Puppy Mills By: Meghan Bisesi

 A breeding facility that produces purebred puppies in large numbers

 Been around for decades  Dogs live in poor conditions  Never let out of cages  About 2-6 dogs per cage  Supply puppies to pet stores  Normally not licensed

 Start breeding during first heat cycle  Bred every heat cycle until they become infertile  Litter size decreases  Killed or Abandoned when infertile

 Inbreeding  Overbreeding  Health Issues  Behavioral Issues  Overcrowded cages  Minimal veterinary care

 Dogs get debarked  Poor nutrition  Inadequate Shelter  Killing of Unwanted Animals  Main Cause of the Overpopulation Problem

PPennsylvania MMissouri NNebraska KKansas IIowa AArkansas OOklahoma Lancaster County makes $4 million a year because of the Puppy Industry Missouri makes $40 million

““When you've got more in a pen like I do and they're mixed up once in a while, they're more submissive, easier to train.“ ““they don’t need exercise - This way they don't know no better. They're happy where they are.“ ““they don’t need to be indoors during the winter - There's no need for it. They were outside for a million years. It's only the last 200 that people have been putting 'em in the house."

VVirginia and Louisiana passed a law in 2008 limiting the total number of animals a commercial breeder can possess at any time CCalifornia working on passing a similar law 117 states have “Lemon Laws” IIn 2008 – PA passed a law banning wire floor cages, increasing minimal cage size, requires veterinary care, and requires exercise periods

 Each year, 4 million dogs are bred in puppy mills  There are 3,500 pet stores selling puppies  Each year, 500,000 puppies are sold from these pet stores  Each year, 6-8 million dogs and cats enter a shelter  Each year, 3-4 million of these shelter animals are euthanized (11,000 a day)  25-30% of shelter animals are purebred

 Steer clear of Pet Shops  Go to a responsible breeder  Don’t buy a puppy from an ad or website  Don’t “rescue” a puppy from a puppy mill  Adopt a dog from a shelter

Isabella’s Vet Bills Surgery - $5000 X-rays - $150 per xray Arthritis Pills - $75 a month