Should Pet Stores Sell Puppies?

By: Cathrine M. Sheeter
Prepared for ANS 420: Ethical Issues In Animal Agriculture
Written November 2000

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Introduction to the Issue:

The sale of pet store puppies is big business in the United States. Few people stop to think about where these hundreds of thousands of puppies come from and how pet stores have a continual supply of different breeds and young puppies at all times. The answer to these questions are usually large commercial kennels that sometimes mass-produce purebred puppies. The conditions that the breeding dogs are kept in varies from quite good to horrific. Commercial kennels that keep their breeding dogs in substandard conditions are often referred to as “puppy mills.” According to at least three animal rights groups ninety percent of puppies sold in pet stores come from puppy mills. Many animal welfare groups and individuals have publicized concerns about puppy mills and the conditions that the dogs are kept in at these kennels.

All commercial kennels are licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Animal Welfare Act imposes regulations. While this type of regulatory body should suggest that kennels would provide humane care for their animals, and that each kennel should be inspected frequently to ensure regulations are met, are they really? How common are these so called “puppy mills?” If many do come from kennels with very poor conditions for the dogs, should pet stores continue to sell puppies? What can be done to stop puppy mills?

Evidence to Support the Issue:

The sale of pet store puppies and kittens has become a multimillion-dollar industry in the US since it began post World War II, when war repressed farmers started raising dogs. Since this time the industry has grown and flourished and pet stores are one of the most common places for people to seek out a new pet. According to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) approximately 3,700 pet stores sell puppies and/or kittens out of about 12,000 pet stores in the United States. Through these 3,700 pet stores an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 puppies are sold each year. A typical price for a pet store puppy is $400 and typically ranges from $250 to $1200 and sometimes even more. This calculates out that pet store puppy sales generate somewhere between $160 and $200 million dollars annually.

  The sale of pet store puppies provides thousands of pets to the public each year. People who have never owned or bought a pet know that they can turn to pet shops to find that new companion, often offering a selection of multiple breeds. For many people pet store animals are purchased on impulse. The sale of these pet store cuties usually creates revenue for at least three enterprises: the breeder of the puppy, a puppy broker (the middleman who takes the puppy from breeder to pet shop), and the pet shop. The raising of dogs is the primary source of income for many Amish people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (Stark, 1996) and big business in other parts of the country as well.

Commercial kennels provide almost all puppies that are marketed in US pet stores. Commercial kennels are also known as Class A licensed “dealers.” The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) licenses all dealers, and these individuals must follow policies and regulations set forth by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). According to the AWA (section 1.1):

“Dealer means any person who, in commerce, for compensation or profit, delivers for transportation, or transports, except as a carrier, buys, or sells, or negotiates the purchase or sale of: Any dog or other animal whether alive or dead (including unborn animals, organs, limbs, blood, serum, or other parts) for research, teaching, testing, experimentation, exhibition, or for use as a pet; or any dog for hunting, security, or breeding purposes. This term does not include: A retail pet store, as defined in this section, unless such store sells any animals to a research facility, an exhibitor, or a dealer (wholesale); or any person who does not sell, or negotiate the purchase or sale of any wild or exotic animal, dog, or cat and who derives no more than $500 gross income from the sale of animals other than wild or exotic animals, dogs, or cats, during any calendar year.”

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) was put into effect in 1966 to help promote more humane treatment of animals marketed by dealers, brokers, transporters and other individuals caring for animals prior to sale and used for research. Though it has been amended frequently since its inception, according to the USDA “Federal animal care standards are a minimum, not ideal.”

  The USDA has come under frequent attack by animal rights groups claiming that the department is not doing a good enough job monitoring commercial kennels and that the regulations set forth do not meet the animal’s needs. In one letter written to the USDA regarding kennel inspections they [USDA] responded saying that “Our inspectors are stretched pretty thin with 65 inspectors nationwide and almost 11,000 facilities to inspect each year.” (Townsend, 1998) Legislation through the AWA is supposed to prevent mistreatment of dogs in kennels, but it is questionable whether it is doing its job. The consequence of most broken AWA regulations is a warning letter or small fine, and it seems that the USDA is reluctant to revoke licenses from kennels that do not meet the mandatory requirements even after multiple warnings. In an 18-month period ending on June 30, 1997, only 29 of the 4,100 licensed commercial dog breeders in the US had their licenses suspended or revoked by the USDA. (Ecenbarger, 1998) This is less than one percent of registered kennels, however few would attribute this number to high compliance by kennels. According to a past USDA investigator, Marshall Smith, who resigned from his job in February 1997, the agency "tends to go lightly on violations of the Animal Welfare Act." According to Smith the primary reason is: "One of the USDA’s major functions is to promote the economic welfare of the farmer rather than the health and welfare of dogs." (Ecenbarger, 1998) This would indicate a conflict of interest between the promotion of the well being of the dogs and the economic interests of the puppy “farmer.”

In the last 20 years there has been increased publicity about commercial kennels that mass-produce puppies, often in very poor conditions. These places have been given the name of “puppy mills.” Though the USDA sets forth no definition for either puppy mills or commercial breeders, both are typically defined as breeders who raise puppies solely for profit. The difference in most people’s minds between a commercial kennel and a puppy mill are the conditions that the dogs are raised in. Puppy mills are generally considered to have dogs that are kept in poor conditions, or conditions not meeting AWA regulations. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) claim that nine out of ten puppies sold at pet stores come from puppy mills.

The conditions found in puppy mills can be anything from mild to horrific. A description of one Florida puppy mill, as printed in February 1999 Readers Digest was as follows:

“Last May I visited a puppy mill near Bunnell, Fla., that had been closed down. When police and humane officials arrived six months earlier, they were greeted at the gate by dozens of dogs, many of them sick or injured. On the porch of the ramshackle farmhouse was a stack of filthy cages, where the decomposing carcass of a terrier dripped fluids onto a live poodle below.

Inside, every downstairs room was piled with excrement-filled cages. Rats scampered in and out of them.

Authorities seized 358 dogs. A few were in such poor health they had to be euthanized. Many of the females had mammary tumors, and a half-dozen dogs were blind from glaucoma. Nearly all the adult dogs had severe periodontal disease, and many had to have teeth removed.”

Conditions similar to these can be many reports of kennels that have been inspected. Some of the reported kennels have been inspected and sent multiple warning letters from the USDA, yet still retain their Class A license from the department. In many cases it is local humane societies that shut down puppy mills, not the USDA. (Kane, 1996)

A secondary concern is that once the USDA revokes a kennel’s license, this does not prevent the kennel from breeding dogs; they simply do it without being licensed. This eliminates any chance that the kennel will be inspected and gives even more leniency to these breeders, who now have no regulatory body to oversee their production practices (Walker, 1999).

Like most income-based industries, commercial breeders and puppy mills generally follow practices that minimize costs and maximize profits. Many puppy mills do not vaccinate their dogs or puppies from common canine diseases. It is almost a sure bet that the breeding dogs mated in puppy mills or even “quality” commercial kennels have not been tested for common genetic diseases due to the high costs associated with these tests. Every breed of dog has genetic problems that can be passed from generation to generation by breeding dogs that carry the flawed gene. Many of these genetic problems can be detected with today's technology, but these tests are expensive, and therefore most commercial breeders are not willing to invest the money.

Another common problem in many puppy mills is malnourishment. Often times the dogs are fed the minimum to keep them producing and almost always they are fed poor quality, inexpensive foods. The most common reason for local humane society personnel to be contacted about a puppy mill is when local citizens see emaciated dogs and become concerned about the dog’s welfare. (Kane, 1996) According to Rachel Lamb, companion animal director at the Humane Society of the United States "Breeding dogs are kept under the most inexpensive conditions that will keep them alive and producing. Usually a sick animal is just killed rather than made well by a vet,” says Lamb. Most females kept for breeding spend their entire lives deprived of all exercise and companionship and are bred incessantly every six months and expected to survive on a minimum of food and water. "Since they are considered breeding machines," Lamb adds, mothers are bred from their first heat cycle and then killed, sometimes bludgeoned to death when their production declines.”

Poor sanitation of kennels is another common problem. Most commercial kennels have between seventy and five hundred dogs and puppies on site at any one time. The AWA regulations are sketchy regarding the type of cleaning that needs to be done to kennels or cages. This often results in infrequent sanitation of dog runs and kennels. Many times dogs live in small runs or wire cages, which often cause sores and hair loss. Common reports of puppy mill conditions include wire cages stacked one upon another, allowing feces and urine to drop down to the cages and animals below. These unsanitary conditions are ideal conditions to harbor disease and parasites that often infest the breeding dogs and puppies. Only one half of the puppies that are born in a puppy mill are expected to survive to eight-weeks of age (Stark, 1995). In a 1990 California study more than half of the out-of-state puppies bought from pet stores were ill, or became ill, soon after being purchased (Randolph, 1998). This statistic does not take into account genetic disorders that may not develop until the puppy is older.

Size requirements by the AWA for dog cages are quite small. The USDA’s current regulations on the size of cages are based upon the dog’s size. The height requirement must be 6” above the top of the dog’s head when it is standing up. The size of an AWA approved run for a 24” long dog (from nose to base of tail) needs to only be 2 ½ feet wide by 3 feet long. There is little requirement for exercising a dog kept in a kennel this size.

The large majority of puppy mills are located in the mid-west, with Missouri registering more than one-third of all puppies in the United States each month. Most of these puppies are shipped to pet shops in other states. Missouri alone registers more than 12,000 puppies with the American Kennel Club (AKC) each month. (Townsend, 1998) Many people believe that if a dog has AKC papers that this gives the dog some type of assurance of quality. Unfortunately this is not so. The AKC states:

“There are no provisions in our Rules to preclude the breeding of dogs of questionable quality. We would certainly hope, however, that if the matter is brought to the attention of the owners of the dogs involved, they would give the matter very careful consideration before contemplating breeding the dogs again". The AKC goes on to say, "The American Kennel Club is always concerned when we learn about the sale of a sick dog, or a dog that has been diagnosed as having a congenital defect. However, The American Kennel Club does not license or endorse anyone engaged in the commerce of selling purebred dogs and, therefore, has no control over the business practices of those involved in such transactions. Membership in The American Kennel Club is comprised of independent dog clubs located throughout the United States. No individual persons are members of the AKC.” (3 Buckalew et al., 1998)

The AKC has long promoted that purebred dogs are better than mixed-breed dogs, which has driven the market for the purebred dog. This demand for purebreds has added fuel to the puppy mill industry. Puppy mills fulfill the common rules of supply and demand. The AKC takes in a large percentage of their revenue from the registration of dogs. In 1996 alone the AKC generated $26 million dollars in registrations. (Ecenbarger, 1998) Many of these dogs are puppies sold in pet stores. The AKC claims that it is not their responsibility to monitor where the puppies that they register come from and the cure for unethical commercial breeders will be in strict regulation of the AWA and enforcement by the USDA.

Another important question to ask of the pet store puppy is “what happens when the puppy becomes too big to be highly marketable?” Not many people are interested in buying a half grown dog and larger puppies require more room and larger kennels within a pet store. The answer to this question according to the HSUS is that many are dropped off at local shelters or humane societies to be placed. Other proposed “disposal systems,” as suggested by other organizations, are that the puppies are euthanised or destroyed by either drowning or being shot.

Due to all of the evidence suggesting that puppy mills are the main source of pet shop dogs gives me reason to believe that the sale of pet store puppies should be stopped completely. Yes, there are probably a few "good" pet stores, but it is difficult worth saving these stores at teh cost of so many poor ones? Even if all pet store puppies were always healthy and had good dispositions (which they often do not), they are usually only the product of a continued chain or inhumane treatment in the form of puppy mills. When people buy a puppy from a pet store, they may be sentencing a breeding animal to a lifetime of misery- a puppy mill. (McClintock, 1992)

I do not believe that pet stores are the only ones to blame though. If pet stores are allowed to continue selling puppies, then the USDA should employ more people so that they can actually enforce the regulations of the AWA. The AWA should be revised to meet the needs of breeding dogs and puppies at a higher standard. I believe that requirements should be made for exercising of dogs kept in kennels that only meet the minimum size requirements. Dogs should be required to be vaccinated for common canine diseases and given dry shelter away from the elements. Kennels should be inspected more frequently, and penalization should be more severe. The AKC should also take more responsibility and regulate the dogs that they register. Perhaps a better alternative than expecting either of these bodies to govern puppy mills should be a completely separate legislative body that does not have conflicting economic interests.

I believe that one of the key aspects to the abolishment of puppy mills is through education. Few people would knowingly buy a puppy from a pet store if they were aware of the conditions that the parents of most of these puppies are kept in. Recent articles in widely read magazines, such as “Life” (Not Fit for a Dog, 1992) and “Readers Digest” (Scandal of America’s Puppy Mills, 1999) have helped a great deal to inform the general public about puppy mills, but there are still many people who do not know what a puppy mills is, or that they are the main source of pet store puppies.

In the past few years there has been increased pressure placed on pet stores that sell puppies. Recent surveys show a declining number of pet stores are selling puppies (Stark, 1995), and the main reason seems to be that the public has begun to pressure these stores. While I believe that it is unrealistic to expect all pet stores to completely stop the sale of puppies in the near future, I do believe that progress is being made in the right direction. In the long run, public education will be the key to ending puppy mills and striving for more humane conditions for breeding dogs.

Sources:

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 1996. [http://www.aspca.org/]

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services. Animal welfare. [http://www.aphis.usda.gov]

Buckalew, L. et al. 1997. Victims of greed. [http://www.critterhaven.org/victims.htm]

Companion Animal Protection Society. 1997. Pet shops and puppy mills. [http://www.caps-web.org/petshops_puppymills.shtml]

Ecenbarger, W. 1999. Scandal of America’s puppy mills. Readers Digest. February. Pp 118-123.

Humane Society of United States. 1999. Puppy mill facts: what is a puppy mill. [http://www.hsus.org/programs/companion/pet_cruelty/puppymill_facts.html]

Italiano, L. 1996. $4.4M puppy mill scandal, New York Post September 22, New York.

McClintock, J. 1992. Not fit for a dog. Life Magazine. Pp 69-75.

Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council. 1997. [http://petsforum.com/PIJAC/]

Randolph, M. 1998. When a dog is a lemon. [http://www.nolo.com/nn179.html]

Stark, K. 1995. Puppy mills ruin the family pet, The Philadelphia Inquirer December 10, Philadelphia.

Stark, K. 1995. Puppy love, The Philadelphia Inquirer December 17, Philadelphia.

Townsend, K. 1998. No puppy mills. [http://www.nopuppymills.com]

United States Department of Agriculture. Animal welfare acts and regulations. [http://warp.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm]