I'm curious to see people's definitions and the reasons they define the term in that way.
My personal definition of puppy mill from what I’ve seen, heard, and read already is that it is a place where dogs are being bred for the purpose of making money. Dogs or pups aren’t petted there but they are mainly “the business”.
A puppy mill is a place where dogs are bred over and over again for the sole purpose of making money. The 'breeder' does not have the dogs or puppies best interests in mind when doing the breeding. The people who run the puppy mills do not care for the bitches, routinely allowing them to breed over and over again until they can no longer re-produce. When that time comes, the bitch is euthanized and discarded. puppies mills also routinely weane the puppies too early so that the mother dog can go back into heat and breed again. A smaller scale puppy mill is often referred to as a backyard breeder. These are people who irresponsibly breed their dogs for the sole purpose of making money. Not all breeders run 'puppy mill' type conditions, in fact MOST don't but it's important for people to do their research before purchasing a dog. It also important to not that responsible breeders DO NOT sell their puppies to pet stores, so more often than not puppies at pet stores are puppy mill dogs.
Is making money breeding dogs and cats inherently bad, if the animals are well cared for and socialized? Did you know that a dog will only come into heat twice a year, regardless of whether their puppies are weaned or not? Some breeds, such as the Basenji, only come into heat once a year. Did you know that current canine reproductive research indicates that a bitch should be bred on consecutive heats until she is spayed, starting after physical maturity, in order to avoid damaging the uterus? Usually, specialists recommend breeding no more than three times--ever--but certainly not more than that consecutively in order to give the bitch's body time to replenish vitamins and minerals that might be in short supply during pregnancy and nursing. I'm still interested in learning what other people think a puppy mill might be.
I never said making money breeding dogs and cats is bad. But the more you sit here and defend a puppy mill- which is what it seems you are doing, the more I question you're definition of 'responsible breeder'
It is a farm where they breed puppies, I think! I really do not know much about it, can not wait to see what others have said.
I am honesty not aware of puppy mill until I had read it on this thread. Sad that there could be those not responsible and abusive breeders that seems do not have emotional attachment to the dogs he was breeding. Better to find a responsible breeder, the one who have care and love for dogs.
Never liked the idea of any kind of mill. Sounds too much like a production line. Puppy mills should be banned. Period.
I’m just curious as to how many dogs do you breed and how can you take care of them all if there’s really a lot of them.
This is the best description imo http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/ Don't support puppy mills-adopt your pets instead, make the world better for more than one animal.
Totally, absolutely in full support of a total ban on puppy mills. Plus a serious recommendation that puppy mill owners be put into cages for the rest of their lives.
You know that according to the HSUS, the average hobby/show breeder is a puppy mill? Right? The HSUS is unconcerned with animal welfare of any kind, except as it exists to further their animal rights agenda.
If you keep spewing this agenda that the HSUS considers show breeders puppy mills than show us HOW exactly that works. What is something a responsible breeder does that the HSUS considers a puppy mill?
Wow, "spewing this agenda?" Way to present an open mind . . . But okay. What a responsible breeder does to seem like a puppy mill to the HSUS is . . . breed. That's it. If you breed a dog, then you are considered an evil creature that brings puppies into the world when there are far too many puppies being euthanized every year. If you plan a breeding, then you are "forcing" dogs to mate--even if the female in question would allow any male in the world to breed her if she were let loose to do as she would. However, if you don't plan a breeding to minimize genetic flaws and pair only health-tested individuals, then you are a "backyard breeder" and irresponsible. If you don't allow someone into your house to see the way you keep your dogs (most hobby/show breeders keep their dogs in their homes, not in kennels), then you are "hiding something." You can't possibly be afraid of spreading germs to new puppies or be concerned about your dogs' and your family's safety. Nevermind that animal rights activists have lied their way into homes to steal puppies or to harm even breeders themselves. Just a few years ago, a rat terrier breeder was killed by a person who lied about wanting a puppy, who befriended her, and who later stole her unborn baby. I'm not making this up: http://www.karisable.com/stinnett.htm There are many things that the HSUS considers wrong when done by breeders. It's unfortunate but true: the HSUS is no friend to breeders or to people who love their pets and want to keep them.
Read up in this post, I absolutely don't support the HSUS but I would like to see your proof that they consider breeders to be a puppy mill. Because every definition I've found on the internet does NOT list responsible breeders as puppy mills. "Can you imagine forcing your pet dog to live his or her entire life in a small wire cage with no human companionship, toys or comfort, and little hope of ever becoming part of a family" That's the first line on their website in regards to puppy mills. You are the one jumping at people defending breeders when NOBODY is criticizing them. Usually when people do that they have something they are trying to hide.
*Drinking water* these two makes me nervous. But I’m thankful for the both of you for showing us the two sides of the coin.
Wow, a very heated topic! I consider a puppy mill to be like has been said a place where they breed the dogs solely for cash and where they aren't concerned about the dogs well being and comfort. A place like this:
I think that picture hits the nail on the head SheWolfSilver. No responsible breeder or humane person would let a dog live in a condition like those dogs.
They should follow a standardize protocol on how to breed dogs and not like the one that SheWolfSilver posted. People who practice this kind of torture should be punished by law.
