What is a Puppy Mill?

What is a Puppy Mill?

This month is Responsible Dog Ownership month. Today is an especially notable day this month as it’s Puppy Mill awareness day. None of us at Pets of the People shy away from the larger topics surrounding adopting pets and animal welfare, however we can’t deny that we do prefer to talk about the success stories and positive news in the animal world. However, in this post we’re going to discuss what puppy mills are and what effect they have on animals.

What is a Puppy Mill?

A puppy mill, or puppy farm as they are also referred to, is a place where dogs are bred for commercial benefit. The purpose of these facilities are profit. Welfare of these animals is not to a standard that is acceptable and most people will have been made aware of these types of places from news stories about the unlawful and stomach-turning conditions.

‘An intensive dog breeding facility that is operated under inadequate conditions that fail to meet the dogs’ behavioural, social and/or physiological needs’

(RSPCA, 2019)

How many puppies come from Puppy Mills?

41% of people who have bought a puppy in the last year did not see the puppy with its mother and 53% did not see its breeding environment, meaning those puppies are highly likely to have been bred by puppy farmers and sold by third parties

(Kennel Club PAW survey, 2014)

The importance of seeing the environment where the puppy was brought up and seeing it with its mother is just as important as the age in which it leaves. Puppies who come from puppy mills are more likely to suffer ill health, behavioural issues, inherited diseases and shorter life spans.

What is the law surrounding Puppy Mills?

As of April 6th 2020, Lucy’s Law came into legislation. It prohibits the third party commercial sale of animals. To purchase a pet, it must be from a registered breeder or adopted from a rescue center. Anyone to be found breaching this law can receive an unlimited fine or be sentenced to prison for 6 months.

To find out more about Lucy’s Law, find the Government press release here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lucys-law-spells-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-puppy-farming

What should you do if you want to report a Puppy Mill?

Lucy’s Law will have changed the ease of these facilities to continue. However, it is and will continue to happen. If you’re looking at a puppy that is being offered to you below 8 weeks of age, has no interaction, isn’t seen with its mother or the breeder won’t let you see them in their own environment, let the alarm bells ring!

These are the first warning signs that something isn’t right. We understand the heartache of leaving an animal when you could just take it away from a poor environment, but these operations will produce hundreds of puppies.

If you suspect an illegal puppy seller, report it, by calling the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

We all want to do the most to promote healthy environments for the welfare of animals. Puppy mills will be on the decrease since April but it will still continue in the UK and around the world. We shall continue to educate ourselves to provide the relevant information to help prevent dogs from undergoing these conditions.