Busting the Puppy Mill Trade

When news broke of a massive seizure involving 600 dogs from two neighboring counties near my home, I was forced to confront the realities of "puppy mills" -- entities I thought existed only in the more rural, backwoods region of the U.S.

Worse, I didn't fully understand the concept of the "puppy mill."

I and thousands of others faced an unwanted education on the mechanics of these operations that profit handsomely from abusing and neglecting dogs, and from hoodwinking good-hearted customers looking only for a special puppy to join their families.

The only thing "special" about puppies produced in puppy-mill environments is their genetic irregularities. Spared the psychological trauma their parents face -- years of living in small cages, never seeing the outdoors or experiencing the joy of playing in a non-confined area -- these pups may appear socialized and happy. But buyers fooled into laying out large sums of cash to take them home find themselves on the hook for even greater investments as veterinarians will diagnose and treat spinal deformities, severe bacterial infections and other ailments resulting from neglect and in-breeding.

Should the adult dogs in these concentration camps be fortunate enough to escape through a rescue, their medical issues are far more severe. Adult females have been bred over and over, often facing dangerous gestations resulting in stillbirths and requiring Caesarian sections which may be performed too late. Intestinal infections stemming from unsanitary cages soaked in urine and feces can be fatal, and dental deformities caused by infections and rotting gums almost always require the removal of most of the dogs' teeth.

As if medical woes aren't bad enough, these are animals whose socialization has been nonexistent. Terrified of people, their disposition as household pets forms very slowly, requiring untold patience from people willing to adopt them and bring them home. But before they are released for adoption, they become burdens on county agencies who spend a ridiculous amount of money seizing, housing and caring for them as legal processes play out.

It's tempting to turn away; to not look at the hellacious reality of these mass-breeding facilities. They operate in secrecy, sending out only a few pups at a time to a different location (pet store, private residence) for viewing. The adults remain locked into dismal, unlit areas invisible to all but those who earn millions of dollars off of their suffering.

Can we tolerate this as a society? Can laws enacted to stop this torture be enforced? The answers to these questions remain murky, further complicated by side issues such as animal research, livestock raised for consumption and other practices tolerated by otherwise humane people.

I believe those side issues are irrelevant. The millions of dogs wasting away in illegal puppy mills need our immediate intervention. Law enforcement agencies need the tools and support to stop them in their tracks. And citizens need to shake off their sensitivities in order to pave the way for prosecutions.

In my brief exposure to the widespread phenomenon I've discovered several gaps in logic, law and practice. My goal is to publicize the reality of these hideous factories and find common ground among animal advocates, law enforcement agencies and responsible breeders that will halt the grotesque treatment of these unwitting creatures.

I welcome input, suggestions, feedback, shared stories, or any other contributions from readers. There are infinite sites on the Internet educating and advocating against puppy mills. I encourage exposure to all of them. This problem isn't going away.

And neither am I.