Today the nation turns its eyes to the horror of puppy mills, but for animal advocates and shelters across the country, the issue is—lamentably—very familiar.

For more than four decades, The Humane Society of the United States has been working to stop these mass dog-breeding operations where dogs live their entire lives in cages.

For years, the dogs are continually bred—without human companionship or hope of ever becoming part of a family.

HSUS officials used the description "puppy mill" as early as 1965 when they participated in the arrest of a New Jersey kennel operator for being cruel to animals, according to "Protecting All Animals: A Fifty-Year History of The Humane Society of the United States."

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How to avoid buying a puppy mill dog.


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In 1970, The HSUS pushed to see amendments made to the Animal Welfare Act that required all commercial dog-breeding establishments be inspected and licensed regularly. A decade later, HSUS investigator Bob Baker spent five months between 1980 and 1981 researching puppy mills as part of an extended investigation. Finally, in 1990, The HSUS launched a nationwide boycott of puppies from the six worst puppy mill states.

Today's Battles




And The HSUS has only intensified its work on puppy mills over the past decade. Just last year, The HSUS conducted three puppy mill investigations, including undercover work at Pets of Bel Air [video], an upscale pet boutique on the edge of Beverly Hills. The investigation revealed that the store—often frequented by Hollywood celebrities—had been deceiving customers when employees falsely claimed that all puppies sold at the store were raised by private breeders and that they don't use puppy mills.

Last fall, a five-month undercover investigation by The HSUS revealed a substantial Virginia puppy mill industry that is largely unregulated and often in violation of state and federal laws. HSUS investigators visited puppy mills of all sizes, as well as pet stores and Virginia-based websites selling dogs. Their discoveries were staggering.

Nearly 1,000 dog breeders sell commercially in Virginia. At one facility, HSUS responders assisted local officials with the removal of almost 1,000 dogs and puppies. Thanks to our intervention, many of those animals have been adopted to good homes through animal shelters up and down the East Coast.

A Life Behind Bars

The life of a puppy mill dog who is used for "breeding stock" is particularly shocking and sad. These dogs receive little or no veterinary care and never see a bed, a treat or a toy. Breeding animals are commonly killed after their fertility wanes, or they're abandoned or sold to another mill. The annual result of all this breeding is an estimated two to four million puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.

There are thousands of stories to be told from those who have suffered because of puppy mills. The HSUS has compiled both heartbreaking and hopeful stories from dog owners whose dogs either suffered at puppy mills or were born at one.

Cruel and deplorable places puppy mills continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for-words puppies in pet store windows and on fancy websites.

Behind the friendly facade of the local pet shop, the pastoral scenes on a website, or the neighborhood newspaper ad, there often lies a puppy mill.

What You Can Do

The number one way consumers can help shut down puppy mills is to avoid purchasing dogs from pet stores, and adopt from a local shelter or rescue group instead.

Take the pledge to stop puppy mills
There are millions of companion animals in shelters across the U.S., and one out of every four dogs at your local shelter is a pure-bred. Click here to learn more about how to avoid buying a puppy mill puppy.

Most shelter animals have already been spayed or neutered and have received all their vaccinations and veterinary checkups. If you choose to buy a dog, check out The HSUS's tips for finding a compassionate breeder.

You can also:

Spread the word about puppy mills.

Make a donation to our Puppy Mill Education Fund, or tell a friend.

Read more about the laws regulating puppy mills and our work to enforce those laws.