sz=108&hl=en&start=20&zoom=1&tbnid=USytHQARegCHIM:&tbnh=152&tbnw=114&ei=KcpqTdSoAtP-4watrvjeCQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpuupy%2Bmills%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D807%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C1009&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=281&oei=C8pqTbGSH4-whAe6juWsDQ&page=2&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:20,s:20&tx=65&ty=103&biw=1259&bih=807



http://www.dcr.net/~humane/Puppy_Mills2.html



EDIT: It most likely was a lie. Pet shops try to convince you that the dogs are rescues looking for homes, reputable bred dogs or puppy mill escapees. They are all the same. Dogs do not belong in pet shops and no reputable breeder would ever sell to them. If you want a dog from a puppy mill go rescue one from a shelter.

Answer 19

Animal rights people are crazy as hell- And believe me this site is full of em- Good luck-

Answer 20

Puppy mills are not that bad! I have three puppies from them and they are great!