HELP STOP PUPPYMILLS!! SIGN TODAY.

Please sign this petition for the mistreatment of animals in puppymills.  If you use any search engine and type "puppymills", you will find many articles and video (youtube.com) on the abuse and mistreatment of these poor animals.  Please sign the petition and forward to all in your address book.  The animals thank you!

The dogs whose stories are told below were lucky in a way%u2014they survived long enough to make it out of the puppy mill and into to the arms of people who cared about them. But many of these survivors died not long after because of physical ailments and emotional scars that developed due to the lack of veterinary care, bad breeding, poor conditions, lack of socialization and maltreatment common at puppy mills. 

Abby

Abby was purchased in Michigan after her owner answered a classified ad for AKC-registered Labrador Retrievers. Her owner was given only a handwritten vaccination record at purchase.

Within a few days, Abby became gravely ill and tested positive for Parvovirus. She also had a severe urinary infection, ear infection and roundworms. The veterinarian felt she had only a 30 percent chance of recovery.

After several days of intensive care hospitalization, Abby beat the odds and survived Parvo. Her family sued her breeder in small claims court. He continues to sell AKC-registered dogs through the classified ads.

Pepper

Pepper was born in a puppy mill in Arkansas and was sold by a Missouri-based broker that supplies puppies to pet stores nationwide to a pet store in California.

Within hours of purchase, Pepper showed signs of neurological problems. He was diagnosed with an incurable, hereditary brain disorder. As he ages, Pepper has progressively longer "spells" during which he cannot walk, eat or stand on his own.

Bella Mia
Read Bella Mia's story »

Top Secret

Top Secret is an adult terrier who was used as a breeder at a Missouri puppy mill. Due to a lifelong lack of veterinary care, Top Secret suffered from painful and severe dental infections.

All of his teeth rotted and he lost part of his lower jaw. Top was rescued and has been treated, but he can no longer shut his mouth all the way and does not have full use of his jaw.

Top Secret has now been adopted into a loving home.

Greta

Greta was purchased from a small-scale puppy mill breeder who sold puppies along an Arkansas roadside. Greta had two kinds of mange and other infections.

Today, more than a year after her purchase, she still suffers from recurring bouts of mange and requires ongoing veterinary treatment.

Greta's owner was later told that at least one of Greta's littermates had died due to the conditions in which they were living.

Abby

Abby, a toy poodle, was purchased from a puppy store in Massachusetts. When she was still just a puppy, Abby had trouble walking and was diagnosed with luxating patellas (dislocating kneecaps), a common congenital problem in small dogs of poor breeding.

Abby's vet said her condition was one of the worst he had ever seen. Her family spent more than $1,600 on two surgeries to correct her knee problems.

Abby's family told The HSUS, "We feel horrible for falling into the 'puppy mill trap.' We only wish we knew then what we know now."

NaMona

NaMona is a Cocker Spaniel/King Charles Cavalier Spaniel mix who was purchased from a puppy store in Maryland in the fall of 2006.

Within a day of purchase, NaMona was diagnosed with kennel cough, which quickly progressed to pneumonia. Despite early treatment, NaMona came very close to death.

After her owner found her barely breathing one night, she rushed her to an emergency veterinary facility at 4 a.m., where NaMona spent days in an oxygen tent.

"If this puppy dies, I'll never get over it," wrote her owner. NaMona finally pulled through. Her buyer spent far more money on vet bills that she did on NaMona's purchase price.

Cindy

Cindy was used as a breeder dog at a Florida puppy mill for about six years. She was finally freed by the local animal control department when they confiscated Cindy and others and fined their owner for cruelty.

Due to the long-term lack of veterinary care, Cindy had lost most of her teeth and suffered from heartworm disease. The heartworm disease was treated, but the resulting damage to her heart has left her dependent on heart medications.

Cindy was very shy and confused at first. She was in her new home for six months before she developed the courage to bark. Although her heart will always be damaged from the preventable effects of heartworm disease, Cindy is finally living a good life after her years of abuse.

She now enjoys life as a pampered family pet.

Claire

Claire, a Bichon Frise, was purchased at a puppy mill auction in Missouri. She was marketed as a good breeder who would "help put your kids through college."

Claire suffers from a severe neurological impairment and is partially blind and deaf. Had she not found her way into a breed rescue group, she would probably have spread her genetic conditions on to many future generations of dogs.

Now re-named Samantha, Claire beat almost astronomical odds and found herself in a loving adoptive home. Her disabilities will be life-long, but she has been spayed, so she will never have offspring who will suffer the same fate.

Ashley

Ashley's family purchased her from a "breeder" after seeing an ad in the back of a popular dog magazine.

Ashley was shipped on an airplane from Kentucky to Illinois, so her family never met the breeder or saw where Ashley was born.

Ashley began developing seizures in puppyhood. For 10 years, she has been taking daily medications to control her seizures. She has also suffered from thyroid disease and congenital hip problems.

Her owner later found out that Ashley's breeder was shut down for running a puppy mill. She wrote, "I love my Ashley dearly, but she has endured so much because of the conditions and poor quality that she was born into. The moral of this story is to investigate thoroughly the breeder from which you plan to get an animal."

Stevie

Even though Stevie has no eyes, she was used as a breeding dog in a Florida puppy mill.

One vet who examined Stevie said that she was probably born without her eyes, and that her condition was most likely caused by inbreeding.

Stevie was rescued after the puppy mill was shut down in the summer of 2006. She is now living with a loving adoptive family.

Draco

Draco before. Draco after.

Draco, a German Shepherd, was purchased as breeding stock, but when the person who purchased him did not want to deal with his skin condition he was neglected and then abandoned.

When Draco was rescued he was 40 to 50 pounds underweight and had been living outside in the cold with no fur or body fat to keep him warm. He was suffering from an untreated thyroid condition and extensive skin infections, and his prognosis was so poor that a vet suggested euthanasia.

But his rescuer persevered and managed to restore Draco to health by giving him the proper food and veterinary attention he had so long deserved. Draco has now been neutered so that he cannot pass on his genetic problems.

He is now in a loving, permanent home.

In Memory

Bear

Bear was purchased by a Michigan couple who saw an ad on a popular puppy sellers%u2019 website. He was advertised as a "registered designer Pochi" (half Pomeranian, half Chihuahua).

When the buyers offered to meet the breeder at her kennel to pick up Bear, she instead arranged to meet them in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant.

"All the red flags were there," said Bear's family, but they were so smitten with the little puppy that they decided to buy him anyway.

Bear died of Parvovirus two days after purchase.  

Millie

Millie, a 12-year-old Chihuahua, was found wandering along a Virginia road in very poor condition. Her uterus had prolapsed due to multiple pregnancies and deliveries, and was literally protruding outside her body.

She was brought to the nearest animal shelter. The shelter staff noted that Millie was wearing a tag with a USDA breeder's license number on it. She clearly had been used for many years as a breeder dog in a puppy mill, before being abandoned when her body was used up and she could no longer "earn her keep."

Special funding was secured to pay for Millie's uterine surgery, so that she could finally be placed in a loving home. Many people were pulling for her but, unfortunately, it was too late for Millie.

The operating vet discovered extensive tumors throughout her reproductive system, and it was decided that the kindest thing to do would be to not wake her up from surgery. The animal shelter's manager took Millie's ashes home with her. At least in death, Millie will have a real home.  

Muffy

Muffy, a Tibetan Terrier, was purchased from a pet store in New York in March 2006. She displayed signs of kennel cough shortly after purchase. She also suffered from giardia, a gastrointestinal infection common in puppy mill dogs.

Despite prompt veterinary care and later hospitalization, Muffy died of pneumonia two weeks after purchase.

Peaches

Peaches was purchased from a pet store in Connecticut in March 2006. She was shipped from a puppy mill in Pennsylvania and  arrived at the pet store the night before she was purchased.

Peaches suffered from colitis and respiratory ailments which seemed mild at first. But, like many puppy mill dogs, her body seemed resistant to normal antibiotic therapy.

Despite thousands of dollars worth of veterinary care, her infections progressed over time. She died two months after purchase.

Bocephus

A young woman purchased Bocephus over the Internet as a Christmas present for her husband, who had just returned from military service.

She assumed that she was buying him from a reputable breeder, and planned to train the Bloodhound as a search and rescue dog.

But Bo died within four days of arriving at his new home. He was riddled with worms and infections, and ultimately succumbed to liver failure.

The breeder later sent a replacement dog. The second puppy was also very ill and required veterinary care for kidney problems, but survived.

CJ
Read CJ's story »

Ginger

Ginger, a Shiba Inu, was purchased in Florida from a veterinarian who sold puppies on the side.

Ginger's owner was later shocked to learn that Ginger and the rest of her vet's puppies had come from a puppy mill in Missouri. Ginger suffered from severe gastrointestinal ailments (inflammatory bowel disease) her entire life.

Despite the best care her family could give her, Ginger lived for less than three years.

Philly

Philly was purchased from a pet store in New Jersey in October 2006. Like many pet stores, the store claimed to have dogs only from "prime breeders," but Philly had actually been bred at a commercial breeder in Texas and had been trucked across the country by an Oklahoma broker before being sold to the store.

Just one day after purchase, Philly became gravely ill and was hospitalized with severe pneumonia and suspected Distemper. His family spent more than $3,500 trying to save his life, but he did not recover.

After six days of intensive care, Philly was euthanized.

Oden

Oden, a Miniature Pincher, was bred in Missouri, transferred to a broker, and later sold by a well-known pet store in Valparaiso, Ind.

Oden was much-loved by his new family, as well as the family's Doberman, Loki (pictured here with Oden).

But Oden became ill shortly after purchase. A parasitic microorganism greatly weakened his body and immune system over time. Veterinary treatment failed, and he had to be euthanized less than five weeks after purchase.

Oden's heartbroken owner told The HSUS, "Nobody deserves to go through this, especially these poor dogs who can't speak for themselves. My ignorance has cost our family so much. I am angry at [the pet store chain] not only for using these vile puppy mills but for leading people to believe the puppies come from caring breeders. If I had known the truth, I would have never given a dollar to support this industry."

Scooter

Scooter, a Beagle, was purchased from a national pet store chain by a young couple who knew nothing about puppy mills.

From the start he seemed to have some socialization issues, so his family took him to puppy training classes.

But as he grew into adulthood, Scooter developed more and more aggression problems. He bit several family members for no apparent reason.

Although Scooter was still very much loved, he had to be euthanized for his temperament issues when he was just 18 months old.

Sassy

Sassy was purchased from a pet shop in Arcadia, Calif., in 2005. She was much loved by her family, but she suffered from health problems almost as soon as she came home from the store.

Sassy's family tried to work with the store's managers regarding the store's "one-year health guarantee," but the store repeatedly took their receipts and then denied their claims.

Cases like Sassy's prove that "health guarantees" are more of a marketing ploy than real protection for pet owners.

Sassy's life was cut drastically short due to her frail health. She died just three days shy of her first birthday.

Do you have a story about a puppy mill dog that you'd like to share? Please tell us your story »

Updated Jan. 10, 2008