Puppy Mills

The following is an excerpt from the Humane Society of the United States Regional News Letter
Puppy mills are commercial breeding facilities that churn out massive numbers of puppies in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. In addition, the breeding dogs at these facilities spend their entire lives in cages, with little or no room to deliver a litter, without adequate veterinary care, and with no hope of escaping the mill alive. Pet stores usually buy their ”merchandise” from puppy mills because, unlike small responsible breeders, mills supply a constant, massive inventory of puppies. But these puppies pay the price for being mass-produced, suffering the effects of inbreeding, overcrowding, and the stress of being shipped long distances at only a few weeks of age, long before any puppy should be separated from his or her mother. The HSUS urges consumers to consider adopting one of the many purebred dogs or one-in-a million mixed breeds available at your local animal shelter. One in four shelter dogs is a purebred. If you still choose to purchase a puppy, avoid pet stores and the Internet and find a reputable breeder. A responsible breeder will never sell a puppy to someone he or she has not personally met and interviewed. No one should ever buy a dog without physically visiting where the puppy was born and raised.
For more information on puppy mills visit www.stoppuppymills.org.

Bill’s note: A friend recently purchased a puppy from an established pet store in the Wiregrass. Within four days the puppy was diagnosed with Parvo, and while it survived, it was a close and very expensive call—the store refused to accept any financial liability. I can only repeat what the Humane Society advises, and that is to never purchase a dog from a pet store.