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Puppy mills are businesses that force dogs to produce litter after litter in order to satisfy the demand for puppies. Sold in pet stores or online, puppies do not have a happy life in a puppy mill. Disease, malnutrition and suffering prevail in some puppy mills and the result can be that a puppy might die after a few days from when he was bought.

People are not always aware of what a puppy mill is when they buy a dog from a pet store or over the Internet. There are about 4,000 such operations in the U.S. producing more than half a million puppies every year.

In some puppy mills, female dogs are bred every time they are in heat and the result is that litters decrease in size. Although it is recommended that the puppies should stay with their mothers for eight to ten weeks, they are sometimes weaned from their mothers before this period. A pedigree offered by such a business is not always authentic, and even pet stores that sell the animals are not always aware of the breeding conditions. Animals sold as purebred dogs might not be what the sellers claim to be, but the higher price associated with purebreds is tempting for people involved in such businesses.

Reputable breeders would not distribute pure bloodlines in such manner. They usually participate in dog shows where their dogs take part in conformation and obedience contests. By witnessing such an event, you can see for yourself how the animals are groomed and treated. Although acquiring a pet this way may cost more money, there are fewer chances to get a sick dog. What you need to know is that such breeders have waiting lists for their dogs, as they do not breed as much or as often as puppy mills do.

Animals bred in these mills often suffer from health and social problems. If the animals are raised in a cramped space, shared by many others, they tend to socialize poorly with both humans and other animals. Transportation from the mill to a pet store is also done in poor conditions quite often. Animal rights groups have campaigned against such breeders that offer poor conditions. The media has also joined the effort to expose poor conditions in puppy mills. Such campaigns are designed to make people more aware of what is happening in some puppy mills and stop buying animals from such breeders in order to stop the cycle that allows this industry to thrive.

Only some aspects of the dog breeding industry are regulated by law. However, the increasing awareness of the public has led to new laws that are aimed at stopping abuses at puppy mills. Such laws include limitations on the number of breeding females, licenses and inspections for the facilities and proper veterinary care for the animals.

Pet overpopulation and suffering for so many animals are the results of irresponsible entrepreneurs that want to maximize their profits from puppy mills. Animal shelters are places where you can really find a pet that needs your care and attention.