Sandy Ramirez
Kate Kimball
English 1010-92
December 5, 2012
1
Ramirez
“Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character and it may be
confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.” - Arthur
Schopenhauer (German Philosopher)
This quote by a German Philosopher named Arthur Schopenhauer expresses how
compassion towards animals is linked to a higher moral convection. Animal abuse in puppy
mills has been a serious issue that has been the talk to many debates throughout history.
Animals throughout the years have received overwhelming support; more than ever before. It
was once considered by many people that animals had no capacity for feeling and couldn’t be
equal to humans. Even though animals have not earned the same respect as humans have,
animal abuse is still something that is prevalent in today’s society. The United States is known
for its compassion and empathy for living animals, but yet we are still in the dark about animal
cruelty that thousands of animals go through in puppy mills. Dogs are part of American families,
but do people consider wondering where do the puppies come from?
Most families do not consider that question when they purchase their new pet. It is very
easy to go the pet store or shelter and fall in love with a puppy. Their big wanting eyes and
wagging tails draw you in without any evidence of their history or how they got to where they
are. When you look at a puppy in a pet store window do you ever wonder how they were
treated before they were taken to the store? If they were given the vet care that animals need
Sandy Ramirez
Kate Kimball
English 1010-92
December 5, 2012
2
Ramirez
when they are born? Do these breeders allow animals to interact with people or other breed of
dogs? Animal abuse in puppy mills is a crucial problem in the United States and it either needs
to be shut down completely. Puppy mills are facilities known for their filthy, overcrowded
condition, and unhealthy animals. Puppies are forced to survive in inhumane conditions which
puppies most likely can get diseases or cause early death.
The dogs in puppy mills are not treated ethically; stuffed into cages while not being
given the proper grooming and food requirements. Dogs at these mills are usually sold to pet
stores through brokers who try to falsify the dog’s history. Puppy mills need to be highly
regulated to make sure the animals within are being taken care of. Puppy mills need to be shut
down because they are breeding unhealthy dogs, puppies are taken away from their mothers
and sold to brokers, and no animal rights.
Puppy mills breed unhealthy dogs because of lack of veterinary care which causes many
problems to arise when animal is not taken care for, illnesses ranging from heartworm, to ticks,
to kidney disease. Animals all over the world are being subjected to puppy mills. Breeders do
not give proper profits on food, shelter, and veterinary care because they don’t care for the
animals well-being. Dogs are restricted to small cages without room to run, to be sociable
which at times most dogs go insane. Dog’s cages are usually made out of wire; which is the
Sandy Ramirez
Kate Kimball
English 1010-92
December 5, 2012
3
Ramirez
breeder’s solution to easy cleanup, but unsanitary cages lead to broken limbs and infected
rashes.
Dr. Matthew Wheaton; resident and veterinarian said that he treated many dogs that
came from pet stores. “These animals invariably present shortly after their purchases with one
or more diseases directly related to their origin,” Many people are unaware that the dogs they
buy could have come from puppy mills. “The vast majority of dogs from puppy mills came with
birth defects or hereditary disorders due to overbreeding. Viruses, anxiety disorders and other
health problems are also rampant” (Wheaton)
At four to eight weeks the puppies are taken from their mothers and sold to brokers.
Brokers then stuff the dogs into crates and ship them off to be sold. May puppies die on the
way, those that survive are brought to mills to reproduce or sold to laboratories. The dogs that
are brought to reproduce are used as machines; bred at every opportunity with no time to rest.
Female dogs are usually bred the first time they come into heat and are bred every heat cycle.
They are bred until their poor worn out bodies can't reproduce any longer and then they are
often sold to laboratories, dumped or killed.
There are many different scam brokers employ to exploit their customers. The “bait and
switch” uses many pictures which depict cute and happy dogs to pull at people’s emotions. The
Sandy Ramirez
Kate Kimball
English 1010-92
December 5, 2012
4
Ramirez
people interested in buying think they’re getting a dog that has been treated well. When the
dog arrives most buyers are shocked to see the dog, but many people feel too guilty to send the
dog back.
The Animal Welfare Act requires wholesale commercial breeders to be licensed,
inspected and regulated to ensure humane standards of care. But the fact is that these laws are
not enforced. “Animal cruelty and pet overpopulation are issues we can solve,” (Mancuso,
Judie) Puppy mills have received enmity from countless organization and people.
Councilwomen; Elizabeth Pearson said “It just has to do with preventing unethical breeders
from selling, from mass producing animals for sale at retail stores,” It seems there are several
solutions people have come up with but haven’t implemented.
If society could learn to treat animals as equal to humans would animals then be treated
with respect? “The way these animals are being treated is despicable,” (Mancuso) Puppy mills
are usually regulated by the US department of agriculture, under the Animal Welfare Act. There
are more than 5000 licensed puppy mills in the US which provide over 500,000 puppies to pet
stores. Not everything can be regulated; countless puppy mills are unlicensed selling dogs
online or to the public. The world view on animals changed as people began to think differently
and acquire as a greater understanding of what it’s like to be non-human. PETA (People for the
Sandy Ramirez
Kate Kimball
English 1010-92
December 5, 2012
5
Ramirez
Ethical treatment of Animals); is the number one animal rights organization in America having
1.8 million supporters.
With countless new laws and organizations on the rise against animal abuse, does one
ever envision a world without cruelty? Animosity arises in people when they see animal abuse,
one can’t go a day without hearing or seeing a story about injured animals. Humanity over
history has been known to rash decisions concerning subjects they are ignorant to. Some are
ignorant while some are educated choosing to plead the fifth having no explanation for the
things they do.
While some people are against puppy mills others are pro puppy mills. They believe that
it creates employment for animal shelters, vets, trainers, rescues, and other animal related
services. Puppies from puppy mills are easy to purchase, there are no background checks and
they are brought to homes where they will be cared for until they die. People think that it’s
better for puppies to be in a puppy mill and have a good chance of being bought then being
taken to the pound and be euthanized. Although many of these pros sound reasonable they are
still torturing animals that didn’t choose to be there and be abused and killed.
Sandy Ramirez
Kate Kimball
English 1010-92
December 5, 2012
6
Ramirez
Animal abuse has been an issue over many decades it is something that our world has
overlooked for too long. The best thing one can do is to not buy animals from pet stores
without asking for the animals full past history. Animals will be unhealthy and one will
constantly have to take them to the vet until they die. Protesting against animal abuse and
joining organizations can help one be more aware of the problems society faces. It’s time for
people to learn facts of animal cruelty and speak for the animals whose silence kills.
Sandy Ramirez
Kate Kimball
English 1010-92
December 5, 2012
7
Ramirez
Work Cited
"What Is a Puppy Mill." ASPCA. ASPCA. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. http://www.aspca.org/fight-animalcruelty/puppy-mills/what-is-a-puppy-mill.aspx
"Last Chance for Animals - Puppy Mill Facts." Last Chance for Animals. Web. 23 Apr. 2012.
http://www.lcanimal.org/index.php/campaigns/puppy-mills/puppy-mill-facts
KOERNER, CLAUDIA. "Laguna Steps toward Banning Puppy Mills." The Orange County Register.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Web. 23 Apr. 2012.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/animals-343491-pet-stores.html