11 Facts About Puppy Mills

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1. A puppy mill is a commercial dog-breeding facility that focuses on increasing profit with little overhead cost. The health and welfare of the animals is not a priority.^[The Humane Society of the United States. "Puppy Mills Research." 2015. Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
2. Female dogs are bred at every opportunity with little to no recovery time between litters. When, after a few years, they are physically depleted to the point that they no longer can reproduce, breeding females are often killed.^[American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). "Puppy Mill FAQ." Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
3. Every year in Ameica, it's estimated that 2.11 million puppies are sold that originated from puppy mills, while 3 million are killed in shelters because they are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local animal shelter to encourage your community to adopt shelter pets. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR!^[The Humane Society of the United States. "Puppy Mills: Facts and Figures." 2015. Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
4. In puppy mills, dogs can spend most of their lives in cramped cages, with no room to play or exercise.^[American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Puppy Mill FAQ." Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
5. Often times, the water and food provided for the puppies is contaminated, crawling with bugs. Puppies can even be malnourished.^[Progressive Animal Welfare Society. "Buyer Beware: The Problem with Puppy Mills and Backyard Breeders." Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
6. Puppies in mills are found with bleeding or swollen paws, feet falling through the wire cages, severe tooth decay, ear infections, dehydration, and lesions on their eyes, which often lead to blindness.^[American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Puppy Mill FAQ." Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
7. In most states, puppy mills are legal. It is important that future pet owners seek rescue dogs from their local shelter or buy pets from a trusted breeder in order to put mills out of business.^[The Humane Society of the United States. "Puppy Mills." Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
8. It is estimated that there are at least 10,000 puppy mills in the U.S. Fewer than 3,000 of these are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.^[The Humane Society of the United States. "Puppy Mills Research." 2015. Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
9. Most puppy mills have no veterinary care, climate control, or protection for the animals from weather (hot, cold, rain, or snow).^[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "Puppy Mill Prison." Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
10. With limited or no regulations or enforcement, puppy mills have no cleanup control. This means that dogs can be living in urine and feces for indefinite periods of time.^[Animal Rescue Corps. "Puppy Mills." Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]
11. It's common to find dogs in puppy mills with collars that have been fastened so tightly that they have become embedded in a dog’s neck and must be carefully cut out.^[Animal Rescue Corps. "Puppy Mills." Web Accessed April 4, 2015.]