2 What percentage of dogs come from puppy mills?
Many aren’t aware of this puppy mill information, but as many as 90% of puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills.
What’s more, many retailers aren’t aware or interested in the conditions these puppies are bred. They just take the breeder’s word that the dogs are healthy and happy.
How and Where Mill Puppies are Sold
Puppy mills’ biggest customers are not pet owners. Pet shops, chains, and superstores purchase dogs in mass amounts, often indiscriminately. Brokers make it more difficult for consumers to determine the origin of a puppy. Unhealthy dogs are such a problem in these stores that state and federal agencies warn consumers about purchasing from such stores, with some even passing laws to reduce instances of animal cruelty.
Watchdog groups report a steady increase in online brokerages – for which there are virtually no regulations – masquerading as legitimate breeders or even as animal shelters/rescues.
California was the very first state to ban retail pet sales.
Puppy mill facts reveal that currently, about 300 cities and the same number of counties prohibit the retail sale of pets. Including the entire state of Maryland that passed the ban in 2018.
Many of these bans include not only puppies but also rabbits and kittens too.
Many more cities, counties, and states have pending bills to ban retail pet sales, including the state of New York. The ASPCA continued pushing the bill throughout 2020.