Why Do We Need A Puppy Mill?
Since the beginning of time, dogs have been man’s best friend. Dog’s know how to bring a smile to almost anyone’s face, and dogs’ are the best blanket to snuggle up with on a cold winter day. For all that dogs’ do for humankind, we should be treating them like royalty. Over time though, humankind started forgetting how wonderful dogs’ really are, and, along with many other things in society, started only seeing dollar signs. These poor defenseless creatures were thrown into slavery, in the form of a puppy mill. “A puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding facility where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs,” (ASPCA). The animals that were once seen as magnificent and beautiful, are mainly seen as a form of money in today’s society,
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and it is disgusting. A pointer wants to hunt, a greyhound wants to run, and an australian shepherd wants to herd, (Totally Pets). Those are just some innate characteristics in those dog breeds. Those dogs need to hunt, run, and herd in order to survive in life. However, when they get put into places like puppy mills, their lives are primarily over. They are kept in, “overcrowded and unsanitary conditions without adequate veterinary care, food, water or socialization,” (ASPCA). The cages in these facilities will primarily be around the same size for every dog, and will, more often than not, be made out of wire and stacked on top of each other, (ASPCA). The larger dog breeds will be cramped and forced to stay in a cage that is three sizes too small for them, while the smaller dogs will fall through the wires or get their tiny little paws stuck in the holes of the cages. These poor dogs are lucky if their cages or kennels are even cleaned once a week. Any blankets or toys the dogs might have been given, may not be cleaned for a month, (A Closer Look). In order to save money the dogs will only be feed when needed. To someone who is unfamiliar with puppy mills might believe that the previous statement will mean the dogs are fed at least two to three times a day, but in actuality they are only fed about once a day, and it is by no means any where near the portion size they need to thrive. The lucky dogs will be the ones who are inside a facility. They are at least protected from the sun, rain, and snow, while the dogs who are forced to live twenty four seven outside will eventually die from the harsh weather conditions, (A Closer Look). The dogs on the inside are not safe from the weather, it is just slightly less terrible; the dogs will experience overheating and frostbite, but that’s better than getting pelted by little bullets of ice.
After the puppies are born they are very susceptible to many diseases and illnesses such as: heart and kidney disease, epilepsy, blood disorders, deafness, blindness, and many more, (A Closer Look). They will be very timid and skittish from being taken away from their mother and littermates at too young of an age. There will be other behavior problems, and they could range from being overly aggressive, to being too meek and shy, (A Closer Look). These dogs’ are set up for failure from the time they are brought into this world, until the time they leave it.
One of the main goals in a puppy mill is to make a profit, and to make it as fast and as much as they possibly can. The people who run the puppy mills have no concerns about the dogs, but only for themselves. They will over breed these poor female dogs until they are physically exhausted and can no longer breed, (A Closer Look). Once this happens, and the breeders have no more use for the dog, she will be put through one of two options: set free and become a stray dog, or be killed. More often than not the latter is chosen. Ms. Sidenwand saved her little puppy, Tilly, from being one of the many dogs who lose their lives from becoming barren. Tilly was only two years old, and had produced two litters. Her first litter turned out perfect and she had given birth to three beautiful little puppies. However, she was forced to breed again to early and her poor, exhausted body could not handle it. When her second litter came, she produced four puppies and all but one were still born. The one that did survive was very weak and ill, and most likely did not have what it takes to survive. After Tilly’s unsuccessful second litter, she was going to be shot. Ms. Sidenwand could not sit back and watch this poor, defenseless creature be murdered so she saved her life and adopted her. I am told that Tilly is living the pampered life now-a-days, but she still has lasting side affects from her time in the puppy mill, as to be expected, (Motley).
Have you ever wondered where pet stores get their adorable little puppies from?
And where they go when they get too old and haven’t been sold yet? Well the answer to the first question is easy: puppy mills. Pet stores deceive their customers by telling the customers that they have, “‘papers’ or licenses to prove that their dogs are from humane sources,” when really there is no difference between a humane breeder and a puppy mill in the eyes of the law, because puppy mills’ are not legally defined, (ASPCA). Real humane breeders would never sell to pet stores, because they would want background checks done on the potential buyers in order to make sure that the dog/puppy would have a safe home, (The Humane Society). The answer to the second question is a very cruel and harsh one to grasp. The sweet little puppy whose age started to affect its chances of being adopted will either get thrown back into a puppy mill, or will be killed. In a Virginia pet store, one veterinarian, “listed euthanasia method as gunshot by owner,” (The Humane Society), which is by no means legal. “If you want to make money in this business… You really have to sell your soul. You can’t care about animals at all,” (The Humane
Society). Puppy mills are located all across America, but specifically the Midwest. Missouri has the highest concentration of puppy mills in the United States of America, but Ohio is not far behind, along with Pennsylvania and upstate New York, (A Closer Look). “There are typically between two thousand and three thousand USDA-licensed breeders (commonly referred to as puppy mills) operating in the United States,” (A CLoser Look). However, since it is not a federal crime to operate a puppy mill, in most states, there are no laws or regulations on how puppy mills should be run. Therefore, there is no legal action that can be taken to help protect these animals. Recently, Ohio has been trying to help our four legged friends, and in two thousand sixteen, “The Goddard’s Law, or House Bill sixty, was signed by Ohio Governor John Kasich on June thirteenth,” (Loreno). The Goddard’s Law states that, “causing serious physical harm to a companion animal will warrant a felony,” (Loreno). This law is currently only active in Ohio, but hopefully it will help towards the end of animal cruelty, and towards the end of puppy mills for good. There are many other alternatives for buying a dog, than just going to a pet store and helping puppy mills increase their popularity, which only increases their supply and demand. Shelters are always a great solution. Dogs from shelters have unique personalities, and more often than not they have an interesting story to go with them. Many dogs in the southern states lived through Hurricane Katrina and are still smiling through all of the destruction. If you go to a shelter in the northeast parts of the United States, you will find dogs who were in Hurricane Irma, were rescued, and finally brought up north for shelter and to find their forever homes.
“Prostitution: (n) the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment,” (Prostitution). It has been outlawed in the United States since the early nineteen hundreds. The act of prostitution is a federal crime, and if caught, could cost a pretty penny and even jail time. However, puppy mill breeders are doing just that, and getting away with it punishment free. They are using bodies to make money and killing the body when can no longer fulfill their needs, yet this is seen as alright under the United States Constitution, because it is only dogs, not human beings. Most People believe that ignorance is bliss and that if you don’t look or listen then it didn’t happen, but that is how the world becomes corrupt. If we start correcting the minor issues, we will slowly correct the major issues.
and it is disgusting. A pointer wants to hunt, a greyhound wants to run, and an australian shepherd wants to herd, (Totally Pets). Those are just some innate characteristics in those dog breeds. Those dogs need to hunt, run, and herd in order to survive in life. However, when they get put into places like puppy mills, their lives are primarily over. They are kept in, “overcrowded and unsanitary conditions without adequate veterinary care, food, water or socialization,” (ASPCA). The cages in these facilities will primarily be around the same size for every dog, and will, more often than not, be made out of wire and stacked on top of each other, (ASPCA). The larger dog breeds will be cramped and forced to stay in a cage that is three sizes too small for them, while the smaller dogs will fall through the wires or get their tiny little paws stuck in the holes of the cages. These poor dogs are lucky if their cages or kennels are even cleaned once a week. Any blankets or toys the dogs might have been given, may not be cleaned for a month, (A Closer Look). In order to save money the dogs will only be feed when needed. To someone who is unfamiliar with puppy mills might believe that the previous statement will mean the dogs are fed at least two to three times a day, but in actuality they are only fed about once a day, and it is by no means any where near the portion size they need to thrive. The lucky dogs will be the ones who are inside a facility. They are at least protected from the sun, rain, and snow, while the dogs who are forced to live twenty four seven outside will eventually die from the harsh weather conditions, (A Closer Look). The dogs on the inside are not safe from the weather, it is just slightly less terrible; the dogs will experience overheating and frostbite, but that’s better than getting pelted by little bullets of ice.
After the puppies are born they are very susceptible to many diseases and illnesses such as: heart and kidney disease, epilepsy, blood disorders, deafness, blindness, and many more, (A Closer Look). They will be very timid and skittish from being taken away from their mother and littermates at too young of an age. There will be other behavior problems, and they could range from being overly aggressive, to being too meek and shy, (A Closer Look). These dogs’ are set up for failure from the time they are brought into this world, until the time they leave it.
One of the main goals in a puppy mill is to make a profit, and to make it as fast and as much as they possibly can. The people who run the puppy mills have no concerns about the dogs, but only for themselves. They will over breed these poor female dogs until they are physically exhausted and can no longer breed, (A Closer Look). Once this happens, and the breeders have no more use for the dog, she will be put through one of two options: set free and become a stray dog, or be killed. More often than not the latter is chosen. Ms. Sidenwand saved her little puppy, Tilly, from being one of the many dogs who lose their lives from becoming barren. Tilly was only two years old, and had produced two litters. Her first litter turned out perfect and she had given birth to three beautiful little puppies. However, she was forced to breed again to early and her poor, exhausted body could not handle it. When her second litter came, she produced four puppies and all but one were still born. The one that did survive was very weak and ill, and most likely did not have what it takes to survive. After Tilly’s unsuccessful second litter, she was going to be shot. Ms. Sidenwand could not sit back and watch this poor, defenseless creature be murdered so she saved her life and adopted her. I am told that Tilly is living the pampered life now-a-days, but she still has lasting side affects from her time in the puppy mill, as to be expected, (Motley).
Have you ever wondered where pet stores get their adorable little puppies from?
And where they go when they get too old and haven’t been sold yet? Well the answer to the first question is easy: puppy mills. Pet stores deceive their customers by telling the customers that they have, “‘papers’ or licenses to prove that their dogs are from humane sources,” when really there is no difference between a humane breeder and a puppy mill in the eyes of the law, because puppy mills’ are not legally defined, (ASPCA). Real humane breeders would never sell to pet stores, because they would want background checks done on the potential buyers in order to make sure that the dog/puppy would have a safe home, (The Humane Society). The answer to the second question is a very cruel and harsh one to grasp. The sweet little puppy whose age started to affect its chances of being adopted will either get thrown back into a puppy mill, or will be killed. In a Virginia pet store, one veterinarian, “listed euthanasia method as gunshot by owner,” (The Humane Society), which is by no means legal. “If you want to make money in this business… You really have to sell your soul. You can’t care about animals at all,” (The Humane
Society). Puppy mills are located all across America, but specifically the Midwest. Missouri has the highest concentration of puppy mills in the United States of America, but Ohio is not far behind, along with Pennsylvania and upstate New York, (A Closer Look). “There are typically between two thousand and three thousand USDA-licensed breeders (commonly referred to as puppy mills) operating in the United States,” (A CLoser Look). However, since it is not a federal crime to operate a puppy mill, in most states, there are no laws or regulations on how puppy mills should be run. Therefore, there is no legal action that can be taken to help protect these animals. Recently, Ohio has been trying to help our four legged friends, and in two thousand sixteen, “The Goddard’s Law, or House Bill sixty, was signed by Ohio Governor John Kasich on June thirteenth,” (Loreno). The Goddard’s Law states that, “causing serious physical harm to a companion animal will warrant a felony,” (Loreno). This law is currently only active in Ohio, but hopefully it will help towards the end of animal cruelty, and towards the end of puppy mills for good. There are many other alternatives for buying a dog, than just going to a pet store and helping puppy mills increase their popularity, which only increases their supply and demand. Shelters are always a great solution. Dogs from shelters have unique personalities, and more often than not they have an interesting story to go with them. Many dogs in the southern states lived through Hurricane Katrina and are still smiling through all of the destruction. If you go to a shelter in the northeast parts of the United States, you will find dogs who were in Hurricane Irma, were rescued, and finally brought up north for shelter and to find their forever homes.
“Prostitution: (n) the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment,” (Prostitution). It has been outlawed in the United States since the early nineteen hundreds. The act of prostitution is a federal crime, and if caught, could cost a pretty penny and even jail time. However, puppy mill breeders are doing just that, and getting away with it punishment free. They are using bodies to make money and killing the body when can no longer fulfill their needs, yet this is seen as alright under the United States Constitution, because it is only dogs, not human beings. Most People believe that ignorance is bliss and that if you don’t look or listen then it didn’t happen, but that is how the world becomes corrupt. If we start correcting the minor issues, we will slowly correct the major issues.