Gallant Edge German Shepherds

U.S. animal shelters euthanize 3 million to 4 million cats and dogs every year, and yet pet industry statistics show that about one third of the nation's 11,000 pet stores continue to sell puppies. Many of these dogs come from puppy mills—mass commercial breeding operations that put profit above the health and welfare of the puppies and their parents.

As part of our Stop Puppy Mills campaign, we recently wrapped up our Pet Store Challenge, a six-month effort during which we invited people to visit pet stores with questionnaires about the stores' puppies. The study showed that many stores are tight-lipped about where they obtain their animals. Of the handful that answered, most said their puppies came from breeders but wouldn't show corroborating paperwork. When papers were provided, they showed most of the puppies had been shipped from breeding operations in notorious puppy mill states. We've also looked at ads online and found that many puppies purchased over the Internet come from puppy mills, in spite of promises of "family raised" puppies from "small breeders."

Another recent study we conducted revealed that many consumers who buy dogs at pet stores, through newspaper ads, or over the Internet aren't aware of their pets' origins. It's only after the puppies are home and problems arise that people start to ask questions. We tracked complaints we received from such buyers over four months and found that most involved new puppies with serious illnesses, congenital defects, and severe behavior issues. About 20 percent of the puppies died within weeks of purchase because of these problems.

Given the facilities where these animals may have been bred, these reports come as no surprise. Documented puppy mill conditions include overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor food and shelter, crowded cages, and lack of adequate socialization. The federal agency charged with enforcing the law's minimal protections (many breeders are exempt from stricter rules) is stretched thin overseeing other animal operations. So when a breeder claims to be government licensed and inspected, the assertion means little.

If you're looking to adopt a dog, you can take several steps to ensure you don't end up with a puppy mill puppy—and to help put the mills out of business for good. First, visit your local animal shelter—where one in four dogs is purebred—or contact a breed rescue group. If—after seeing all the dogs who need homes—you still want to purchase from a breeder, visit the facility where the dogs are bred. And visit www.puppybuyersguide.org for our checklist of what to look for before you go.

Choosing not to buy puppy mill dogs isn't the only way you can help us end this abusive industry. We offer a wealth of materials you can share with veterinary offices, coworkers, retailers, and friends. Our Dog Savers Kit will help you become a local activist against puppy mills. And you can donate to our Puppy Mill Education Fund, which places advertisements and billboards exposing the truth behind puppy mills to everyone. Visit www.stoppuppymills.org for more on these and other ways you can help.