Puppy Mills are known for their inhumane and cruel treatment of animals. Because of the horrific conditions in which the inmates live, caring and ethical animal-lovers are doing all they can to abolish puppy mills once and for all. If you find this issue to be a passion of yours, the good news is you are not alone, nor are you a helpless bystander! Though ridding the United States of the thousands of puppy mills might seem like an impossible task, there are several ways in which individuals have an opportunity to help eradicate these kinds of establishments. Here are 5 ways to help boycott puppy mills

  1. Become informed. The Humane Society offers free webinars about how to advocate for the ban of puppy mill dog sales in pet stores. Educating yourself will help you become informed about the facts, statistics, horrific conditions of the puppy mills, and how they can be defeated. Becoming an expert on the subject will give you the confidence to speak authoritatively to your friends, family, network, and neighborhood.
  2. Connect with the local pet store about animal sourcing. This might be a challenging process, but one that is definitely worthwhile. When a movie that you morally disagree with comes to the box-office, you boycott it by refusing to pay to see the film, as a way of sending a message to the filmmakers. Similarly, when people refuse to purchase puppies from pet stores whose animal sourcing is unclear and questionable, it will decrease the demand for puppy mill dogs. Based on an initiative called Puppy-Friendly Pet Stores, animal advocates everywhere are encouraged to speak with the purchasing manager at pet stores and urge them to host homeless animal adoption and only sell rescue dogs.
    If the store manager is worried that this will cripple their business, they could consider putting signs up stating that they oppose puppy mills, and sell only ethically-sourced homeless and rescue dogs. This could actually drive up business as it will attract the support of people who oppose cruelty to animals.
  3. Post fliers at the groomers, vets, dog parks, pet hotels, etc. There are free download-able fliers offered by the Human Society) that offer tips on the best pet adoption advice, as well as how to find responsible breeders. These are a great way to reach animal-lovers who may be considering the purchase of another pet. For people that plan to do picketing, or simply want to raise awareness on campuses, business parks or shopping malls, there is also an abundance of helpful fliers, brochures, t-shirts, and bumper stickers available through the Humane Society’s Puppy Mill Campaign Gear
  4. Contact local news agents. Compose a brief, well-written news blast about the cruelty of puppy mills and how people can boycott these establishments by adopting dogs or purchasing from licensed breeders. Send these letters to the editor of the local newspaper, popular online publication, or local news room or radio station. Most people know about puppy mills, but do not realize how they may inadvertently be supporting them.
  5. Take it to the top. Send a letter asking for a review and expansion of the Animal Welfare Act, to apply to crowded, multi-dog breeding kennels. You can address the letter to your federal legislator and request that the issue of puppy mills be prioritized by Congress. Again, if only one letter is received, it is nothing more than a drop in the bucket; but if hundreds and thousands of people demand help in abolishing puppy mills, it may encourage the leadership in this country take action on behalf of these suffering animals.