1) Over 80% of puppy mills in Ontario are owned/operated by the Amish & Mennonite Communities
2) When you are buying that cute little puppy from an Amish or Mennonite, you are not seeing the tops of the barns where the breeding adults are being kept. Most often, they will only bring out a few puppies for you to view, so you cannot see the conditions in which the breeding adults are being kept in.
3) Very few of the adult breeding dogs are ever vaccinated against Rabies, Distemper, Parvo, Lepto, Kennel Cough etc. They won't spend the money to vaccinate the breeding adults, as this would cut into their profit.
4) The breeding adult dogs are kept in their kennels and cages 24/7 and not let out for exercise. An adult breeding dog will never feel the sun on their backs, grass under their feet, and never know what it is like to run, play and be a "dog".
5) Adult breeding dogs always have parasites, and are infected with Coccidia and Giardia, which they pass on to their pups. When we take a puppy mill dog into rescue, the first thing we have to do is treat the dog for parasites and either Coccida or Giardia or both. Most often, both.
6) In the mills, the dogs are fed the cheapest dog food available to cut down on the expense of feeding them. When we take a puppy mill dog into rescue, we almost always have to have a vet do a "dental" on a dog, as their teeth are in very poor condition.
7) Female dogs often have large painful hernias from delivering many litters of pups. Hernias are repaired at the same time we spay the dog in rescue.
8) The puppies are pulled from their mothers at 5 weeks of age, which is far too young. Puppies need the antibodies in their mothers milk and should be kept with their mothers until 8 weeks of age. By pulling the pups off the mother earlier, the quicker she will dry up her milk and come back into heat so she can be re-bred again. This is why we see small, weak puppies.
9) Adult breeding dogs do not receive the proper veterinary treatment they need. Skin infections, ear, eye and wounds are not treated, as it cuts into the profit of the puppy miller to pay for veterinary care.
10) Puppy millers often sell their puppies in mass to "brokers" who in turn sell the pups on Kijiji. Kijiji is one of the worst places you can purchase a puppy. Please click here to learn how to find a good and reputable breeder. http://www.kismutt.com/canadapup/whatcanI.html
11) Brokers sell puppy mill puppies in Flea Markets, to Pet Stores and advertise in News Papers (classified ads). They will also advertise "Puppies For Sale" on signs at the end of their laneways of their farms.
If you have found a puppy you would like to purchase, and you are unsure if it is a puppy mill or not, please email me, and I can hopefully help you avoid buying from a puppy mill.