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The shame of puppy mills
When we walk past a pet shop window
and see an adorable puppy, we’re tempted to go in
and take a look. Sometimes, we even decide to buy
the puppy. But have you ever wondered what the real
cost of that puppy might be?
The majority of pet shop puppies come
from places known as puppy mills. There are nearly
12,000 pet shops in the U.S. It’s estimated that up
to 500,000 puppy mill puppies are sold in the 3500
or so pet shops that do sell animals.
A puppy mill is a breeding kennel and
can have 50, 100, or sometimes 1,000 dogs. Needless
to say, the conditions in which these puppies are
bred and raised are abominable. Female dogs are
usually bred twice a year until they are no longer
fertile; then with no breeding value, they are
killed. Mothers and puppies live in cramped cages
with wire flooring, so that waste matter can
presumably drop through. Often, that is not the
case, and both mothers and puppies live in urine
soaked, feces laden cages. Suffering from
malnutrition, confinement, exposure to the elements,
and lack of proper veterinary care, these puppies
often have health problems. Life in a puppy mill is
truly wretched for both mothers and litters.
Because this is a business and profit
is the bottom line, the well being of the
product—puppies—is not a priority. Getting by on
minimal care and expense before shipping off the
puppies is the norm.
But what of the
puppies who do eventually leave the mill? Sold to
brokers—usually
from $50 to $75—they are packed into
crates for resale to pet shops—often for $200 to
$400.
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They may travel hundreds of miles—
sometimes without adequate food or water, proper
shelter or ventilation. Some puppies do
not survive the transport.
Those that do make it to a pet shop, are
animals with minimal human contact.
Nonetheless, they may sell for $400 to $800.
Because puppy mill puppies are bred for quantity and
not quality, genetic defects and personality
disorders are easily passed from one generation to
the next. Often difficult to socialize, these
puppies are destined for both behavior and health
problems. Many new owners incur excessive
veterinary expense trying to overcome these
problems. When it is not an affordable option,
these dogs are frequently euthanized. |
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