What is a puppy mill anyway?

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), "a puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding operation where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs. Unlike responsible breeders, who place the utmost importance on producing the healthiest puppies possible, breeding at puppy mills is performed without consideration of genetic quality. This results in generations of dogs with unchecked hereditary defects." Unfortunately, the puppies that result from puppy mill breeding are the lucky ones--they get out alive.
"In order to maximize profits, female dogs are bred at every opportunity with little to no recovery time between litters. When, after a few years, they are physically depleted to the point that they no longer can reproduce, breeding females are often killed. The mom and dad of the puppy in the pet store window are unlikely to make it out of the mill alive—and neither will the many puppies born with overt physical problems that make them unsalable to pet stores." If you are interested in learning more about what a puppy mill is, click here to visit the ASPCA's website.