September 20 is "Puppy Mill Awareness Day", so to do my part, following is the text of a flyer that Best Friends Animal Society produced for the occassion:
How can I be sure my next puppy isn’t from a puppy mill?
Puppy mills sell millions of dogs each year; don’t be their next customer! Millions of people buy dogs from puppy mills each year, and most believe they are getting a dog from a “responsible” breeder. Puppy mill owners count on people falling in love with their puppies, either in the pet store or through adorable photos on the Internet. Here is how you can be sure you don’t support
this cruel industry:Puppy mills sell millions of dogs each year; don’t be their next customer! Millions of people buy dogs from puppy mills each year, and most believe they are getting a dog from a “responsible” breeder. Puppy mill owners count on people falling in love with their puppies, either in the pet store or through adorable photos on the Internet. Here is how you can be sure you don’t support
this cruel industry:
Websites:
Puppy mill breeders have great-looking websites to help them sell puppies direct to the public. Beware of any site that sells dogs, especially if they offer to ship puppies to you. No matter how convincing the site is, the reality could be tens or hundreds of dogs warehoused for breeding. They will even say they are not puppy mills right on the site. Remember: anyone can host a website, post photos, etc. There is no guarantee that the information is factual. Unless you see where your puppy is coming from first-hand, trusting a website is far too risky, since it’s the perfect place for consumer fraud to occur. Never, ever buy a puppy online.
Pet Stores:
Stores sell puppies as though they are merchandise, or products. The system is the same as any other product in a store: puppies are raised with low-cost production methods where corners are cut to maximize profits, sold to a broker or “middle man,” and delivered to retail stores to be bought by the end customer. Oftentimes, a puppy’s breeder will sell a puppy to a broker for as little as $75 per puppy, while the end customer often pays well over $1,000 in a retail pet store.
Classified Ads:
For decades, the newspaper classifieds have been the first places that puppy buyers look for a new pet. Commercial breeders tap into this market easily by placing ads. Beware of any ad that lists several breeds for sale, as well as if the breeder offers to meet you anywhere other than where the place where the dogs and puppies are raised.For decades, the newspaper classifieds have been the first places that puppy buyers look for a new pet. Commercial breeders tap into this market easily by placing ads. Beware of any ad that lists several breeds for sale, as well as if the breeder offers to meet you anywhere other than where the place where the dogs and puppies are raised.
Alternatives:
With millions of animals entering shelters and rescues every year, anyone can find their perfect rescued puppy or dog if they simply take the time to look. It’s a sure way not to support puppy mills. Start by visiting your local shelter, where 25-30% of surrendered animals are purebred. If you don’t find the right pet there, go online to search for pets at other shelters, as well as rescue groups.
http://www.petfinder.com/
http://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com/
http://www.pets911.com/
You can also contact local breed rescue organizations by searching http://www.google.com/ , entering a city or state, the breed you are looking for, and the word “rescue.”
**A note of caution: Breeders have caught on that more people are choosing to adopt instead of buy. If a person is “adopting out” several litters of purebred puppies, has “more on the way,” and doesn’t seem to have adult animals in need as well, then proceed with caution. This may be a breeder rather than a rescue. Every pet adopted is a life saved!
How can I be sure my next puppy isn’t from a puppy mill?
Puppy mills sell millions of dogs each year; don’t be their next customer! Millions of people buy dogs from puppy mills each year, and most believe they are getting a dog from a “responsible” breeder. Puppy mill owners count on people falling in love with their puppies, either in the pet store or through adorable photos on the Internet. Here is how you can be sure you don’t support
this cruel industry:Puppy mills sell millions of dogs each year; don’t be their next customer! Millions of people buy dogs from puppy mills each year, and most believe they are getting a dog from a “responsible” breeder. Puppy mill owners count on people falling in love with their puppies, either in the pet store or through adorable photos on the Internet. Here is how you can be sure you don’t support
this cruel industry:
Websites:
Puppy mill breeders have great-looking websites to help them sell puppies direct to the public. Beware of any site that sells dogs, especially if they offer to ship puppies to you. No matter how convincing the site is, the reality could be tens or hundreds of dogs warehoused for breeding. They will even say they are not puppy mills right on the site. Remember: anyone can host a website, post photos, etc. There is no guarantee that the information is factual. Unless you see where your puppy is coming from first-hand, trusting a website is far too risky, since it’s the perfect place for consumer fraud to occur. Never, ever buy a puppy online.
Pet Stores:
Stores sell puppies as though they are merchandise, or products. The system is the same as any other product in a store: puppies are raised with low-cost production methods where corners are cut to maximize profits, sold to a broker or “middle man,” and delivered to retail stores to be bought by the end customer. Oftentimes, a puppy’s breeder will sell a puppy to a broker for as little as $75 per puppy, while the end customer often pays well over $1,000 in a retail pet store.
Classified Ads:
For decades, the newspaper classifieds have been the first places that puppy buyers look for a new pet. Commercial breeders tap into this market easily by placing ads. Beware of any ad that lists several breeds for sale, as well as if the breeder offers to meet you anywhere other than where the place where the dogs and puppies are raised.For decades, the newspaper classifieds have been the first places that puppy buyers look for a new pet. Commercial breeders tap into this market easily by placing ads. Beware of any ad that lists several breeds for sale, as well as if the breeder offers to meet you anywhere other than where the place where the dogs and puppies are raised.
Alternatives:
With millions of animals entering shelters and rescues every year, anyone can find their perfect rescued puppy or dog if they simply take the time to look. It’s a sure way not to support puppy mills. Start by visiting your local shelter, where 25-30% of surrendered animals are purebred. If you don’t find the right pet there, go online to search for pets at other shelters, as well as rescue groups.
http://www.petfinder.com/
http://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com/
http://www.pets911.com/
You can also contact local breed rescue organizations by searching http://www.google.com/ , entering a city or state, the breed you are looking for, and the word “rescue.”
**A note of caution: Breeders have caught on that more people are choosing to adopt instead of buy. If a person is “adopting out” several litters of purebred puppies, has “more on the way,” and doesn’t seem to have adult animals in need as well, then proceed with caution. This may be a breeder rather than a rescue. Every pet adopted is a life saved!
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