PUPPY MILLS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM Hi, so glad you found your way to this important page. If you care about animals, if you care about dogs, then you need to take the little bit of extra time to be sure that in your desire to purchase that adorable puppy, you don't also, quite inadvertently, increase the suffering of it's sire or dam. The internet is filled with very lovely and legitimate looking websites for countless puppy mills. The dogs pictured on these puppy mill sites appear healthy and well cared for, the words you read on these sites will seem very sincere and caring. Afterall, their sole purpose is to draw you in and sell you a puppy. They aren't going to show you pics of starving dogs, in filthy, tiny cages. In fact, just for effect, some of these sites will actually warn you not to buy from a puppy mill, instead buy from them! Very clever! So how can a person know where their dog is coming from? Here are a few hints and suggestions to assist you in recognizing puppy mill setups! 1. If you can pay by credit card, you should NOT buy a puppy. Yes, this includes pet stores as well as on line sellers, newspaper ads and magazine ads. Anybody who goes to the trouble and expense of setting up credit card accounts, is breeding strictly for profit and the dogs are nothing more than a "product" to them. No matter what reasons you hear, if they accept credit cards, turn your back and walk away! Don't buy! 2. If the seller has several different breeds, they're probably breeding for profit. Either investigate this person very thoroughly, or just say, "No thanks" and move on! Don't buy! 3. If the seller has 4, 5, 6 or more litters per year, unless they're in a breed where each litter results in but two or three puppies, be very suspicious. Don't buy without checking further, especially if they're trying to sell you a bloodhound! Investigate before you invest! 4. If the breeder sells dogs plus a variety of other animals, they're in it for the money. Don't buy! 5. If you are not invited or not allowed to come and visit their kennel and/or pick up your puppy, be very suspicious. Don't buy! 6. If they offer to meet you half way and deliver that puppy to you in an effort to be extra nice and helpful, you could be headed for trouble. They don't want you to see their place, why? Unless you can get references from somebody you deem reputable, don't take a chance! Don't buy! 7. If they want you to or allow you to take your puppy before a minimum of 8 weeks of age, red flags should go up all over! Don't buy! 8. If they have one bitch and one dog at home in their backyard, and they breed these two to each other every six months, don't buy! They are nothing more than a small scale puppy mill. 9. If they encourage you or are ready, willing and able to sell you a "breeding pair", they are not only a puppy mill but are trying to turn you into the same unreputable people dealing in animal misery that they, themselves are! Don't buy! 10. If you think that buying from a puppy mill will at least save one life, you're looking at things from the wrong perspective. That one life you save, will result in 100 other miserable lives being created. For, with each puppy these people sell, they are assured of further interest in that particular breed and for that reason will continue to increase "production" of that breed. If you don't buy that "one puppy", and the next person doesn't buy that "one puppy", if it appears to the puppy millers that they can't "move" their "product", they will decrease or most likely stop breeding that particular breed of dog and will find another that will prove to be more profitable for them. Eventually, if people learn to only buy from reputable, caring, informed and knowledgeable breeders, puppy mills can be put out of business. If you are interested in purchasing your puppy from somebody reputable, contact the American Kennel Club (AKC) and ask for the name of the Breeder Referral person for the breed you are interested in. It's your start in finding a reputable person to deal with when searching for that special family addition. |
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