Ultimately, puppy mills are unlikely to go away while the practice is still legal. By contacting your local government officials, you can at least get them to acknowledge the problem. If enough people voice their concern over puppy mills, eventually candidates will start to take notice…
Puppy mills are the dark side of the dog breeding industry. While many breeders genuinely care for their dogs, puppy mills confine their animals in cages without minimal human interaction, mental stimulation or exercise. Most of these dogs are used to produce litter after litter until their body is worn out. Puppy mills have been around for many years, but only recently have people started to realize just how cruel they are. What can we all do to stop these brutal establishments?
What Makes Puppy Mills Bad
The main problem is that many dog owners don’t properly research where their new puppy has come from. Before buying a puppy in a pet store or anywhere else – especially online – it’s essential to find out who the breeders are and what conditions their dogs are kept in. If people keep buying puppies from puppy mills then the cycle is only going to continue.
Another problem is that even if it’s obvious that a puppy is from a mill, many owners naturally want to save the dog and provide it with a good home. This is a perfectly justifiable response, but the puppy mill doesn’t care why a person is buying a dog as long as they get paid.
Where to Buy a Puppy Instead
A good way to try and break the cycle is to contact your local pet store. If enough people phone or visit stores and complain about where their puppies are coming from, eventually the manager is likely to take notice. Some pet stores are starting to adopt a “puppy free” policy, which means they no longer sell puppies but instead focus on matching new owners with dogs that are up for adoption. This is a major step in the right direction, and if more pet stores followed this policy many puppy mills would find themselves out of business.
Puppy Mills are Cruel and Inhumane
A surprisingly large percentage of people simply don’t realize that puppy mills exist, or aren’t aware of the cruel and inhumane conditions that many puppies are born into. Writing a letter to your local newspaper or posting flyers around town can be a highly effective way of getting the word out. Asking to display flyers in vets and pet stores (if they allow it) may also be a good idea.
Take Action
Ultimately, puppy mills are unlikely to go away while the practice is still legal. By contacting your local government officials, you can at least get them to acknowledge the problem. If enough people voice their concern over puppy mills, eventually candidates will start to take notice and they may enact more stringent dog ownership and breeding legislation.
The scale of the puppy mill problem is both astonishing and scary, and large scale legal changes are needed to eradicate these breeding establishments. We all need to play a part in the fight against puppy mills. Education is the key. Even small acts such as talking to your friends and family and encouraging them to avoid stores that sell mill-born puppies will ultimately have an effect.
Being a veterinarian is her career, freelance writing is her hobby. Find advice from Susan Wright, on selecting the best breed of dog for your personal living condition.
More information in the UK : Stop Puppy Farms
