| Just what is a puppy mill? |
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| A puppy mill is... A place where several breeds of dogs are raised and the breeder always has puppies for sale; A dirty,trashy place where one or several breeds of dogs are kept in deplorable conditions and puppies are always available; A place where a single breed of dog is raised in acceptable conditions and puppies are always available; A place where lots of dogs are raised,where breeding is done solely for financial gain rather than protection of breed integrity,and where puppies are sold to brokers or to pet stores; All of the above. The answer depends on who you ask.A hobby breeder dedicated to promoting and protecting a particular breed or two might consider all of the above"breeders" to be puppy mills.Animal shelter and rescue workers who deal daily with abandoned dogs might agree.Operators of clean commercial kennels,licensed by the US Department of Agricultuer,will strongly disagre,for the very mention of"puppy mill"damages their business and that of the pet stores they deal with. John Q Dog Owner probably thinks of a puppy mills as those places exposed on "20/20" or "Geraldo".They have seen the cameras pan back and forth over trash,piles of feces,dogs with runny noses and oozingsores,dogs crammed into shopeing carts and tiny coops,rats sharing dirty food bowls and dry dishes.They've seen the puppy mill owner captured on tape,dirty,barely articulate,and ignorant of dog care,temperment,genetic health,or proper nutrition.He's belligerant too,demanding to be left alone to earn his livelihood. But is the television crew simply seeking the sensational and applying these appaling conditions to the entire dog producing industry?Just what is a puppy mill? After WW II,when farmers were desperatly seeking alternative methods of making money when traditional crops failed,the US Department of Agriculture encouraged the raising of puppies as a crop.Retail pet outlets grew in numbers as the supply of puppies increased,and puppy production was on its way. However,the puppy farmers had little knowledge of canine husbandry and often began their ventures with little money and already run-down conditions.They housed their dogs in chicken coops and rabbit hutches,provided little socialization,and often eschewed veterinary care because they couldn't afford to pay.Animal welfare org.such as the Humane Society of the US(befor itbecame politicized by the animal rights movement)investigated conditions at these farms and eventually were successful in focusing national attention on the repulsive conditions at "puppy mills." Puppy mill conditions were a mojor impetus in the passage of the national Animal Welfare Act. However,as often happens,the appellation has been bastardized to mean any breeder who breeds lots of dogs,no matter what the conditions of the kennel or the health of the puppies.The US Department of Agriculture administers the AWA.The act lists several catagories of businesses that handel dogs: Pet Wholesalers:Are those who import,buy,sell,trade pets in wholesale channels,and they must be licensed by the USDA to conduct business; Pet Breedders:are those who breed for the wholesale trade,whether for selling animalsto other breeders or selling to brokers or directly to pet stores or laboratories,and they must also be licensed by USDA to conduct business;and laboratory animal dealers,breeder,and bunchers must also be licensed,as must auction operators and promoters of contests in which animals are given as prizes. Hobby breeders who sell diractly to pet stores are exempt from licensing if they gross less than $500 per year and if they own no more than three breeding females. The AWA does not list a definition of either"commercial kennel" or "puppy mill."The American Kennel Club also avoids defining "puppy mill"but does label a commercial breeder as one who"breeds dogs as a business,for profit"and a hobby breeder as "one who breeds purebred dogs occasionally to justifiably improve the breed,not for purposes of primary income." AKC does not license breeders.The USDA issues licenses under the AWA after inspecting kennels to determine whether or not minimum standards for housing and care are being met.They require minimum amount of space for each dog,shelter,a feeding and veterinary care program,fresh water every 24 hours,proper drainage of the kennel,and appropriate sanitary proceddures tio assure cleanliness. USDA licensed more than 4600 animal dealers,more than 3000 of them dealing solely in wholesale distribution of dogs and cats,in 1992.Animal welfare proponents claim that there are many dealers(commercial kennels?puppy mills?)who have avoided the system,and that USDA does not have enough inspectors to seek then out and enforce the law.These wellfariests have lobbied for stricter laws in the "puppy mill states"in the Midwest. It's easy to say that John Jones or Mary Smith runs a puppy mill or that pet store puppies come from puppy mills,but the label is tossed about so frequently and with so little regard for accuracy that each prospective dog owner should ascertain for himself whether or not he wishes to buy a dog from John Jones,Mary Smith,a pet store,or a hobby breeder. Here are Dog Owners Guide definitions to help you decide.. Hobby Breeder: A breed fancier who usually has only one breed but may have two;follows a breeding plan in efforts to preserve and protect the breed;produces from none to five litters per year;breeds only when a litter will enhance the breed and the breeding program;raises the puppies with plenty of environmental and human contact;has a contract that protects breeder,dog,and buyer;runs a small,clean kennel;screens breeding stock to eliminate hereditary defects from the breed;works with a breed club to promote and protect the breed;and cares that each and every puppy is placed in the best home possible. |
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