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What Are Puppy Mills?
A puppy mill is a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with a big emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and is often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of dogs in their care. They are the biggest provider for dogs in pet shops.
A puppy mill is a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with a big emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and is often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of dogs in their care. They are the biggest provider for dogs in pet shops.
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Conditions
Puppy mills house dogs in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, without enough veterinary care, food, water and socialization. Puppy mill dogs do not receive love, attention, exercise or basic grooming. To minimize waste clean up, dogs are kept in cages with wire flooring that injures their paws and legs, this can also cause the dogs to limp, and sometimes, can stop them from walking. Often, cages are stacked up in columns. Dogs at mills might spend their entire lives outdoors, exposed to the elements, or kept inside indoor cages all their lives.
Puppy mills house dogs in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, without enough veterinary care, food, water and socialization. Puppy mill dogs do not receive love, attention, exercise or basic grooming. To minimize waste clean up, dogs are kept in cages with wire flooring that injures their paws and legs, this can also cause the dogs to limp, and sometimes, can stop them from walking. Often, cages are stacked up in columns. Dogs at mills might spend their entire lives outdoors, exposed to the elements, or kept inside indoor cages all their lives.
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The Consequences
- Once adopted a dog can take a year or more for the dog to relax and allow human touch.
- Often, after the breeder dog in a puppy mill has reached the age of 4 years, it is no longer needed and killed.
- Due to the over-breeding and inbreeding that takes place, most of these puppies have, or will develop, genetic defects or other health problems at some time in their lives
- many people suffer from severe dog allergies based on these various irritations and poor living conditions.
- respiratory ailments because of the ammonia fumes they suffer
- pneumonia as they often suffer all the elements if they are caged outdoors
- hereditary defects such as hip dysplasia as the wire floor is very straining
- an abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints.