Puppy mills
Puppy mills (known as puppy farms in the UK and Australia) are
dog breeding operations that are considered to be disreputable and
irresponsible. The term originated among critics of such operations.
Small-scale, irresponsible dog breeding operations are usually called backyard
breeding; the terms are akin but not synonymous.
Reputable breeders raise their animals in humane conditions, provide good
socialization and often formal training, and adhere to the breed standard. They
are knowledgeable about major health problems associated with their breed, and
with the principles of genetics, frequently undertaking specific matings to
produce or refine particular desirable characteristics in their dogs. They are
also sensitive to the requirements of their breeding adults — who may also be
breed or performance champions — and the puppies they produce. Reputable
breeders frequently screen potential customers rigorously, and usually provide a
pedigree and health guarantee with their puppies.
Although many responsible breeding operations tend to be small, size alone is
not an indication that a particular operation is a puppy mill. Rather, puppy
mills are characterized by ignoring duties that are standard among responsible
dog breeders. They may keep their dogs in overcrowded, unclean or otherwise
inappropriate surroundings. The puppies they produce may be improperly
socialized or may suffer from health problems which are often not disclosed to
purchasers. Their breeding animals may also suffer, with females sometimes
forced to undergo repeated pregnancies too quickly to fully recuperate between
them.
Puppy mill operators may misrepresent the breed of dog being sold, and adult
puppy mill dogs may exhibit characteristics uncommon to their advertised breed.
Unlike the puppies produced by reputable breeders, the vast majority of puppy
mill animals are sold to pet stores. Puppy mill operators are frequently accused
of being motivated only by profit rather than a commitment to the breed or any
empathy for the animals in their care.
Purchasing dogs, especially those claimed to be purebred, from a pet store is
strongly discouraged by reputable breeders and animal shelters. While many pet
stores claim to purchase dogs from "local breeders" instead of puppy mills, this
is often untrue or is a difference in name only, as reputable breeders generally
do not sell animals to pet stores. The phrase "local breeder" may also refer to
backyard breeders.
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