Together against puppy mills
What is a puppy mill?
Puppy mills are a cruel illegal business where lots of unregistered puppies or kittens are born in abominable conditions and then sold at a relatively low price. The breeder is usually only concerned about making money, not about the health or well-being of the animals. The mothers may be strained due to constant breeding and their living conditions can be unbearable. Puppies are often weak due to malnutrition or sickness and have not been vaccinated or dewormed.
How can we stop puppy mills?
Puppy mills are supported by the people that buy puppies from them. The only way to stop them is to stop doing business with them. There are thousands of breeders and advertisements for pets in the internet, so recognizing a puppy mill isn’t always an easy task.
To help future pet parents, we have gathered five tips to avoid puppy mills together with Finland’s busiest online marketplace Tori.fi:
1. Get to know the breeder and visit them to see the puppy’s parents and their living conditions.
Ask the breeder lots of questions about e.g. the breed, their character, how to take care of the fur, most common health issues and examinations, vaccinations, feeding etc. If the breeder doesn’t have clear answers to your questions or doesn’t let you visit, be very careful as you are likely to be doing business with a puppy mill.
2. Pay attention to the breeder’s questions about you and your family.
If they are not at all interested in the puppy’s future home and parents, be cautious.
3. Be aware of the prices of breed dogs.
If the price of the puppy seems cheap, be careful. Although, high prices do not guarantee responsible breeding either.
4. Do not adopt a puppy or kitten that is too young.
A puppy should be at least 8 weeks and a kitten 12 weeks old before bringing them to their new home and family.
5. Try to make sure that the puppy is healthy and happy.
The puppies, their mother and living areas should be clean and not smelly, the puppy’s eyes clear and their tummies not overly puffy. A happy puppy that moves around actively, is confident, curious and playful is always a good sign.
Should you happen to encounter a puppy mill while looking for a new puppy or kitten to join your family, report it to the police and of course do not do business with them in any circumstances. If you see a suspicious ad in an online marketplace, report it to the administrator. Together we can stop them!
