Pet Adoption - The Pros and Cons of Adopting a Dog From a Puppy Mill

We have all seen horror stories of how cruel animals can be and are treated. We vow that we will never result to such forms of cruelty as a form of punishment or subject our pets to those terrible living conditions. On a larger scale, puppy mills are known for their maltreatment of animals. Animal organizations fight against puppy mills and warn people not to continue funding the industry. But, since there is no blame to place on the animals, is it ever okay to adopt from a mill?

Recently, a large puppy mill operation was raided in Tennessee. Close to 700 puppies were rescued by the Humane Society, and those in good health were sent to animal shelters for adoption. People lined up outside the shelters to offer the puppies loving homes. This bust was the largest ever conducted in Tennessee and has enlightened many people about the true conditions of a puppy mill.

So, what is the difference between a breeder and a mill? In general, breeders are proud of their animals. They breed the animals with health and temperament in mind, and do not wing them from the mother too early. They allow the female dogs an adequate amount of time between breeding. The dogs are purebred and live in favorable conditions. If you have ever tried to buy a dog directly from a breeder, then you know how difficult it can be. Often, a breeder will not give an animal to just anyone who wants one. A mill, on the other hand, breeds dogs for money. The living conditions are so poor (multiple animals confined to one small area, little or no grooming, and little food) that the animals often develop health problems early on. The female dogs are often forced to breed at every heat cycle, taking a toll on the health of the mother and the litter. The young puppies are winged too early on. While the dogs may appear purebred, the paperwork is often forged.

When an animal organization stresses the importance of not funding the industry, then you may wonder who exactly is doing all the funding. If you have ever purchased a puppy from a pet store or a backyard breeder, then you may have been a contributor. In the past, pet retailers have been known to purchase their puppies from mills. The puppies are cheaper and the mill claims pedigree. Now, fewer stores purchase from mills, but sometimes mill puppies slip through. Often, mill personnel will disguise themselves as reputable breeders, offering purebred puppies with pedigree information. The stores then buy the puppies (contributing money to the puppy mill), and you, in turn, buy the puppy from the store. Because of sales, the store continues to buy from the "breeder."

Many people go straight to the store when they want a purebred puppy, believing that the store can prove the pedigree. In reality, mills often forge the information. If you are looking for a purebred puppy, then head straight to a breeder. Pay attention to the conditions at the breeder's facilities. There is a huge difference between a reputable and a backyard breeder. Backyard breeders show poor living conditions; they are very similar to small-scale mills. A true breeder will show love and care for the animals. They may watch how you interact with the puppy and ask you lots of questions about the puppy's prospective living conditions. If the breeder feels that you are not a good match, and you leave without a puppy, don't feel bad. Perhaps a different breed of dog would fit better with your lifestyle.

If you aren't looking for a purebred, then check your local animal shelters. There, you may find dogs that were rescued from a mill or similar living conditions. You can also find breed specific shelters that offer purebred pups. Adopting from an animal shelter means one less dog will be euthanized.

So, is it ever okay to get a puppy from a mill? The answer is no, unless the mill dog winds up in a shelter. Adopting a rescued dog is much different from buying the dog (directly or indirectly) from a mill. No, it isn't the pooch's fault, but your money will only ensure that the mill continues to practice maltreatment. Search out breeders around your area, and schedule visits. You can also check out your local animal shelter to find a dog that's right for you.

This article was provided by discount-pet-mall and written by Shelly Seigler. Visit her site for unique shopping and discounted prices on a daily basis. Find electric dog fences and remote dog training collars from the industries leading brands.

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Before You Adopt A Dog Or Donate, Know About Puppy Mill Rescues And Unethical Adoption Practices

As the public has become more aware of the horrendous treatment puppy mill dogs receive, there has been an increased interest in adopting dogs from shelters or rescues rather than buying puppies at pet stores. Pet store demand for cute young puppies is one of the main reasons for the growth of the puppy mill industry. Many people are now trying to find ways to close puppy mills. The result of these trends has been to increase the adoption rate as well as increasing the desire of people to donate their time (volunteer) and/or donate money to the cause of eliminating puppy mills. Unfortunately, as was mentioned in another article, rescue groups are not all created equal. It has become very important that before you donate any money to a rescue group, you educate yourself about the many "issues of concern." This article will discuss issues related to puppy mill dog rescues and rescue/adoption scams to allow comparison with shelters and small local rescues.

(1) Puppy mill rescue groups.

These groups are generally small when compared to animal shelters and may or may not have their own facilities. They generally claim to be No Kill organizations, and are usually 501(c)(3) and non-profit organizations. Their funding comes from donations and the sale (adoption fees) of their rescued dogs. Some No Kill rescues maintain that status by transferring dogs they no longer want to other rescues or shelters.

Originally these groups worked in a stealthy fashion to secretly attend dog auctions sponsored by puppy mills breeders. The rescue volunteers would "buy" (for very small amounts of money) the dogs that the puppy mill breeders no longer wanted. If not purchased, the dogs were generally killed by less than humane methods. Over the past few years, many puppy mill rescues have moved from stealth to creating "relationships" with puppy mill breeders. Now, when a puppy mill breeder has dogs it no longer wants, a call is placed to a rescue and that rescue simply drives to the property and loads up the unwanted dogs.

The leaders of these rescues try very hard to convince the public that they are fighting the puppy mill industry with this new tactic; but in reality, they are supporting these breeders. The most difficult problem for these breeders is eliminating the no longer needed dogs. It was disturbing pictures of piles of dead dogs and stories about breeders who gassed their unwanted dogs that so alarmed and moved the public into action. Now, rescues are solving that problem for breeders and are creating the needed space for the breeders to continue.

None of these rescues has any authority to close down puppy mills; and some methods that would hasten the closing of these puppy mills are avoided by the rescues so as not to harm their "relationships" with these breeders. (One such method would be the posting of information on their websites about these puppy mills so the public could then put pressure on the USDA and the AKC to force inspections and closings.)

To their credit, these rescues do save the lives of some dogs. However, many of these dogs are older, are sick with both physical and mental issues, are never house-trained; and for the money spent to rescue and rehabilitate one mill dog, many healthy dogs could be saved from shelters. This is a very controversial issue and you will need to decide your own feelings in this matter.

For anyone contemplating leaving large sums of money in your will to a puppy mill rescue group, there is an important issue to consider--how long will the group exist? Where most shelters have existed for decades, most puppy mill rescue groups have only existed a short time (1 - 10 years). If the puppy mill problem is solved, the leader moves, or a rescue goes out of business, what happens to the group, to the kennel, to the property, and to your money?

(2) Rescue/Adoption Scams.

These usually happen over the Internet. Some puppy mills are beginning to use the Internet to sell their dogs under a false dog rescue identification. People think they are getting a rescue dog when, in fact, they are buying a puppy mill dog directly from the despicable breeder.

Seldom will you find legitimate 501(c)(3) or non-profit status or USDA license for online sellers. They always claim AKC registration, but fail to send papers with the pups. Bait and switch is common practice. The puppy you receive is not the puppy you thought you would be getting.

Unfortunately, there are also some licensed rescues that do really despicable things like go into disaster areas, "rescue" all the small dogs, take them back to their own facility, and then sell them rather than trying to find the real families. Another despicable act is to take advantage of special sale events at shelters. These rescues buy the small dogs at special-event low prices, and then sell the same dogs at much higher prices through their own "rescues." Some "rescues" and individuals also buy inexpensive dogs advertised on the Internet and then "adopt them out" for more than they paid.

The list of potential scams is quite long, and will be an article by itself. For now, I just want you to be aware of what can happen so that you are looking for it.

Note: Legitimate shelters, rescues, and good breeders all have websites. This is normal and expected. It is individual dogs being advertised that usually indicate a scam. Stay away from "free puppies" having a small "re-homing" fee. Don't be taken in by "sob stories." "These puppies belonged to my Mum who just passed away." Do not have a dog shipped to you. Investigate thoroughly any breeder listed online. Never donate because of a phone solicitation until you have investigated the organization. Do not allow yourself to be high-pressured into donating. NEVER buy a dog you haven't seen in person or donate to a group you haven't visited.

Remember that the issue of understanding the differences among the different types of rescues is the first of ten "issues of concern" related to adopting a dog and/or donating to dog rescues. The other nine issues will be discussed in other articles.

Shirley Slick, "The Slick Tips Lady," is a retired high school math teacher and a life-long animal lover. In addition to her goals about mathematics education, she is equally concerned about puppy-mills, the dog rescue industry, and designer dogs. For more information about these topics, or tips about donating to rescues, visit her website at http://slicktipsaboutdogrescues.com/

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