The transport of puppies from breeding facilities to pet shops and buyers causes significant welfare harm through stress, disease exposure, and inappropriate conditions.
Puppy transport welfare is the hidden link in the commercial breeding chain. Puppies removed from mothers too early and transported through multiple handlers before reaching buyers face a cumulative welfare burden of social stress, exposure to pathogens, dehydration, and handling trauma. The signature illnesses of puppy mill dogs — parvo, coronavirus, giardia — reflect transport and housing conditions rather than genetic weakness. Buying directly from breeders where puppies can be seen with their mothers eliminates the transport welfare problem entirely.