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Originally Posted by Lovetodream88  I have seen some pretty amazing websites that the breeder ends up being apuppy mill. It would be nice if people would wake up and help starting banning puppy mills. I can't help but think it would cut back on the number of dogs that get euthanized each year. |
Puppy Mills are bad news, period. But the reality is, the number of pet stores that actually sells pets (dogs/cats) is going down in the U. S. That's where the majority of these dogs are being sold, in conjunction with shady online sites. They are being choked out of business little by little.
But the reason dogs are ending up in shelters is not just because they were born in a puppy mill, or bred by a bad breeder, it's because people either don't really take the time to research and be honest with themselves as to whether or not they can actually care for a dog and the things that may pop up. The others end up there because they get lost, had undesirable owners, or life changes that happen and make it harder for a family or owner to continue to care for the animals.
With that said, choosing a breeder or a rescue is a personal choice and people are not necessarily going to go the route of a rescue because there are no puppy mill puppies available. Fact is, if you are looking for a 12 week old Yorkie puppy to add to your family, you will probably not find one at a rescue anywhere. You will find a breeder or someone with a litter. And there is nothing wrong with that if that's what you want, can handle, and researched. Some of the dogs in rescues in shelters probably came from awesome breeders, and probably have had tons of money spent on them.
It's more troublesome to go to a pound or rescue group and get a dog out of pity or because you couldn't get a puppy mill dog from a store that won't fit into your lifestyle or situation than to just go find the dog that is more likely to be the best for your lifestyle and the dog. That's the good thing about breeds, they make it easier to find a breed that's best for you.
Yes, by all means let's get rid of puppy mills and substandard breeders but the answer to dropping the number of animals euthanized each year is proper education, research, and possibly more organizations that help people who come up on hard times to pay for food and medical care.