This is from the prisoners of greed site. So I do not know if the smaller mills are affected by the USDA, not if they just sell to the general public but the larger commercial breeders are.
In 1970 the Animal Welfare Act was enacted. This law, according to the USDA interpretation, covers warm blooded animals used in research, animals in zoos and circuses and marine parks, and to animals sold in the wholesale pet trade. Although it is the subject of disagreement, the USDA contends that the law does not cover retail petstores, game ranchers, cold blooded animals used in research, county fairs or dog shows. Puppymills came into existance after World War I when farmers had lost must of their crop to drought. The farmers simply used the chicken coops and rabbit hutches they already had for the dogs. The terrible conditions in these kennels was partially the reason why the AWA was enacted |