Puppy Mills

Many people know about the existence of puppy mills. However, they do not know the true reasons why many animal cruelty prevention organizations have started attacking the basis of puppy mills. Puppy mills are a commercial breeding business where dogs are mass produced. Which does not sound horrible until you find out about the filthy and unhealthy environment, these vulnerable puppies live in until they get shipped out to a local pet shop. The dogs bred in these puppy mills are typically damaged either physically or emotionally. The puppies produced in the puppy mills are prone to get viral or bacterial infections due to the unsanitary living quarters; normally just a small kennel for one to eight dogs. Also, the puppies run a high risk of
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Little do they know the unsanitary and harmful environments puppy mill bred dogs have to live in for the first period of their lives. The number of puppy mills there is in the United States have increased hugely since their early years, which were after World War II. During their early years, puppy mills only originated to generate income for the struggling farmers. However, just because the puppy mill’s were on a much smaller scale does not mean they were not as cruel as today’s. The first puppy mills were built on a capitalistic mindset. Which was to produce as many dogs for the least amount of cost. Many puppy mill farmers had little to no experience with dog breeding and did not provide proper socializing or health care which are crucial in the dog 's first couple of weeks. Perhaps the scariest part about puppy mills is that society is letting animal cruelty live in the backyards of our nation. According to the Humane Society of the United States, of the estimated 10,000 puppy mills in the United States, less than thirty percent are actually regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“Puppy Mills Research”). Without regulation, many of these large scale breeders are breaking numerous codes. Which risks the health of the dogs not only in the puppy mill, but also those outside of the
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While inbreeding dogs does not sound bad, imagine if humans were inbred commonly. Pretty soon, humans who were inbred for a couple generations were more prone to genetic disease, deformities, and mutations. The same risks run for dogs who are inbred. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the ASPCA, “...puppies from puppy mills are prone to congenital and hereditary conditions. These can include: Epilepsy, heart disease,kidney disease, musculoskeletal disorders (hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, etc.), endocrine disorders (diabetes, hyperthyroidism), blood disorders (anemia, Von Willebrand disease), deafness, eye problems (cataracts, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, etc.), or respiratory disorders” (“A Closer Look at Puppy Mills”). It is a little known fact to the normal society of America that a purebred pug can not breed without assistance from a breeder due to its hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a painful condition where the ball-and-socket joint of the hip dislocate