For more than four decades, The Humane Society of the United States has been working to stop puppy mills. Puppy mills are large scale operations that force “breeder dogs” to produce litter after litter to support consumer demand for purebred pets. For years, these dogs are continually bred—without human companionship or hope of ever becoming part of a family.

The puppies are sold in pet stores or over the Internet, storefronts that mask the suffering, disease, malnutrition, and loneliness of puppy mills. Even the puppies themselves are prone to a variety of illnesses. Some die within days or weeks of purchase.

Most people are unaware that when they buy a puppy without personally seeing where he was born and raised they are often supporting a cruel and inhumane industry.

__What You Can Do__

The number one way consumers can help shut down puppy mills is to avoid purchasing dogs from pet stores or over the internet, and adopt from a local shelter or rescue group instead. There are millions of companion animals in shelters across the U.S., and one out of every four dogs at your local shelter is a pure-bred.

Sign the pledge to stop puppy mills:
http://www.humanesociety.org/puppymills

How to avoid buying a puppy mill dog:
http://www.humanesociety.org/puppy

Find out more about adoption:
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_adoption_information/find-your-one-in-a-million-friend/ (read less)

For more than four decades, The Humane Society of the United States has been working to stop puppy mills. Puppy mills are large scale operations that force “breeder dogs” to produce litter after litter to support consumer demand for purebred pets. For years, these dogs are continually bred—without human companionship or hope of ever becoming part of a family.

The puppies are sold in pet stores or over the Internet, storefronts that mask the suffering, disease, malnutrition, and loneliness of... (read more)