The Truth About Puppy Mills and Pet Stores

Do you know where the adorable puppies in your neighborhood pet store come from?

If you ask the pet store, employees will assure you that their puppies come only from "responsible breeders." They may even point to AKC papers and USDA regulations as proof that their puppies do not come from puppy mills. They claim that the USDA inspects breeders, making sure that the animals are safe and well cared for, and the AKC won't give papers to puppies unless the breeders have passed rigorous standards.

That's what pet stores told undercover reporters from the U.S. television news magazine Dateline. Dateline's 10-month investigation originated at the pet stores themselves -- from local mall establishments to an upscale pet boutique in Trump Tower. Every single one assured the undercover reporter (posing as a potential puppy buyer) that their puppies came from wonderful, caring breeders. Some were even indignant at being questioned about the origins of their animals: they would never buy from puppy mills!

But Dateline uncovered a different story. Nothing less than a fraud which encompasses pet stores, puppy mills, the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The result is a web of confusion, misinformation and lies that result in consumers unwittingly supporting puppy mills.

The news magazine revealed that, in fact, these pet stores were purchasing their animals from puppy mills. They then took a hidden camera inside the mills to reveal horrible animal cruelty -- gaping wounds, untreated infections, congenital diseases, maggot-infested food, breeding dogs never allowed to leave their tiny cages, and much more.

But what about the AKC papers and USDA inspections? Why didn't they uncover such blatant animal cruelty? In a nutshell, the AKC depends upon a sort of "honor system." You send in your registration fee and they send you papers. No inspections. No rigorous qualification. No verification. Dateline revealed just how worthless AKC papers really are by successfully getting two domestic cats registered as purebred golden retrievers!

So much for the AKC, but the USDA is a government agency charged with inspecting conditions at breeding facilities. The USDA couldn't possibly approve such conditions! Wrong. One puppy mill that Dateline visited, which had obvious and ongoing neglect and abuse, was inspected by the USDA just one month previous to Dateline's visit. No problems were noted.

As if that weren't enough, even more problems were revealed during the course of the hour-long program. The bottom line is that if you purchase an animal from a pet store, there are absolutely no guarantees. Employee assurances, AKC papers and USDA "inspections" are no guarantee. If you purchase a puppy from a pet store you are most likely supporting the horrendous cruelty of puppy mills. Chances are you aren't even getting the 'purebred' that you are paying for. You are also likely to get a puppy that has not been socialized properly and will have health problems that may not surface until years later, but will cost you a countless amount in your heart and your wallet.

Basically, to be safe, only buy from breeders or adopt from shelters. Research your breeder. Make sure both parents are on site when you look at the puppies, or if the stud dog lives elsewhere, go take a look at him. It is crucial.