Animal From A Puppy Mill example essay topic

Companion animals bring such joy and wonder into our lives. What can be more exciting than sharing your life with a young puppy as it grows; watching it develop its own personality, and experiencing the unconditional love that is given by our furry, four-legged friends? As any devoted pet owner can tell you, proper care and nutrition can help establish a foundation of good health and ensures a long, happy life for your pet. Unfortunately, many consumers are unaware that the sweet little puppy that peered hopefully at them from the pet store window or the enticing advertisement in the newspaper that offered a pure bred puppy for such a bargain often comes with a hidden catch - these puppies, and their myriad of health problems, may be coming from a puppy mill. Though the definition of a puppy mill varies widely depending on who you ask, the basic principle of a puppy mill is a "mass dog-breeding operation [... ] which is designed purely for profit, not comfort" (Stop Puppy Mills). The animals which are bred in a puppy mill are kept in deplorable conditions; over-crowding, minimal to no medical treatment, irresponsible breeding practices, and very little socialization with people are just a few of the multitude of inhumane acts which these dogs face in a puppy mill.

"Who is in charge of preventing these actions?" you may ask. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for the licensing of kennels and enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) in the United States, but with only 96 USDA agents assigned to monitoring thousands of kennels throughout the US, the majority of the efforts devoted to caring for these animals lies on local shelters and animal rescue groups who act on tips of abuse (Get the Facts on Puppy Mills). Most of the laws dealing with animal welfare are set by each state. Tennessee may not be in one of the key so-called "puppy mill states" - Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania - but its current regulations regarding kennel fees, and the supervision of these kennels are so lax, that running a mass breeding operation can easily be concealed. By paying an amount between five and fifteen dollars, any Joe or Jane Public in Tennessee can open their own breeding practice, knowing that there are no laws in place that require a government agency to police the conditions of their operation. It's gaping loopholes such as this that allow these irresponsible breeders to take advantage of the existing legal system and stay in business.

Unfortunately, the profit mongering is not the issue, nor is it the main problem, involved in the puppy mill trade. The animals themselves are the ones who suffer most in this case. Canines who have been bred in puppy mills experience significantly more health problems, both physical and psychological, than those who have been bred in environments which focus more on the overall well-being of the animals rather than on the profits for which these animals have been produced. These dogs are frequently kept solely in overcrowded wire cages, and are not given the chance to exercise in the fresh air.

Since making a large profit is the sole purpose of these operations, these animals are fed poor quality, inexpensive dog food that does not provide adequate nutrition for the breeding stock nor the puppies which have been bred. Veterinary care is a very rare occurrence in a puppy mill, since the cost of medicines and check ups in a large scale breeding operation can often cost thousands of dollars, decreasing the profitability of the business. The breeding females are often impregnated when they enter their first heat; are bred during each subsequent estrus cycle without a period of recuperation. These breeding females are encouraged to breed many litters of puppies throughout their lifespan, which is significantly decreased by the effects of careless breeding practices, after which they are disposed of and replaced by even more "brood bitches". This careless disregard to responsible breeding habits often leads to genetic disorders in the stock, running the gamut from hip dysplasia to mental instability, which affects the integrity of the bloodline. Canines bred in these conditions are also prone to being highly aggressive, even to the point of being vicious, but often these traits do not show until well after a person has bought one of these animals and has brought it home.

Because the laws regulating animal welfare are so loosely enforced and are rarely publicized, consumers who have not been properly educated in purchasing an animal from a reputable breeder, what to expect when purchasing a pet, or how to be a responsible pet owner, are often unaware of the dangers which can exist when purchasing a pet from a pet store or from the puppy mill breeders who supply them. The buying public can turn a blind eye to these actions and continue to purchase their pets from pet stores and from breeders who do not require contracted purchases. Consumers can fall in love with the doggy in the window, walk inside, slap down a credit card and walk home with little to no effort. Smart shoppers can continue to scour the Internet and the newspaper advertisements to look for the least expensive dog to fill their needs. The puppy mill owners can continue to rake in profits while selling their dogs to consumers looking for a bargain. It certainly seems like a win-win situation for everyone at face value, but that is only because we are not taking into account the dogs themselves, nor their health problems which can cost the smart shopper thousands of dollars in veterinary bills and, very possibly, the death of their new pet.

Those who have been educated on the horrors which take place in puppy mills can most certainly help to eliminate the problem by hitting the irresponsible breeders where it hurts - in the pocketbook. Lobbying for more strict animal welfare laws and harsher punishment for those who break these laws is one method. Demanding an increase in public officials whose job is to monitor these kennels to ensure the humane treatment that these dogs deserve is another. Donating money to organizations that exist to care for animals who have been mistreated in some way, like The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and your local animal shelters and rescue groups, is another viable option to be considered. Educating consumers to prevent purchases from pet stores and the puppy mills which provide them with animals to sell is an important way to help eliminate the profitability of mass breeding operations. Offering alternative methods of gaining a pet by encouraging animal adoption from shelters and animal rescue groups to consumers not only decreases sales for the puppy mill profiteers but also helps to reduce the already staggering population of homeless animals.

We have established that the inhumane treatment of animals bred in puppy mills leads to chronic health issues in the animals which are sold to consumers. The continued in-breeding of animal stock decreases the overall health of the breed, often creating genetic deformities which affect future generations in the bloodline. Purchasing an animal from a puppy mill often leads to exorbitant veterinary bills for the consumer to correct health issues which could have been avoided if responsible breeding practices had been used. By continuing to give business to puppy mills, it encourages the growth of an already overwhelming pet population. This affects the ability of animal shelters to give animals in need of homes the proper care that they need, often resulting in many thousands of euthanized animals each year. By increasing local, state, and federal taxes, we can provide funds to organizations which can better police the proper care of animals in breeding facilities.

Increased funding to animal welfare lobbyists will help to get more strict laws passed; ones that come with harsh penalties for acting in violation of these laws, helping put many puppy mills out of business. The enforcement of consumer protection laws or "puppy lemon laws" (Stop Puppy Mills), requiring that a breeder must replace or refund the purchase of a sick puppy, can often lead to serious financial losses to puppy mills which exist solely for their profits. By encouraging the public to make donations to the ASPCA, the HSUS, and to their local animal shelters and rescue groups, these greatly needed financial donations can help provide care to the many thousands of animals which are discarded each year. Teaching consumers that poor breeding standards not only affect animals but the people who purchase them will lead to greater demand for animals bred in a quality manner.

Encouraging consumers to adopt from shelters and rescue groups, and to spay or neuter their pets, will help control the pet population and allow these groups to better provide care for the animals in their care who are not adopted to new families. Consumers should be taught that pets should not be purchased as an impulse item, but rather as the result of careful consideration which should be given to adding a new member to the consumers' family. Allowing the current conditions in puppy mills to continue is cruel and inhumane. While it seems to be the least expensive of the three options, it can easily wind up costing the consumer far more in in the long run for veterinary care for a sick animal. Additionally, the stress of caring for a pet with special needs or even coping with the death of an animal which could have been prevented if the animal had been subject to proper breeding practices causes undue emotional distress for the consumer.

As long as puppy mills exist, persons shopping for a particular breed of canine will be able to purchase one, without the hassle which is given to consumers purchasing from a reputable breeder who require contracts to govern the care of the animals which they are selling. However, i current breeding practices are left unchecked, the quality of the breeding stock will decrease; which can lead to genetic effects and, ultimately, the extinction of the bloodline. Additionally, by allowing these breeding mills to continue, the already overwhelming population of unwanted pets will grow to a proportion to which the existing facilities providing for their care cannot cope. The common response to increased taxes amongst the population is not positive; however, by allowing greater funds to be given to organizations designed to prevent the cruelties which take place in puppy mills, the consumer prevents financial loss in the future by not purchasing a substandard animal. An increase in taxes will place a greater strain on the already over-taxed consumer, the result of which may lead to more purchases from puppy mills in an effort to reduce the cost of purchasing a pet, but more strict laws regarding proper breeding practices will not only allow for humane treatment of animals but also will protect the integrity of the bloodline of these animals. The least expensive of the three alternatives is to educate the public in being a responsible pet owner.

By refusing to purchase from puppy mills and their outlets, these practices no longer have a reason to exist. Far too often, the consumer is less interested in being educated than in receiving instant gratification. When the consumer wants a product; in this case, a pet, that consumer will often go to the most convenient source - a pet store or puppy mill. By discouraging this kind of behavior, fewer animals will be purchased on a whim, helping to reduce the number of pets which are discarded each year. Animals purchased from facilities practicing professional breeding standards will have fewer health problems, will require fewer veterinary procedures, and should often lead long, happy lives with their families. I do agree that additional funding should be given to organizations which govern the practices of animal breeding because the laws and punishments against breeders operating in a substandard manner are currently too lax in comparison to the offenses committed to these animals.

The programs which currently exist to help regulate kennel conditions are unable to keep up with the growing number of puppy mills. By enforcing strict laws and strict punishment for those found guilty of committing cruelty to animals in this manner, other breeders are discouraged from committing the same acts. I also believe that educating consumers is key to preventing the perpetuation of the puppy mill trade, because by showing the public the horrible truth about what happens in puppy mills and the affects that poor breeding practices have on the animals which come from them, we can hope to eliminate the demand for instant gratification pets. Teaching consumers that purchasing a pet is a lifetime commitment rather than an act of impulse, there will be greater demand for pets which have been bred with their overall health and well being as the prime consideration in order to prevent the purchase of pets with special needs which have resulted from poor breeding practices.

Encouraging those in search of a pet to first consider adoption a pet rather than buying from a breeder helps reduce the population of unwanted pets and helps to prevent the euthanization of numerous animals who would have otherwise been a wonderful companion if given a chance. Ideally, I believe that the implementation of both of these alternatives would be the key to stamping out the puppy mill trade; however, I believe that the most effective and cost efficient method of the two is to educate the public. When public demand for animals bred in puppy mills decreases, so too will the profits of the puppy mills; effectively shutting down the practice which not only endangers the well-being of individual animals, but also the integrity of the bloodline of these canines. As a wife, a mother and a pet owner, I cannot express just how important each member of my family, including the "fur babies", is to me.

My dog, Rosie, was a "rescue dog" - a friend was moving cross-country and could not take her along. Two of my cats, Jethro and Lucy, were adopted from the Jefferson County Animal Shelter; and Lucky, my third, was taken in as a stray kitten. My mother-in-law runs a small kennel of German Shepherds, which she breeds not only to improve the standard of the breed, but to also provide her consumers with a companion animal who has been given only the highest quality in care. Her devotion to these animals is evident when you view the facility, interact with the animals, and hopefully purchase one to bring home as part of your family. It takes a lot of effort and expense to practice responsible breeding measures, but the quality of stock which come from those methods certainly make those efforts worthwhile. It is certainly feasible to run a dog breeding facility in which the quality of the life for these animals is paramount.

I find the excuses offered by puppy mill breeders with regards to cost and efficiency to be ridiculous, because I have seen first-hand what can be done to provide animals who live in a kennel the best possible accommodations. Despite current attempts to protect these animals under the existing animal welfare laws, I do not believe that the public is doing nearly enough to ensure the proper care which is necessary when breeding animals. The old chestnut about dog being man's best friend is true. A dog will provide it's owner with its devotion, obedience, and unconditional love, just as a human child would do with it's parent, and in many cases, more so. If these heinous acts were committed against a human child, the community would be outraged and demand justice be brought to the perpetrators of such acts. Our canine companions, as members of our families, deserve just as much compassion and respect as any other member in the family.