How Much is That Doggie in the Window?

Christine Triolo

ENG/147

August 10, 2015
Melissa Campbell

How Much is That Doggie in the Window?

Imagine forcing a dog to live his or her entire life in a small cage without any human companionship, toys or comfort? Welcome to the life of a puppy mill breeding dog. The term “puppy mill,” although not a legal term, is used to define a facility that breeds animals in mass quantity for profit without regard for the health and welfare of the animal. The animals in a puppy mill are living in less than humane conditions that are usually over-crowded and unsanitary with little or no medical attention. (Hernandez, 2015, para. 12) For this reason, puppy mills should be stopped by increasing awareness, adopting a puppy from an animal shelter or rescue group, and lobbying for stricter legislation. How can the average person help raise awareness and put an end to puppy mills? They can become an educated consumer and understand where the puppy-mill puppies are being sold – through pet stores, online or newspaper advertisements. They should not support local pet stores that sell animals and encourage others to follow suit. They could join a non-profit animal organization such as the ASPCA or PETA. These organizations provide a wealth of knowledge about several animal topics including puppy mills and current legislation. Additionally, there are many ways to volunteer with these organizations such as joining a fundraiser, running a charity event or assisting in the fight for stronger legislation. Most importantly, they must learn how to recognize signs of animal cruelty and report any inhumane behavior to local authorities. Within local communities, people can consider adopting a pet from a local shelter. In the United States alone, “…2.7 million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized each year…. too many people give up their pets, and too few people adopt from shelters.” (Hernandez, 2015, para. 4) Shelter animals are typically placed in shelters because their owners move, get divorced or cannot take care of them financially. Shelters ensure that the animals are kept healthy with current vaccinations, kept in comfortable living conditions and receive the right amount of food and water. Consumers can feel confident that when adopting from a shelter, the animal is healthy and ready to move in with a new family. Awareness and adoption alone will not solve the problem. There is still much that can be done by passing stricter legislation. At the federal level, The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulates breeding activities and outlines the minimum standards for animals bred for commercial sale. Many animal activists feel that the standards under the AWA are less than desirable, so they are looking to the states to ratify more stringent laws. Recent legislation signed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo states that it “will now be up to municipalities to enact their own rules, which for the first time can be stricter than state law.” (Precious, 2014, para. 3) As this law is a colossal step to gaining more local control, there is still a need for the states to maintain regular inspections, and ensure violations are consistently punished.
Conclusion
It is certain that puppy mills will remain in existence and thrive as long as people continue to purchase puppy-mill puppies from pet stores or over the Internet. To effect change, consumers must continue to build awareness of the issue, adopt a pet from a shelter rather than risk purchasing from a puppy mill, and manage the passage of constructive legislation. By taking these steps and creating an environment where others do so as well, society will go a long way toward solving this problem and protecting the health and well-being of our fellow creatures. In a society that has pet-friendly restaurants and hotels, how are such horrible breeding facilities still operating in the United States?

References
Hernández, T. (2015, Apr 06). The joy of adopting a new family member from a shelter. The Taos News Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1669985296?accountid=458

Precious, T. (2014, Jan 11). Cuomo signs 'puppy mills' law. Buffalo News Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1476518019?accountid=458