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You may be wondering what a puppy mill is and why you should be concerned about the rising number of puppy mills in Florida and throughout the country. Puppy mills are breeding facilities that produce purebred puppies in large numbers. The puppies are then sold to local pet shops via the internet, newspaper or at the mill itself. Puppy mills are overpopulated and dogs at these mills often go without veterinary care, without heat or air-conditioning, and without sufficient food, and adequate stimulation. Some dogs are kept in small cages their entire lives and are almost never allowed out. That means they never see grass and never get to run and play outside. Female dogs that are used for breeding are bred until they die or are killed. Most of these female breeders don't live past five years of age.
The only way to ensure that puppy mills are forced out of business forever is to stop purchasing dogs from pet stores. In other words, get rid of the demand and there will be no supply. Instead, rescue a dog from your local humane society or Animal Services or through a purebred rescue organization (See below for information on adopting a dog from these shelters). Each year, it is estimated the between 6 and 8 million dogs are euthanized at shelters. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that one in four dogs that enters a shelter is a purebred. Dogs adopted at shelters are often healthier and live longer than dogs purchased from a pet store.
Where can I go to adopt a dog or cat in Miami-Dade County:
http://www.humanesocietymiami.org/
http://www.miamidade.gov/animals/ps_animal_shelter.asp
http://www.thecatnetwork.org/
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/rescue.htm
Other related web sites:
http://www.stoppuppymills.org/
http://www.nopuppymills.com/
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/puppymil.html
http://www.petstorecruelty.org/
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