Commercial puppy and kitten breeding facilities raise serious welfare concerns that regulation and consumer choices can address.
Breeding females in commercial puppy mills spend their lives in wire cages without social interaction, environmental enrichment, or adequate veterinary care. They are bred repeatedly without recovery, developing exhaustion and health problems. Puppies from these facilities have higher rates of behavioral and health problems from poor early socialization. Regulation and consumer demand for visited breeders with welfare standards are the primary remedies.