Commercial mass dog breeding facilities are all over the nation and here in New York State. Dog breeding is a legal business where dogs are bred for profit. Most of these facilities are compliant with the law but some take a turn for the worse and animals aren't treated humanely. These have been called 'puppy mills'. The biggest problems include: inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, overcrowded cages, and even the killing of unwanted animals.
These facilities can be found in Western New York.
There are several groups of people that have spent years getting dogs out of these dog breeding facilities and into a domesticated life as a pet in a home. One rescuer, Patty, tells of how her young female dog lived before buying its freedom. "She lived in a two by three foot metal crate her whole life and these crates were stacked three high and each dog that lived above the other dog would urinate or defecate on the other dogs... never walked on grass, never taken out of the cages." Patty said. "She has the best life now... a pet versus just stock."
The people in these rescue groups pay with their own money to get dogs out of breeding facilities including transportation, health care, food, and shelter. Some advocates even go to puppy mill auctions to buy the dogs. Several of those animals now have a home in Erie County after being bought from the breeding system and transported from states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Veterinarians who have cared for dogs coming out of 'puppy mills' notice many health problems. "We can tell that they've been living in a place that hasn't been cleaned regularly because they're soaked in urine, have stool feces stuck on their hair," one local vet said. "Are so skinny that it's heart breaking because you can see their ribs."
According to the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, breeders must have a state license and permit. The state conducts annual unannounced inspections of commercial dog breeding facilities to make sure they are in compliance with the law. "How those animals are kept and housed, whether they have adequate water and shelter being provided to them, the health of those animals, whether they've been seen by a veterinarian, and whether those records are available," Jessica Chittenden, with the Department of Agriculture, said. "They do need to be able to move around freely, get some exercise, and have adequate shelter so that they're not in the cage all of the time."
Some of the facilities that have failed inspection just this year are in Western New York. If a facility doesn't pass an inspection, consequences can include fines and the loss of a license and permit. "The majority of dog breeders in New York State are in compliance with the law, they are upstanding businesses that provide healthy pets for consumers. And unfortunately there are a few bad apples in the bunch," Chittenden said.
While the law helps to monitor the activity in these dog breeding facilities, there are a couple gaps. The Department of Agriculture says there's nothing in the law stating the number of times a dog can be bred or how much exercise a dog must have. "Companion animals must be kept in adequate shelter and also be able to move around and have exercise, but it does not define exactly what that means," Chittenden said. "We are also limited by the law and therefore we ask consumers while they are pet shopping to communicate with us and to let us know if they see any problems so that we can follow up and be sure that these pets are being cared for in a humane fashion."
Many of the puppies bred in these dog breeding facilities end up in pet stores. It's recommended that if you're buying a dog or puppy make sure you ask to see all the paperwork for the animal, which includes whether that establishment purchased or bred that dog or puppy, all health certificates, and veterinary examinations.
If you'd like more information on rescued 'puppy mill' dogs you can call 716-598-1199.
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