End Puppy Mills: Tips for Writing to Legislators and Media

Dogs in puppy mills are bred in factory-like, inhumane settings. They have little human interaction and run the risk of developing significant behavioral and medical issues. The good news is that more and more people are taking a stand against puppy mills, though the U.S. still has thousands of licensed and unlicensed puppy mills. So what are some ways to stop puppy mills? Here are some tips that anyone can use to write their legislators and media outlets to spread awareness about the cruelty of puppy mills.

Writing to stop puppy mills

Here are some simple tips to help you compose a message about ending puppy mills:

Nearly 2 out of 3 US shelters are now no-kill graphic

See how your community is doing

We've seen tremendous momentum and success so far, and we are so close to achieving no-kill around the entire country. Knowing where each shelter and community stands not only helps determine the best way to move forward, but it also helps track the progress we’re making together.
  • Get right to the point in your first few sentences. Stick to one topic, and keep your letter brief (one page or less).
  • From start to finish, maintain a respectful tone.
  • After stating your position, back it up with examples, facts, and statistics.
  • If you’re writing in support of or against a specific bill, include the bill number.
  • Provide your contact information. Legislators want to hear from their constituents and will often respond. Even if they don’t, remember that your opinion counts.
  • End your letter by thanking the recipient for considering your opinion.
  • And, finally, spell-check.

Example talking points

Here is some phrasing you can use in your message:

  • As a legal enterprise, dog breeding should be regulated to ensure humane conditions for the dogs and puppies.
  • Poorly regulated puppy mills are notorious for churning out undersocialized, sick, and poorly bred puppies. This is a health, safety, and economic tragedy.
  • Commercial dog breeding facilities should be inspected regularly, and they should pay income and sales tax like any other business, which could increase funds for community improvements and public education.
  • The shelter in [your location] kills [number] animals every year just because they don't have a home, while puppy mills profit by adding to the number of homeless pets.
  • I am opposed to spending my tax dollars to house and kill animals at shelters while mass-production pet breeding continues unchecked.
  • It makes sense to put a reasonable cap on the number of dogs people can keep for the purposes of breeding.
  • Responsible hobby breeders who treat their animals as pets and only raise a few puppies a year are not the problem. Responsible breeders will have no problem meeting new basic standards because the level of care they provide already far exceeds the conditions in puppy mills.

For more information, and to sign petitions and support campaigns in your own community, go to the Best Friends Legislative Action Center.

Logo Icon

About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends is working to end the killing of dogs and cats in U.S. shelters in part by getting more pets out of shelters and into loving homes.

We’ve come a long way since the first known city reached no-kill in 1994, and now we’re closer than ever to making the entire country no-kill. Today, roughly 2,500 shelters are no-kill throughout the U.S. — and 700 more are just 100 pets or fewer away from reaching that milestone.

Best Friends is committed to working with passionate people like you to save homeless pets through adoption, volunteering, fostering, and advocacy. In addition to our lifesaving centers around the U.S, we also founded and run the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals.

Working together, we can save homeless pets in our communities and secure a better future for our best friends. Together, we will bring the whole country to no-kill.