The Truth Regarding Puppy Mills

Page 2 whelp swots fall in long been a problem in the United put ups, specifically the Midwest region. Puppy loiter get behinds tolerate in cages 24 hours a day 7 age a week. The dogs lone(prenominal) purpose in life is to sit in a cage, constantly producing more puppies to make a profit for their owners (Best Friends Network, 2007). The dogs consume little to no human interaction. Puppy mill around be licenced facilities, which mass-produce puppies for pet stores and/or auctions, and should be banned due to the portentous conditions in which the animals live they are bred repeatedly, and often killed when having outlived their usefulness.According to Pet cheat on Puppies (n. d. ), Congress enacted the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The AWA was meant to protect the animals, just if instead opened up the door for dog farms. This act changed the commentary of dogs from pets to livestock. Today we have moved up from dog farms to pup mill around. Puppy mill strivi ng dogs repeatedly and have turned breeding into a multi-million dollar industry. Best Friends Network states there is an estimated 6,000 authorize puppy mills breeding approximately 500,000 dogs each year with an unknown amount of unauthorized facilities (The Skinny On Puppy mill around section, final paragraph).Puppy mill owners breed dogs, sell the offspring to pet stores and auction houses. The puppies are direct to auction to be exchange to the highest bidder in order for other puppy mills to be able to continue the breeding cycle. When puppy mills run out of new dogs to breed, they will begin breeding induce to son, daughter to father, etc. creating inbreeding. Inbreeding causes many genetic problems for any breed. Page 3 The United States Department of Agriculture ( farming) requires minimum standards for puppy mills, breeders, and rescues. According to Prisoners of avariciousness (n. ), the cages are requisite to be six inches longer, wider, and taller than the dog i nside. The cages have to be made of coated wire. This coated wire cuts into the paws of the dogs causing severe infection, acquittance of limbs, and sometimes death. The USDA does non require dogs to be exercised. There is no requirement as to how clean the cages have to be kept. Often, the dog cages are stacked on top of one another to save space. The dogs feces and urine drops through the coated wire skunk onto the dog(s) below. There are many differences between puppy mills and licensed rofessional breeders. A professional breeder only breeds to improve or reserve the breed. Puppy mills breed for gross(a)ly profit. Professional breeders will only breed their dogs a maximum of once a year. Some breeders only breed their bitches every other year. Puppy mills breed their dogs repeatedly. When a person purchases a puppy from a professional breeder, the facilities, which the parent dogs live, is unattached for a tour. Puppy mills wholesale their puppies to stores and auction hou ses only. Puppy mills and private auctions are not licensed to sell directly to the humans.This way of life the purchaser is unable to see the conditions of which the parent dogs live. Professional breeders will disoblige their dogs once they are too old to be used for reproduction. solitude means these dogs get to live out their life as a family pet. Puppy mills kill the dogs, dump them on the side of the road, mete out them away, or send them to animal control once they are not able to reproduce. According to the USDA, animal control is not required to hold a surrendered dog for any length of time. Animal control is resign to euthanize the animal when the owner brings them in. Page 4 The USDA has many responsibilities.The USDA is responsible for inspecting yearly all professional breeders, puppy mills, and rescues. When the USDA inspects the ships officer is required to enforce the federal AWA. The USDA does not always okay or shut down puppy mills when the officer discoe rs a violation. These facilities are allowed to continue to operate while the animals are kept in poor conditions. According to Prisoners of Greed (n. d. ) there are over 4,000 federally licensed breeding kennels. In Susan Montees report (2008), Missouri State meeter, the USDA failed to inspect 1,111 of 2,769 licensed animal care facilities in 2006. The corresponding report states only 27% of licensed facilities were inspected in 2004. In Claire McCaskills report (2004), Missouri State Auditor, the USDA has received three prejudicial reports in the last seven years. These reports inspections by the Missouri State Auditor happen every other year. The issue being the USDA is required annually to inspect every licensed animal care forwardness and is not even inspecting half. Puppy mills treat their dogs like livestock. The dogs live in small cages, stacked on top of each other, with a coated wire bottom cutting into their feet.The dogs breed repeatedly with no attention paid to gen etic defects. Sick puppies are often produced and sold to pet stores. These pet stores in turn sell the sick puppies to the public (S. Rhoades, person-to-person interview, June 7, 2009). There are people, which have the mindset of only purchasing from pet stores because they only want a purebred puppy, and do not want to pay the prices professional breeders charge. (S. Rhoades June 7, 2009) There are many pure bred dogs on death row at animal shelters all over the Midwest. (S.Rhoades, personal interview, June 7, 2009) It is important the general public knows the truth regarding where that cute puppy was born, and where its parents live. (S. Rhoades, personal interview, June 7, 2009) There are also breed specific rescues, which have Page 5 only purebred puppies and dogs for adoption. As long as we have dogs on death row do not breed or buy, adopt from the local animal shelter or rescue. (S. Rhoades, personal interview, June 7, 2009) Page 6 References Best Friends Network, The Skinn y on Puppy Mills A. Abern. (October 20, 2007) http//network. estfriends. org/puppymillrescue/news/19928. hypertext mark-up language Pet Shop Puppies, incarnate ( n. d. ). The Joy of a Puppy. Brochure distributed by Pet Shop Pet Shop Puppies, Incorporated no author. (2004-2009). The Truth Behind Pet Store Puppies. June 3, 2009, http//www. petshoppuppies. org/psppuppymills. htm Prisoners of Greed no author. (n. d. ). Puppymills Breed Misery. June 3, 2009, http//www. prisonersofgreed. org/Commercial-kennel-facts. html Rhoades, S. (June 7, 2009). Personal interview with S. Rhoades, Follow Me Home Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, http//www. followmehome. org