How much is that doggy in the window? Well, it depends. If you’re lucky, it could cost between $300 and $500 – plus the costs of keeping it in good health.
If you’re not as lucky, though, that cute little puppy that might have come from a puppy mill could cost you thousands of dollars in medical fees alone.
This is due to the excessive breeding of dogs in awful conditions. These mills are increasingly a problem in Canada and the United States.
What is a puppy mill? The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty against Animals (SPCA) defines the term as a type of breeding operation in which dogs are bred repeatedly and kept in substandard conditions, with the sole intention being financial gain.
Virtually no thought is given to the physical health and upkeep of the dogs.
It is largely thanks to the bad conditions in puppy mills that these animals will often develop health, emotional and behavioural problems.
“There are three categories of problems, where problems are likely to arise: respiratory, skin and intestinal,” said Dr. Suzanne Marcil, a Quebec-based veterinarian.
“In [terms of] respiratory [issues], the problems are usually kennel cough. Skin problems such as mange and ringworm occur and intestinal problems can range from viral gastro-enteritis to parasitism.”
Dr. Marcil said that all of these are due to the overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions of puppy mills.
Overcrowding can also lead to behavioural problems.
“When overcrowding is mixed with lack of handling, dogs are often improperly socialized. This can cause fear, biting, and anxiety in dogs,” Dr. Marcil said.
“Having an anxious dog means it might have problems such as excessive barking, destructive tendencies, and also self-mutilation tendencies,” Dr. Marcil said.
“Not to mention puppy mill dogs are usually very hard to house-break because they are so used to relieving themselves where they stand. In a puppy mill, this would be in the cage, but at home it is anywhere,” she continued.
Bringing home a pet that urinates freely is not the only risk one takes when buying a dog from a puppy mill.
Genetic problems are rarely taken into account. Many breeds have certain congenital health issues that are found in their genes.
These include dysplasia, epilepsy, heart problems, and eye problems such as retinal atrophy, which leads to blindness.
When buying a dog from a breeder, the buyer is guaranteed a healthy animal.
Since the parents must be certified by different associations for their offspring to be of the highest pedigree, the male and female dogs have to go through many tests.
These tests check for defects that could potentially lead to health issues in the puppies.
The dogs are tested for hip, elbow, eye, and heart problems. If the parents are given the all-clear, their puppies are usually okay.
Though if problems do arise – congenital problems usually show up in the first two years of the animal’s life – he breeder is there to help.
They will offer to replace the puppy or defray the costs of the medical bills. Puppy mills offer no such services.
Puppy mills sometimes sell to pet stores through a broker, but they also sell directly from the mills – the names of which frequently include the words ‘kennel’ or ‘farm’.
Rarely are buyers allowed to see the living conditions of the dogs.
Breeders, however, will usually invite potential buyers on a tour of their facilities.
For more tips on finding a reputable breeder check out:
www.nopuppymillscanada.ca
