Puppy Mills

While many people may be familiar with the term "puppy mill," the industry and government regulators dismiss the horrors associated with them. Today the average puppy mill will house between 75 and 150 breeding animals, most housed in hutch-style cages with wire floors. The fecal matter drops to the ground below and waste accumulates beneath the cage, providing a haven for flies and other vermin. Rodents, flies and other pests plague the animals almost constantly. Solid surfaces are supposed to protect the legs of puppies; however, as they mature and scout out their surroundings, feet and legs often fall through wire floors. Their soft coats of fur become soiled with the fecal matter that didn't drop through the cage, adding insult to injury.

At 8 weeks of age puppies are "harvested" and cleaned

up for the trip to the broker. They are bathed to clean-up feces and odors they have endured during their brief lives in the puppy mill. Pus is wiped from their sad and scared eyes just before they are shoved into whatever is convenient – with any luck an approved shipping container. Some will perish, and others will be rejected by the broker only to be held back for breeding stock. Many others will be killed for their lack of monetary value and some may even be sold for research. The survivors can be seen at your local pet store, but the emotional scars and irresponsible animal husbandry can bring misery into your home. Read the full article... (you will need Adobe Acrobat 5 reader to view the article)