You've got to be right on this - A few years back I was even guilty of changing the tv channel when those ASPCA commercials played, they made me cry. I didn't want to know about it, thinking that the problem was beyond anything I could help with.

YT members are responsible for opening my eyes to the true horror of puppymills and to the many ways that I can help. But I feel frustrated and angry that regardless of how many commercials are played, videos are linked to, discussions we have, rescues we save, congressmen we contact, we still have so many dogs in horrific conditions, living miserable lives.

Btw, I got no FB comments or views either :( but I'm not really that active on there.

I agree that AKC is part of the problem. This definitely should be a sticky.

I think many of us feel frustrated, and it helps me to know that others are helping educate too. Here's a list of ten ways to help.







1. Do Not Buy Your Puppy From a Pet Store
That puppy who charmed you through the pet shop window has most likely come from a large-scale, substandard commercial breeding facility, commonly known as a puppy mill. In these facilities, parent dogs are caged and bred as often as possible, and give birth to puppies who could have costly medical problems you might not become aware of until after you bring your new pet home.

2. Make Adoption Your First Option
If you’re looking to make a puppy part of your family, check your local shelters first. Not only will you be saving a life, but you will ensure that your money is not going to support a puppy mill. There are many dogs waiting for homes in shelters all across the country—and an estimated one in four is a purebred! Your second option is breed rescue. If your heart is set on a specific breed you haven’t been able to find in a shelter, you can do an Internet search for a breed-specific rescue organization.
3. Know How to Recognize a Responsible Breeder
If you’ve exhausted your options for adopting and are choosing to buy from a breeder, remember that responsible breeders have their dogs’ interests in mind. They are not simply interested in making a sale, but in placing their pups in good homes. A responsible breeder should screen you as thoroughly as you screen them! Read the ASPCA’s responsible breeding statement to find out more about how a responsible breeder behaves.
4. See Where Your Puppy Was Born and Bred
One sign that you are speaking to an unscrupulous breeder is that they will not let you see the facility in which your puppy was born. Always ask to see the breeding premises and to meet both parents (or at least the mother) of the puppy you want to take home. You should also ask for an adoption contract that explains—in terms you understand—the breeder’s responsibilities, health guarantee and return policy.
5. Internet Buyers, Beware!
Buying a puppy from the Internet is as risky as buying from a pet store. If you buy a puppy based on a picture and a phone call, you have no way of seeing the puppy’s breeding premises or meeting his parents. And those who sell animals on the Internet are not held to the Animal Welfare Act regulations, and so are not inspected by the USDA.
6. Share Your Puppy Mill Story with the ASPCA
If you have—or think you have—purchased a puppy-mill puppy, please tell us your story. Every bit of evidence gives us more power to get legislation passed that will ban puppy mills.
7. Speak Out!
Inform your state and federal legislators that you are disturbed by the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills, and would like to see legislation passed that ensures that all animals bred to be pets are raised in healthy conditions. You can keep up-to-date about current legislation to ban puppy mills by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade.
8. Tell Your Friends
If someone you know is planning on buying a puppy, please direct them to our puppy mill information at ASPCA.org. Let them know that there are perfectly healthy dogs in shelters waiting to be adopted.
9. Think Globally
Have a webpage, a MySpace page or a blog? Use these powerful tools to inform people about puppy mill cruelty by adding a link to our puppy mill information at ASPCA.org. 10. Act Locally!
When people are looking to buy or adopt a pet, they will often ask the advice of their veterinarian, groomer or pet supply store. Download and print our flyers (pdf) and ask to leave them in the offices of your local practitioners.

Here is the ASPCA's postition on responsible breeding. ASPCA | 10 Ways You Can Help Fight Puppy Mills

Position Statement on Criteria for Responsible Breeding



Responsible breeders are individuals who have focused their efforts on one or a select few breeds and through breeding, historical research and ongoing study, mentoring relationships, club memberships, showing, raising and training of these breeds have become experts in their health, heritable defects, temperament and behavior. Responsible breeders are well suited to educate and screen potential buyers/adopters and provide follow-up support after purchase or adoption. Responsible breeders take lifetime responsibility for the animals they have bred.

The ASPCA advocates the following best practices for the responsible breeder:
Screens breeding stock for heritable diseases; removes affected animals from breeding program. Affected animals are altered; may be placed as pets as long as health issues are disclosed to buyers/adopters.
Has working knowledge of genetics and generally avoids inbreeding.
Removes aggressive animals from breeding program; alters or euthanizes them.
Keeps breeding stock healthy and well socialized.
Never keeps more dogs or cats than they can provide with the highest level of care, including quality food, clean water, proper shelter from heat or cold, exercise and socialization and professional veterinary care.
Bases breeding frequency on mother’s health, age, condition and recuperative abilities.
Does not breed extremely young or old animals.
Breeds and rears dogs or cats in their home as they are considered part of the family.
Ensures neonates are kept clean, warm, fed, vetted and with the mother until weaned; begins socialization of neonates at three weeks of age.
Screens and counsels potential guardians; discusses positive and negative aspects of animal/breed.
Ensures animals are weaned before placement (eight to ten weeks of age for dogs and cats).
Complies with all applicable laws regulating breeders in their jurisdiction.
Never sells puppies to a dealer or pet shop.
Offers guidance and support to new guardians.
Provides an adoption/purchase contract in plain English that spells out breeder’s responsibilities, adopter’s responsibilities, health guarantees and return policy.
Provides accurate and reliable health, vaccination and pedigree information.
Makes sure pet quality animals are sold on a limited registration (dogs only), spay/neuter contract or are altered before placement.
Will take back any animal of their breeding, at any time and for any reason.

Thank you for posting that, it's very helpful.

I don't understand why the AKC can't have hire standards than the minimums set by law? They are a registry. Surely they can refuse to register dogs for whatever reason they choose. It seems reasonable that they would refuse registration based on inhumane living conditions.

Great info but 12 weeks is preferable for toy breeds.

This was so hard to watch and so disgusting!!!!!!!!! It makes me so sad and almost makes me want to vomit. Thank you for the post and the awareness. I work in a animal shelter so I see stuff like this all the time :(

But "inhumane" has to be defined by law. Some people think it's inhumane to leave a dog alone for 12 hours a day, some people think it's inhumane to clothe dogs. Good breeders need to help in changing some of the laws, and so much misinformation is passed when a new law is under consideration. They are worried about not only what the laws could do if it is used property, but also how it could be abused. I agree, I think the AKC could probably have higher standards, but it's so hard to get breeders to go along with these changes, and breeders, not pet owners are the majority of its members. Furthermore, I would guess that commercial breeders are in the majority.

I've seen discussions here on YT on how we bathe our dogs to often, crate training vs ex-pen, and the ones Nancy mentioned. Not everyone agrees on everything. I think the problem we will face is why are dogs/cats/bunnies and so on different from say cattle. Why is it ok to raise livestock in commercial conditions and not pets?
I often look for an answer to that question, but I'm not real informed on livestock to make a good answer. So far all I have is, beef ends up in my belly while a puppy sleeps soundly on my lap.

I guess I'm not clear on why the AKC could/would not define unacceptable conditions according to its own standards. The AKC is not a government entity. I assume they can withhold registration on whatever terms they dictate.

The AKC is run by a Board of Directors....as is all Non-Profit organizations and Corprations that are for profit. It is not run by breeders, pet owners etc.

Could we then petition the board to make a change in their standards for breeders? I would pay to have Kaji registered with the AKC (I never sent in his forms) if it means I had a voice of change with the AKC.

You would have to see how their Board is setup. A Board's responsibility is to make sure the organization stays profitable even if it is a non-profit organization. I am not sure how AKC uses the vote option.

I do not want to discourage anyone from voicing their opinion but AKC needs breeding dogs for their future. It is a complete waste of $$$ to register an animal that has been spayed/neutered as it will never have puppies. Without litters there is no purpose in AKC as they are a registery of purebred dogs. Even if AKC is non-profit they still have to run their organization as a business.

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That's why Kaji isn't registered. He's neutered, there is no way I could breed (I'm too uneducated in that subject) I asked because maybe the AKC has some responsibility to answering questions or concerned by those who have a registered dog. If I could add my voice to that group and hopefully make a change, I would pay to register my boy.

I don't think any one thing we do will change the situation, this is a complex problem and it will take action on several fronts. I don't want anyone who isn't registering their pet dog with the AKC to feel that they haven't done their part in helping with the immense problem, but I do see hope in registering our dogs, in that pet owners and good breeders will have more of a voice in the AKC in the future. Shouldn't a part of their income come from people who love dogs, and have their best interests at heart? Furthermore, the AKC does do kennel inspections, and I hope my registration fee assisted so that they didn't have to reduce the number of inspections they did this year. Apathy is a dangerous thing, and when we no longer feel like our actions make a difference, we no longer act. When we no longer do anything the problem gets worse.