Puppy mills are mass dog-breeding facilities whose focus is on making a profit. Breeding dogs are often treated inhumanely by being kept in tiny cages, and their only interaction with humans is when they are collected to mate with another dog. Once breeding dogs have reached their prime they are often deemed useless and killed.
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Health Issues
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Puppy mill dogs often have mild to severe health problems, ranging from hip dysplasia and epilepsy to blindness or even death. Consistent inbreeding can lead to puppies with genetic defects being sold as healthy dogs. These genetic defects can cause life-threatening diseases and lead to a huge vet bill.
Poor Socialization
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Dogs from puppy mills have usually not been socialized with other animals, people or objects between the recommended ages of eight and 16 weeks. One sign of poor socialization is a puppy who shows fear, or even aggression, towards unfamiliar objects.
Pet Store Purchase
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According to the Humane Society, the majority of puppies sold at pet stores are products of puppy mills. Certain pet stores do support rescue, and display animals from the local humane society, but the a large number sell puppies at extremely high prices for profit. If a puppy in a pet store is not adopted he is often sent back to the miller, who could either breed or kill him.
Papers
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If you bought your dog from a pet store and were unable to get any information on her breeder or origins, it is likely she came from a puppy mill. Pet store workers might be reluctant to provide this information to customers if they sell dogs from mills. If you did see paperwork, but it showed that the puppy was bred out of state, this is another likely sign she is the product of a puppy mill.
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