What takes place the week before Mother’s Day, May 4-10th, and is meant to raise awareness of a sad and sick industry? It’s Puppy Mill Action Week 2020! The goal of its observation is to bring awareness and fight against puppy mills to end the horrific cycle. Puppy mills keep dogs in terrible conditions where they force them to breed and then sell the puppies for the highest profit. They continue to breed these dogs until the mothers die or can no longer give birth, where they are then discarded.
By raising awareness, people can stop unknowingly supporting puppy mills and start attempting to fight back against them.
What is a Puppy Mill?
Not all breeders are bad, but puppy mills are something out of a horror film. These breeders keep puppies under terrible conditions that are bad for their safety, health, and well-being. Puppy mills are large scale operations where the animals are severely neglected and used purely for profit. The main objective of a puppy mill is to produce the highest amount of puppies for the most possible profit.
Due to their financial motives, the neglect and harsh conditions the puppies are faced with results in inbreeding, aggressive behaviors, premature separation from the mother, illness, malnutrition, and more. The dogs are bred regardless of their age, medical conditions, and safety. After being bred, the puppies are often sold for a high price with the little-to-no background screening of the owners.
How to Spot a Puppy Mill
Many people like to believe that there is no way a puppy mill could be near them and where they live. Unfortunately, there are a lot of puppy mills and they are closer than you think. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates over 10,000 puppy mills across the United States and over 3,000 are not regulated by USDA. Puppy mill puppies are often found in pet stores and are sold without contracts. There is often no plan in place for their spaying/neutering. When puppies are sold by puppy mills, they rarely do background checks and screening on the new owners. This can lead to abusive homes and poor socializing of the animals.
What You Can Do to Help
By simply raising awareness that puppy mills exist, action can be taken to make sure that puppy mills are dismantled and stop operations.
Support your local animal shelters: Mother’s Day is right around the corner and if you are looking for a new furry friend, then check out your local animal shelter. If you aren’t looking to adopt, animal shelters are also looking for help. Often times, when puppy mills are busted by authorities, the puppies and their mothers go to the local shelters. There they need to be cared for and adopted by loving families. By supporting your local animal shelter in any way you can, you can help cut off revenue to puppy mills and lead to them ultimately going out of business.
Speak to your local government representatives: If you come to find a puppy mill in your area, alert your government officials. Put the pressure on them to take action against the puppy mills. Make sure they know how it affects the community and other local businesses. Check to see if there is any legislation regarding puppy mills. This can cut off revenue to the puppy mills as well or having them busted by authorities.
Take the pledge: Vow to not support pet stores that get their puppies from puppy mills. Even stopping to buy food and toys from these pet stores can diminish their profits and lead them to stop ordering puppies from puppy mills. You can take the pledge here!
If you are looking for a puppy from a specific breeder, you can speak to an expert to help make sure the operation is safe and properly organized. Spread awareness of puppy mills through word of mouth and social media. If you suspect a puppy mill is operating in your area, report it to your local humane officer for investigation.
If you have your own motherly puppy ready to give birth to her own puppies, be sure they are taken care of properly. Animal Care Center has you covered. We make sure the mother and the babies are taken care of. Happy Mothers Day and Happy Puppy Mill Action Week – Call or contact us today.
