How many puppies are bred in puppy mills a year? Get Your Pet Thinking

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Contribution to Animal Homelessness and Death

Pet owners are just as likely to buy a puppy mill dog as they are to adopt from a shelter. Unadopted shelter animals often face euthanasia.

  • 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.
  • 1-in-3 pet dogs come from puppy mills.
  • Animal shelters take in an estimated 3.3 million dogs annually.
  • At least 1-in-4 of these animals are euthanized; some euthanizations are due to lack of shelter resources.
  • The World Health Organization estimates there are 200 million stray dogs worldwide, all of which pose a potential health risk.

    • In order to operate legally, puppy mill owners are required to register with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the USDA. Most do not. While there is no one official definition of a puppy mill, a U.S. district court in defined puppy mills as “dog breeding operation[s] in which the health of the dogs is disregarded in order to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits.”

  • 3,000 puppy mills are registered with APHIS.
  • 70% of all puppy mills continue to operate illegally.
  • There are 7,000 illegal puppy mills nationwide.
  • $500,000 is how much it costs taxpayers to bust a single illegal breeding operation.
  • A single puppy mill may keep anywhere from 5 to over one thousand dogs.
  • The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) of 1966 regulates animal commerce; like many laws, however, its language contains loopholes.
    • The AWA’s language does not contain the term “puppy mill(s).”
    • For dogs, the AWA delineates standards for survival (as opposed to standards for humane care.)
    • Dealers or breeders that sell directly to the public or within their own state are not subject to AWA regulations.
    • APHIS agents may conduct inspections to determine if someone is in violation of the AWA.
    • The AWA has been ammended 8 times; none of these ammendments relate to puppy mills, but pending legislation often does.

    The AWA protects some animals at a federal level, but many states have additional regulations for puppy mills, pet stores, and/or supply lines. The AWA contains language that allows for states to make their own animal rights’ laws to fortify federal regulations. States with a poor track record of prosecuting animal rights violations tend to have a higher number of commercial breeders and brokers.

  • In most states, puppy mills are legal.
  • 31 states require puppy mills to obtain a license from the state in addition to the federal license.
  • 14 states require puppy mills to undergo a State inspection.
  • 4 states – Louisiana, Oregon, Virginia and Washington – place limits on the number of dogs a single mill can keep.
  • 16 states have no laws to regulate breeding facilities.
  • Missouri has a higher rate of animal abuse in commercial facilities than any other state by far.
  • Other states with high rates of unchecked and repeated abuse in commercial facilities include Ohio, Kansas, and Wisconsin.

    • Veterinarians, breeding associations, and animal rights groups support outlawing all puppy mills. Targeting mills directly, however, is often ineffective. Lawmakers and animal rights groups now focus on alternative ways to subvert the commercial breeding industry.

  • A “puppy lemon” law is designed to help pet owners who purchase a sick animal gain some recourse.
  • Some states have increased regulations or on pet stores nationwide, including outright bans.
    • The State of California prohibits all pet stores from buying from commercial breeders.
    • At least a dozen more states have passed or are expected to pass similar legislation, including Georgia, Maryland, Florida, and Ohio, among others.
  • 300 U.S. cities and counties have have passed addtional laws designed to subvert the commercial breeding industry.
    • The City of Philadelphia has banned all retail pet sales.
    • Cook County, Illinois has outlawed the purchase of animals from commercial breeding facilities.

    To report an unlicensed puppy mill, animal abuse, or other violation of the AWA, please immediately contact APHIS at the USDA, local authorities and/or animal welfare nonprofits.

  • Email [email protected].
  • File a complaint with APHIS using their online form.
  • Call 1-877-MILL-TIP to make a report to the Humane Society of the U.S.

    • Some pet owners falsely believe their animals to be rescues. Mill puppies may also be “adopted” through classified ads, online, at flea markets, bizarres, and roadside stands. Seemingly legitimate groups may provide bogus “certifications.””

  • Puppy mill sellers and brokers may attempt to pass off their dog-breeding operations as an animal rescue organization.
  • At least 15% of Horrible Hundred puppy mills are registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC).
  • Legitimate breeders never sell puppies under six (6) weeks old.
  • Real breeders do not use pressure sales tactics.

    • Legitimate breeders generally don’t sell their animals online. Unscrupulous breeders will post multiple ads, usually under different names and/or with conflicting information.

  • Google the phone number or other contact information for the person selling the puppy. If they are not a reputable breeder they will likely use multiple advertisements or venues to sell their dogs.
  • Copy+paste text from the breeder’s website into a web browser. If it appears elsewhere on the internet, check to see if it’s on a duplicate site or ad.
  • Check to see if photos of dogs appear elsewhere online. Right click on the and “search Google for ” to find duplicate ads or stock photos.

    • Any reputable breeder will be able to demonstrate that their dogs do not come from a mill.

  • Insist on meeting the dog or puppy in the home or kennel where they were born and raised. A responsible breeder will gladly answer your questions and arrange for you to meet the puppy more than once to make sure you are compatible.
  • Ask to meet the parents. If the puppies’ mother is not present, or the dog that’s presented as their mother does not interact with the puppies, the puppy likely was not bred there.
  • Note questions the breeder asks. A responsible breeder will likely ask you many questions to be sure you are going to give their puppy a good home. Some will not release their dogs without performing a background check on the would-be purchaser.
  • Request the animal’s full medical history. Do not agree to have them forward this to you later. If a breeder lacks any paperwork or certificates for puppy vaccinations, worming, microchips, or veterinarian check-up, they do not properly care for their animals. If a breeder seems dismissive or unconcerned about any health issues you might see in the puppy or tries to tell you they are typical for that breed of dog, walk away.
    • States with the Worst Known Puppy Mills

    State Horrible Hundred Mills Inspection Mandates
    Missouri 21 listed, 10 repeat offenders State inspections reduced (COVID-19)
    Ohio 16 listed, 8 repeat offenders State regularly inspects commercial breeders
    Iowa 11 listed, 3 repeat offenders State regularly inspects commercial breeders
    Pennsylvania 8 listed, 6 repeat offenders State regularly inspects commercial breeders
    Nebraska 8 listed, 6 repeat offenders State regularly inspects commercial breeders
    Kansas 7 listed, 3 repeat offenders State regularly inspects commercial breeders
    New York 7 listed, 4 repeat offenders State regularly inspects commercial breeders
    Indiana 6 listed, 0 repeat offenders State inspects complaints only
    Georgia 5 listed, 3 repeat offenders State regularly inspects commercial breeders
    Illinois 4 listed, 1 repeat offender State inspects complaints only

    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.

  • For every 50 licensed breeders, there are 13 licensed brokers.
  • 2/3 of pet store puppies are shipped by brokers.
  • Many Class B animal brokers have been caught breeding animals themselves.
  • Legitimate breeders are highly unlikely to sell their animals using brokers.
  • More and more, brokers are moving online to avoid inspection and transparency.

    • 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.

  • Online brokers often refer to themselves as “puppy concierges” or “puppy finders,” using their web site to “match” a user with one or more breeders.
  • 36% of dog owners use the internet to find their pet.
  • The USDA reports a higher rate of illness among dogs purchased online than those purchased in person.
  • The Better Business Bureau reports a high rate of scam complaints regarding online pet sales.
  • The Humane society received 5,000 complaints between 2007 and 2017 about online pet sales operations.

    • 1 Dogs in puppy mills spend 24 hours per day in cramped cages, with little room to exercise or play.

    Puppies are not given adequate room to run around and be puppies. There is little room to exercise or play in the cramped cages that they are provided. Therefore, puppies often miss this key socialization stage, which may cause them to end up with behavioral problems. It isn’t healthy for the females either.

    KCCI Investigates: Where puppy mill breeder sold dogs before USDA stepped in

    Dog breeding is a big business, and there are a lot of dog breeding statistics probably you didn’t know about.

    If you’re looking to become a breeder yourself, or are just interested in buying a puppy from a professional breeder, you might want to read some of these facts about dog breeding. We want all of our readers to be properly informed so that they can make the best choices and only take part in ethical breeding.