PUPPY MILLS, A COMMON SENSE APPROACH
Puppy Mills seem to be a highly debatable issue, yet I don’t recall having ever talked to an individual that was for them. There are numerous definitions for puppy mill. Wikipedia defines it as “a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with an emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and is often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of dogs in their care.”(1) The National Companion Animal Coalition defines puppy mills as “a high-volume, sub-standard dog breeding operation, which sells purebred or mixed-breed dogs, to unsuspecting buyers.”(2) The formal, Webster’s definition is “a commercial farming operation in which purebred dogs are raised in large numbers.”(3) A huge part of the debate over puppy mills would seem to be whether or not all puppy mills are bad, but that would take much more time than is allowed for the purpose of this discussion. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s use the assumption that all puppy mills operate under sub-standard conditions. Should these facilities be allowed to operate and if so, what can be done to assure the well being of the animals? If you have ever been in a discussion with anybody over this issue, the general consensus is to totally abolish puppy mills or make it totally illegal to operate one. Then you have the argument focused toward government regulation of these operations to make sure they are managed properly. But are either of these options really feasible? Let’s start by analyzing what is the purpose of the puppy mill. At its core, the puppy mill breeds numerous breeds of pure-bred and mix dogs for the purpose of selling the offspring to pet stores and individuals for the enjoyment of their companionship. This being the case, then totally abolishing puppy mills really doesn’t make sense. So, does this mean that the solution is to have the government step in and regulate the industry? It would seem that would be a simple answer to the problem of managing puppy mills. Government regulation could be a viable plan, but would take years, if not decades, to implement and put into practice. Not to mention all the special interests that would end up in a bill of this nature. So that solution is not really a common sense approach either.
With all the technicalities we go through daily, how is it that inhumane operations continue under the radar? When was the last time you read a licensing agreement online before clicking the ‘I accept’ option and proceeding to what you wanted to view on that particular website? Fewer people could profit from puppy mills if we focused less on money and more on ensuring humane methods of breeding animals. Puppy mills exist simply for the purpose of breeding dogs as a product. These dogs are kept in uncomfortably confined spaces, in some cases without the room to even turn around, fed enough to barely stay alive, and their litters are pawned off like any other bit of property. Many of the offspring from these operations tend to have respiratory, genetic and mental disabilities from the unsanitary conditions from which they are bred. The mothers of these offspring face a life of constant pregnancy, and are auctioned off or killed once they fail to produce consistent litters. (4) If a law were passed to regulate dog breeding, which made it impossible for anyone to sell a breed of dog without a proper breeding license, the problem would diminish if not disappear. Though there are no laws at the national level for regulating breeders and puppy mills, many states have implemented some regulations.
Images of these animals leave a lasting impression (visual 1)
Individual states have already taken action against puppy-mills by implementing state puppy mill laws. The problem is that not all states have implemented laws such as these. In the state of Georgia, a breeder must pay to obtain a license to operate. They are subject to inspections by the commissioner of agriculture’s office, including new facilities, and must follow specific guidelines set by the state to maintain their license. The stipulation for this license is to provide humane care and proper facilities including: being in a “good state of repair, sanitation, ventilation” and free from “disease”. (5) Other states do not require a license to operate as a breeder, thereby leading to unregulated puppy mills.
Two of the largest states do not require a license to run a business of breeding and selling dogs. These two states are California and Texas. California does provide a definition for a breeder and requirements. However, the state does not regulate these facilities, and does not require inspections. Texas does not have any laws regulating breeders or animal facilities.
There is an assumption that state anti-cruelty laws would be applied toward this type of operation. This assumption has cloaked the fact that “most puppy mill dogs are often treated as agricultural ‘crops’ and not as pets.” (6) Most of the time, these businesses do not allow purchasers to view their facilities. I will use the state of Georgia as an example. Yes, Georgia does regulate breeders within the state, yet it is the office of the commissioner of agriculture that mandates the states stipulations. They bring their “product” to the doorsteps of unsuspecting businesses under the guise of a reputable breeder. “Some local humane societies and governmental agencies investigate conditions at puppy mills and intervene to rescue the animals if necessary. In many cases, though, local authorities may not set foot on a puppy mill unless they have received a complaint from a credible person who has personally witnessed substandard conditions and animal suffering. Because so few puppy mills invite customers onto their property to purchase dogs, it can be extremely difficult for law enforcement to intervene.” (7)
If all states adopted laws that were passed to regulate animal breeding, making it impossible for anyone to sell a breed of dog without a proper breeding license, the problem would shrink significantly, if not disappear altogether. Hypothetically, in this law, a dog breeder would need to go through an extensive process to be allowed to breed. This should not just apply to dogs, but any animal. This law would force every breeder to undergo inspection to see if they were fit to raise animals for breeding, if the living conditions were suitable for the animal, and if the dogs were indeed being well taken care of. If every breeder had to pay a fee to acquire a license and bi-monthly inspections on the animals and the owner were mandatory, it would be a strong deterrent for abusive dog-mills. The law should also dictate that pet shops be held liable for checking the authenticity of breeding license before buying animals from a breeder.
That said, common sense dictates a much more directly manageable plan if we are to make a difference in the lives of the poor animals that are bred, born and raised in these hell-holes we call puppy mills. One of the most effective means of combating the problem of abuse and neglect in puppy mills is on site inspections, looking for compliance of animal cruelty laws. These inspection jobs already exist, but training these people takes money and maintaining these jobs takes a decent salary. However, just having these positions is not enough either. There needs to be more of them than are currently out there, so the kennels and breeding facilities that are in non-compliance are actually caught and dealt with. The infrastructure and laws regarding animal cruelty are already in place. What is lacking is financing. We have National Kennel Clubs such as the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Kennel Club (UKC) and each individual breed of both dogs and cats have individual Kennel Clubs for their specific breed. All of these clubs have action plans for protecting the integrity and breeding of their individual breeds. We have organizations like PETA who are dedicated to the protection of animal rights. So why re-invent the wheel? It would seem that all we really need to do is reach into our pocket books and help fund the plans that are already in place. We all talk the good fight, but that is all we do! TALK!!
Every action plan needs to start somewhere. Awareness is already being raised for animal cruelty as a whole, and a focus needs to be made toward puppy mills. The public needs to face public problem recognition of the issue surrounding puppy mills. “Problem recognition occurs whenever the consumer sees a significant difference between his current state of affairs and some desired or ideal state. He perceives there is a problem to be solved, which may be small or large, simple or complex.” (8) The consumer being the person who unknowingly buys a puppy from a local pet store that, knowingly or not, purchased the animal from a puppy mill. There are documentaries such as Earthlings that show the dire conditions animals live through in puppy mills. The public does not search out images or information about this depressing subject. Commercials and public campaigns for animals in shelters are blasted across the airwaves and the impact has been made. However, the attention now need to go from a broad focus to an intense focus on puppy mills, themselves. “On May 29, 2008, MSNBC aired a report about puppy mills, in which Oprah Winfrey revealed an industry fraught with problems and apparent cruelty. The broadcast showed puppy mills having small cages with chicken wire floors, stacked in rows from floor to ceiling and stated that many dogs spend their entire lives within these tiny cages. Many of these dogs are sold on the internet or by pet retailers to buyers who are unaware of the dogs' backgrounds.” (9) More coverage and attention needs to be made toward this industry. Only continued exposure will lead to the public gaining knowledge about these practices.
Clip from the documentary Earthlings (Visual 2)
We should use the resources that AKC and UKC have set in place. There are many free avenues that can be used to start an awareness campaign. Facebook is a good example of a free median that can be used to raise awareness. Many other organizations have used fan pages and groups to gain membership and awareness on a subject. A starting point would be to focus on an individual city or state. Once membership climbs to a substantial number, use other free media to give exposure to the cause. Ask members to go to their local pet stores to inquire where they purchase the animals they sell and ask for documentation. In the city of Austin TX, Pet Smart works hand and hand with the non-profit organization Austin Pets Alive. In these Pet Smarts, rescued animals are up for adoption within the store instead of puppies. I would tend to believe that this has diminished the demand of puppies from puppy mills in this city. This also shows how a small group (in this case a non-profit organization) can make an impact, and start a chain reaction of change.
The largest impacts can start as small individual plans and actions. A huge difference can be made by raising awareness for the cause of creating jobs to combat animal cruelty in puppy mills. The tools are in place, so now is the time to use them! If you truly love animals and truly want to see the abuse and neglect that is occurring in these breeding facilities come to a halt; get off your lazy behinds and start helping to fund the programs that are out there to combat this abuse and neglect! Or, if you don’t have the extra money, donate your time. Just a couple of hours a week could make a difference! If you are going to buy a pet, do your research first. Look for a reputable breeder. If you buy from a pet store, find out where they get their pets and make sure that place is reputable. You could also do as I did and adopt a pet through a non-profit organization that focuses on rescuing animals.
Self explanatory (visual 3)
Word Count (without quotations): 1,733
Word Count (with quotations): 2,014
Works Cited
1. Wikipedia. “Puppy Mill.” Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppy_mill (accessed March 29, 2010).
2. Animal Advocates Society of BC. “Puppy Mills- a definition.” Animal Advocates Society. http://www.animaladvocates.com/dog-breeding/definitions.php (accessed March 29, 2010).
3. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “Puppymill.” Merriam-Webster. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puppymill (accessed March 29, 2010).
4. Miscavage, Loriane. "Mother Dogs at Puppy Mills Have Nothing to Celebrate." The
Humane Society of the United States. http:/http://www.hsus.org/
press_and_publications/press_releases/mother_dogs_at_puppy_mills_050909.html
(accessed April 20, 2010).
5. Humane Society of the United States. “State Puppy Mill Laws.” The Humane Society of the United States. http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/pets/puppy_mills/puppy_mills_laws_chart.pdf (accessed March 29, 2010).
6. Human Society of the United States. “What about anti-cruelty laws? Don’t those affect puppy mills?” Human Society of the United States. http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/qa/puppy_mill_FAQs.html#What_about_anticruelty_laws_Dont_those_a (accessed March 29, 2010).
7. Human Society of the United States. “What about anti-cruelty laws? Don’t those affect puppy mills?” Human Society of the United States. http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/qa/puppy_mill_FAQs.html#What_about_anticruelty_laws_Dont_those_a (accessed March 29, 2010).
8. Solomon, Michael R. "Consumers as Decision Makers." In Consumer Behavior:
Buying, Having, and Being 7th ed., edited by Katie Stevens, 308. 1996.
Reprint, Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007.
9. Wikipedia. “Puppy Mill.” Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppy_mills#cite_note-15 (accessed March 29, 2010).
Visuals
1.http://images.rescuegroups.org/dynapage/s35dpi111.jpg
2.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXhbSgRIUKI
3.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HM8UmHM8Uo&feature=fvw
