Commercial dog breeding facilities, often called puppy mills or puppy farms, house breeding dogs in conditions that cause chronic welfare harm while producing puppies for the pet trade.
Puppy mills represent a commercial model built on the chronic welfare compromise of breeding dogs. Female dogs confined for years in wire cages, bred continuously until they are no longer productive, represent some of the most sustained welfare deprivation experienced by any companion animal population. Regulatory change requiring minimum standards for commercial breeders, combined with demand-side interventions that shift buyers toward responsible breeders and rescue adoption, are the dual levers for change. The UK Lucy Law model — eliminating pet store and third-party puppy sales — has reduced puppy mill economic viability by connecting buyers directly with breeders.