Inside the Puppy Mills

I am a little perplexed by some of these comments. If one gets a dog from a shelter, instead of a puppy mill, won't they have the same problem either way, as far as damage, neglect, etc.?
Also, in the wild, dogs breed every cycle If a dog is well-cared for, the same way a wild animal would be full of good food, why would it be cruel to breed them every cycle. My understanding is that dogs come in heat 3 -4 times every 2 years (every 6 - 8 months) and are pregnant for only two months. Farmers breed cattle, who are pregnant for 9 months, with a 3 month break in between, but this is not considered cruel. ?????
Also, if people are producing these animals en masse, doesn't that mean there really is a demand for them (someone made a comment that there are too many unwanted animals) Maybe the solution is more training and prep for the owners, and reasonable standards for the breeders.
Why are dog breeders slammed for making money breeding, but farmers are not?
I get very angry when hearing about animals living in filth, with injuries, and very cold or hot or wet or exposed to the elements. On the other hand, I agree with one commenter that dogs in the wild do not require human companionship, per se,but some companionship, and a pack environment, whether the pack leader is human or animal, seems to be appropriate. They seem to be social animals.
I am very firm with my dogs, and will not tolerate defiance, aggression, or in-fighting among them. However, I am not abusive, and care for them well. There needs to be a balance here, I think.
I know of very small scale breeders who are very humane and loving with their animals - some have enough that they do not all live in the house, but have the companionship of their canine friends and seem happy and well-adjusted. Other owners have all of the parents in the house, on the bed, etc. and they seem equally happy.
I don't think dog-breeding should somehow be criticized because it is a business, as long as the animals receive adequate food, shelter, and health care.

Humans can be very cruel animals -- especially where money is involved. Recently, here in Minnesota, a puppy mill that can hold up to 600 dogs was allowed to open even though most in that community fought against it. The AKC was there to support this "operation". I never really thought about it, but the AKC is in the business of making money, and the way they make money is by having dog owners pay a registration fee so they can claim their dog "has papers". How can I believe the AKC really care about dogs? I know there are many small breeders out there that really care about their dogs and their breed. This is the way it should be, NOT a 600 dog puppy mill.

The Amish are very big in the puppy mill industry, they breed constantly and take the puppies to auctions. They will buy puppies outside there farm to make sure they are not cross bred and continue to breed and sell. They abuse there animals so badly and everyone over looks it. I sold a lab puppy to an Amish man and I bought her back a month and a half later with rear leg injuries, scars on her belly, full of worms and fleas so bad that she had to be put on antibiotics in order to heal her skin. These people treat there animals so badly and the public overlook it. They need to be looked at also for the puppy mills, they hide it all so carefully.

How can people think this is alright to do this to these helpless and scared dogs????How would you like to be kept in a cage with lots of other humans?????With barely any food or water source????I think it inhumane.If you want a dog or cat PLEASE ADOPT A DOG OR CAT FROM A SHELTER OR A RESCUE

The reporter has the answer. With education, making dog lovers aware of the for profit only business. There are so many animals in shelters waitng for homes. Many states have "kill shelters". If the animals are not rescued in time they are killed. Likewise the public must also look at the kennel clubs that portary only "best of breed" dogs are worthy.

Play now - pay later.

Remember: Dog is God spelled backwards. 'Nuff said...

Play now - Pay later.

Dog is God spelled backwards. 'Nuff said...

Any time you buy a dog without seeing the parents you run the risk of buying from a puppy mill. Every breeder that I have ever gotten a dog from wanted to see me and meet me to make sure I was good enough for one of their puppies Personally I believe that people should look into rescue groups who save dogs from a terrible fate, there is one for every breed. The animal shelters are another great source for your next pet, they have dogs that need a loving home and need rescue.

It boggles my mind to think that such cruel things are done to such innocent creatures purely for profit. These are situations that we are fully aware of but continue to ignore the possibility of it because we'd rather not think about it. Animal lovers know how heartbreaking this is and continues to be and we the consumers are the only legitimate way possible to ensure that this despicable way of making profit is done away with. Animals are not simply objects that are dispensable....they are creatures that love us even more than we love them.

This story breaks my heart. If you would like to see a difference made, you should check out Hearts United for Animals at www.hua.org. It is a national no-kill animal shelter that makes every effort to shut down these horrible mills and help give their victims a chance at a good life. I've been to HUA in Auburn, Nebraska after reading about it online, and I have to say that it is one of the most heartbreaking/uplifting places an animal lover could ever visit. Looking into some of these dogs' eyes and seeing the hurt in them brings tears to yours, as does talking with the wonderfully passionate volunteers there. About once a week while bored at work, I'll check out the HUA site to fall in love with the new dogs that are hoping to find a new home, and I hope all of you will as well. You don't have to adopt an animal or even donate money, just educating yourself and others on the terrible conditions that so many of our country's pets are coming from can help make a difference.

This is not a puppy mill issue, it is a Dog breeding issue. All the breeders that have posted how great they are should focus on eradicating the mills, not defending there reputations. Anyway, I believe there should be legislation to monitor anyone who breeds over a certain amount of animals per year. There is a fine line between Puppy Mill and Breeder, So all you breeders better start distinguishing your side from the other.

Not all politicians are bad, But what light do we shed on them.

Not all car salesmen are bad, But we all have stories

Not all attorneys are bad, But-----well maybe they are.

Anyway think about it.

I agree that puppy mills are cruel and very inhumane. But I have to disagree on not buying puppies or dogs online. My fiance and I, in the past year have bought pups from reputable breeders that we found online. We spent months on the phone speaking with them about their dogs and views about dogs. Not all breeders that advertise online are puppy mills. They are usually purebred breeders that are trying to reach potential customers.

And for the record, I'm all for getting pets from shelters. I have two cats that would have gone to a shelter had I not gotten them from their owner first. If I get another cat, I'm gonna head on down to the shelter..I've seen plenty of them that need a safe and warm home.

When I was 16 I found a so-called breeder on the internet and decided to purchase a puppy from her. She sounded sweet and always told me how great the puppy was. I was so young and in love with the picture of the dog I never researched her as a breeder. I paid a ton of money for the dog and she promised it was in good health. When the dog came it was less than one pound, would not walk, nor eat. The next day it was clear the dog was sick so I took him to the vet. The vet looked at him and gave me some medicine. I slept right next to him and woke up at about 5a.m. when I felt him shaking uncontrollably, he was having a seizure. I ran, got my mom, and we rushed to the Vet E.R. He was still breathing when we got there and I ran in the door and just as I handed him to the nurse he died in my hands. When the blood work came back it showed that his little 1lb body was filled with parasites all because the breeder didn???t keep her facility clean and didn???t take care of my puppy. She was just in it for the money. I would never buy a dog again unless I know exactly where it came from. She was defiantly running a puppy mill over the internet. I did report her to authorities but it still breaks my heart to know that people can be so cruel. I hope people can learn from my experience and either adopt or do good reasurch.

When I was 16 I found a so-called breeder on the internet from Oklahoma and decided to purchase a puppy from her. She sounded sweet and always told me how great the puppy was. I was so young and in love with the picture of the dog I never researched her as a breeder. I paid a ton of money for the dog and she promised it was in good health. When the dog came it was less than one pound, would not walk, nor eat. The next day it was clear the dog was sick so I took him to the vet. The vet looked at him and gave me some medicine. I slept right next to him and woke up at about 5a.m. when I felt him shaking uncontrollably, he was having a seizure. I ran, got my mom, and we rushed to the Vet E.R. He was still breathing when we got there and I ran in the door and just as I handed him to the nurse he died in my hands. When the blood work came back it showed that his little 1lb body was filled with parasites all because the breeder didn???t keep her facility clean and didn???t take care of my puppy. She was just in it for the money. I would never buy a dog again unless I know exactly where it came from. She was defiantly running a puppy mill over the internet. I did report her to authorities but it still breaks my heart to know that people can be so cruel. I hope people can learn from my experience and either adopt or do good reasurch.

When I was 16 I found a so-called breeder on the internet and decided to purchase a puppy from her. She sounded sweet and always told me how great the puppy was. I was so young and in love with the picture of the dog I never researched her as a breeder. I paid a ton of money for the dog and she promised it was in good health. When the dog came it was less than one pound, would not walk, nor eat. The next day it was clear the dog was sick so I took him to the vet. The vet looked at him and gave me some medicine. I slept right next to him and woke up at about 5a.m. when I felt him shaking uncontrollably, he was having a seizure. I ran, got my mom, and we rushed to the Vet E.R. He was still breathing when we got there and I ran in the door and just as I handed him to the nurse he died in my hands. When the blood work came back it showed that his little 1lb body was filled with parasites all because the breeder didn???t keep her facility clean and didn???t take care of my puppy. She was just in it for the money. I would never buy a dog again unless I know exactly where it came from. She was defiantly running a puppy mill over the internet. I did report her to authorities but it still breaks my heart to know that people can be so cruel. I hope people can learn from my experience and either adopt or do good reasurch.

I hope articles like this make people aware that people run puppy mills for profit they dont care about the care of the dogs. I hope people will see this and get their pets from shelters, shelter pets can end up being put down if they dont find owners. We need to stop supporting puppy mills by stop buying from them. Thank goodness people are out there putting information such as this out there for people to see