Brown and white dog behind the bars of a puppy mill kennel

Puppy mills

Many people don't realize that when they buy a dog from a pet store or on the Internet, that dog most likely came from a puppy mill, which is a "factory farm" for dogs. In puppy mills, dogs live in small cages, often in the minimum legal size allowed (only six inches larger than the dog on all sides) and female dogs are bred constantly, in order to produce as many puppies as possible for the retail pet trade.

Life in a puppy mill is no life for our best friends. Even though more and more Americans are taking a stand against them, the U.S. still has thousands of puppy mills. But together, we can take a stand against puppy mills and make them a thing of the past.

What is a Puppy Mill »

Best Friends' puppy mill initiatives

Best Friends is working to convince pet stores to offer pets for adoption instead of selling mill-bred pets, educate consumers about puppy mills, and create and lobby for humane legislation. We're making an impact and saving lives.

Retail pet sales bans are putting the squeeze on commercial breeding operations by shrinking the market for milled pets to be sold. Here is a list of the jurisdictions in the United States and Canada that have passed such legislation.

Map of United States with individual states color coded by pet store bans

States Where Retail Pet Sales have been Banned »

How you can help fight puppy mills

Around 625,000 dogs and cats are killed in U.S. shelters annually, simply because they don't have homes. When you adopt, you're not only refusing to support puppy mills, you're saving a life and giving an animal in need the second chance he or she deserves.

If you’re looking for a healthy, loving pet, you’re in luck. Wonderful dogs of all ages, types and sizes can be found in shelters and rescue groups around the country.