What percent of dogs come from puppy mills? A Step-by-Step Guide

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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.

  • 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.

    • 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.

    What is a Puppy Mill?