Breeding for profit and the dangers of it...

One thing I have wanted to shed some light on since I started this blog is puppy mills. Actually, I want to talk about all commercial breeding places with the mill stigma attached. These breeding factories, defined as any breeding facility that values profit over the health and welfare of the animals, often exist in extremely poor conditions and make a huge contribution to the companion animal overpopulation crisis in our country every year. The animals bred in these conditions are often sold to pet stores or shipped to unsuspecting buyers with pedigrees that are essentially worthless.

These mills place higher value on money than the quality of animal's lives in many different ways. Often times, dog breeders will mate females every time she goes into heat, every six to nine months, to increase the number of litters, therefore increasing their profits. Well, it's actually not recommended for a female to give birth to more than one litter per year; it's even suggested to skip a year between litters because being pregnant so often is extremely hard on their bodies. This practice actually can drastically reduce the amount of profits these places make because they run they danger of the mother dying in birth an reducing the amount of puppies born or that survive due to the mother's poor health.

Another instance of the high value placed on profit by these places is their very non-selective breeding. They'll try to mate any dog with another until they're basically useless to them, then they discard them. For example, if a female is weak or sick from excessive breeding or anything else, instead of retiring her and letting her enjoy her "golden years," they will try to get one last litter from her which usually kills her. Breeding non-selectively is also dangerous because it often times produces sickly offspring resulting from inherited genetic defects.

Not only are these animals bred in without their welfare in mind, they're also raised this way. Dogs and cats often spend their lives in small cages packed with many other animals, often times in their waste and very rarely get out to stretch or just be free. Spending their time in cages also limits the animal's socialization with people which can cause behavioral problems when they're adopted.

The factors of excessive breeding, non-selective breeding and living conditions all combined are very likely to cause a variety of health problems also. The Humane Society of the United States lists prominent illnesses in puppy mill dogs as:

• Epilepsy
  
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Deafness
• Endocrine disorders (thyroid)
• Blood disorders (anemia)
• Respiratory disorders
• Musculoskeletal disorders (hip dysplasia and luxating platella, a problem with the knee cap common in poodles)

Consequently, according to the same source, many puppies bought from pet stores and through puppy mill websites that make the breeding facilities look legitimate many times come with a plethora of illnesses also. These include:

• Distemper (A disease that mostly affects the respiratory system of both dogs and cats)
  
• Internal parasites (i.e. round and tape worms, caused by contact with the feces of their infected mothers and other dogs, and flea infestation)
• Fleas
• Heartworm (A parasite that grows in the chambers of the heart, transmitted through mosquitoes, not as common in cats as in dogs)
• Upper respiratory infections (Very common in cats)
  
• Kennel cough (Comparable to our bronchitis)
  
• Parvovirus (a very nasty and contagious disease that causes excessive vomiting and diarrhea that usually results in death caused by dehydration. This is a horrible sickness, and younger puppies are the most susceptible it)

Luckily there are courses of vaccinations or that protect against all the above illnesses. Vaccines that protect against things like distemper and Parvovirus should be given for the first time when the animal is around six weeks old (therefore, BEFORE you buy it, and come with proof) and repeated every three to four weeks until it is about sixteen weeks of age and most states require a Rabies virus to be given with the last round of vaccines. Others, like ones for Kennel cough only need to be given if the animal is around many other animals while Heartworm preventatives are given orally, but only after they are tested for the parasite. All of these vaccines and preventatives are another whole topic. With that said, it will be my next time's topic. It can all get quite confusing and I don't want to sell it short.

As for breeding mills, beware of the people referred to as backyard breeders also, as they hold the same beliefs, if you will, of the breeding mills, but on a smaller scale. In short, these people are usually just as ruthlessly money hungry as the larger scale breeders. You can help put an end to these breeding mills by avoiding buying a pet from pet stores or anywhere that doesn't allow you to inspect their surroundings or environment they were housed in. If you can, make adoption from a pet shelter an option and please, share this information with your friends; it's shocking how many people don't know about the dangers of puppy mills. You may also report possible breeding mills to authorities if you suspect abuse or neglect of animals as many states have some laws against animal cruelty.

I understand that there are many causes to fight for, and people, not only animals need help, especially in the state of the economy today. I just urge you to realize that animals have no voice; they're absolutely powerless. The animals that humans have domesticated, in most cases to make our lives easier, now need our help to make their lives easier and they can't ask for it. Please, do what you can, whether it's fostering an animal, donating old blankets, toys, or even just some of your time to a local shelter.