Wee Chi Chihuahua's

What is a Puppy Mill?

Puppy mills are horrible places where many, sometimes hundreds, of various purebred and mixed breed dogs are kept purely for profit. They are forced to live in dirty, cramped and diseased conditions. They recieve little or no veterinary care. They will often live in the same pen or wire cage their entire life, producing litter after litter until they are infertile. Many of these dogs are inbred. When these dogs are no longer making a profit for the owner, they are destroyed, sold or simply discarded. They receive no cuddles, no love, no affection and no dignity.

Puppies in puppy mills are often malnurished, diseased, geneticaly deformed and of unknown breed origin. These puppies are taken from their mothers too early and sold to pet stores and the general public. They sell over the internet and in classified papers. They will almost NEVER allow buyers to visit their home and view their "kennel".

An estimated 9 out of 10 puppies in your local pet store are from puppy mills. They are shipped in big trucks by the hundreds and some don't make it to their destination alive. Many have been in these trucks for several days without proper food and water, without air conditioning or heat. At the pet store you may have noticed breed names such as "Shih Tzu TYPE dog" or when you ask where the puppy is from, they refuse to tell you. Also, because there are many dogs sold with false registration. You may also notice that most of these dogs were born on a Monday.

Puppy milling, or farming, is considered animal cruelty. These organizations must be stopped and shut down. The owners must be held accountabe for their actions. The following is a list of things to be on the look out for:

*     A puppy miller will not let the buyer visit their home or kennel

*     A puppy miller will try to sell puppies that are too young or claim that they are very rare

*     A puppy miller will deny any health problems and will not provide proof of vet care

*     A puppy miller will alway have many puppies for sale of different ages and sizes

*     A puppy miller will prefer cash upfront

I have included some very graphic photos of dogs forced to live in puppy mills. Please be warned that these photos are real, horrific and heart breaking.

          

What can YOU do about this?

      If you have discovered animal abuse, you can contact your local animal protection group or the police. You can also help by passing this information on and doing your own research. There is plenty of information on the internet about puppy mills. Some of the stories and pictures actually made me cry in front of my computer.

The biggest help is for you to refuse to buy your next pet from anyone who you suspect of animal abuse or neglect. Don't buy from pet stores or other organizations. Adopt your next pet only from an animal shelter or reputable breeder.  Older animals make wonderful companions too.

Animals are innocent, dependent and rely on us to make sure they are well taken care of. They can not speak for themselves, that's OUR JOB.

I have added some web addresses that contain further information and true stories of the life dogs face in the hands of abusers. Please educate yourself about the true underbelly of the pet industry and learn how educate others so we can all do our part to stop this terrible cruelty!

http://www.canadanopuppymills.com/

http://www.columbusdogconnection.com/MorrowCountyPuppyMill.htm

http://www.crar.org/Adoptable_puppymill.htm

http://www.nowisconsinpuppymills.com/dumplin.html

http://www.nopuppymillscanada.ca/