Puppy Mill Fighters - Be a part of the solution instead of the problem!

the goal...

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Ghandi

typical pmp traits

Here are some fairly typical traits you will find in a puppy mill puppy (PMP):

Aversion to human touch
Scared and/or uncertain demeanor; fearful; bewildered and/or confused appearance
Picked up, they either bite your or soil themselves
Inability or refusal to walk on anything other than wire flooring; splayed feet and distorted pads; missing toes or deformed foot pads
No exposure to collars, leashes or harnesses - inability to walk on lead
Preference to other dogs instead of interaction with humans
Seldom if ever, housebroken
Housebreaking is difficult, if not impossible at times
Likely to either hide in a corner or if aggressive, to charge if a human comes to close, regardless of the breed or sex
Poor dentition, rotten teeth and gums; malformed jaws
Ear infections; deafness from untreated infections
Extensive marking to establish territory
Coprophagia (feces eating)
Females are usually 'bred-out' until they can no longer breed again; females are bred every season
Ratio is usually one male to four or more females per cage
Extensive cross-breeding can exist in a mill, intensifying the genetic deficiencies of any one line as indiscriminate breeding goes on (in the tightly closed breeding environment) while the dogs are part of that mill and until the dogs die or are sold at auction
Appearances may not fall into what one would expect for that particular breed at all!
Open sores, manage, tattered ears, improperly healed broken bones, poor or ineffective practices used to treat health issues or concerns
Unwillingness to allow a human to approach them from behind; extreme sensitivity to the back of their neck
Minimal veterinarian care (pre-natal and post-delivery), contributing to many health issues which beyond any rehabilitation and/or rescue efforts ever extended should they leave the puppy mill
Poor nutrition contributing to life-long health issues
Early removal or 'culling' from their mothers causing lack of bite inhibition and poor canine manners
Puppy mill mothers breed puppies which in turn, become mothers themselves -- not having learned the proper socialization and canine manners from their mothers, they then have an inability to teach their puppies - and so the vicious cycle continues

The issue of puppy mills is so vastly interconnected not one person, organization or governmental agency can adequately solve the problem.

Depending upon your perspective of the issue, it is an industry, a livelihood, a business. Others see this as not much more than 'breed for greed.' Still others trudge through the by-products of the production line - the shelters, the rescues, the humanitarian organizations dedicated to solving the problem.

It begins with a lack of definition of the term 'puppy mill' and from there, goes onto the differences between state and federal laws. It is SO interconnected, not one solution is a resolution of the problem of the unwanted overpopulation of companion animals. It will require effort beyond any we can imagine before the 'inhumanity' of the pet trade begins to be morally 'humane' despite the similar root of both words.

Why another website?

there are so many already on the internet!

Basically because the more we talk about the issue on the Internet, the more apt we are to find solutions to the problem.

Each person, organization and agency brings yet another perspective to the issue. The Internet spans state lines, walks of life, economic levels and social consciousness like no other medium ever achieved. By harnessing this power of the web, we might actually find viable solutions to the problems this industry brings to all of our lives.

Everyone comes to the table with a vested interest in resolution.

Taxpayers who don't own a dog find their tax monies funding shelters, spay/neuter programs and government expenditures to solve this problem - or at least to attempt a bridle over escalating costs.
Reputable breeders can no longer compete with the puppy mills, petshops and Internet puppy sellers. Many reputable breeders have had difficulty distinguishing themselves from backyard breeders and puppy millers - to the point their reputation is damaged beyond repair, their dedication and commitment to their breed seems pointless and the motivation to improve the breed falls stagnant.
Backyard breeders come into the industry and can be 'here today and gone tomorrow,' leaving the general public in the lurch when the puppies grow and have genetic illnesses along with huge vet bills.
Shelters are overwhelmed with puppy mill busts, unable to handle 50 to 1,000 dogs and puppies at one time.
Animal rights activists and humane advocates refuse to accept there isn't a solution and push for more humane environments while frustrated at the slow progress of the legal system to address these issues.
Rescue organizations are stretched beyond their financial means, attempting to save as many of these dogs and puppies as possible, but without foster and adoption homes, there are some cannot be rescued or saved.
Coming into the chosen career to help animals, the veterinary industry and its professionals are facing escalating costs, the inability of the general public to properly afford good medical care and increasing instances where their very best cannot either not be afforded or the realization of poor quality of life born in the mills prohibits restoring a good quality of life once the dogs and puppies have escaped the mills.
Legislators know their constituency is based in a puppy mill economy or others see their states' budgets being stretched to handle the overpopulation issue when they represent a non-mill state.
Certain breeds develop unfavorable reputations for temperament, predisposed personality tendencies and other unsavory perceptions through indiscriminate and unbridled breeding practices.

If this website can find just one viable solution in a myriad of so many possibilities, then it has achieved its goal. If just one person believes this issue requires their involvement for any resolution to be achieved, then it has achieved its purpose. If just one puppy mill mother today can be saved a lifetime of breeding litters for profit and her offspring are not subjected to inhumane conditions as their parents were, then we have achieved success.

Be a part of the solution - not the problem.

why
another website?

Opinions please

are puppy mills real and a problem -- or is this just media hype?

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Ghandi

Have you practiced this today in your life?

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by micropoll