Pup Culture Magazine April/May

However, puppy mill breeders selling dogs directly to consumers over the internet are not required to be USDA licensed and they often trick consumers into believing that their dogs are not raised in puppy mills.

The ASPCA lists three primary scams used by online breeders on their website. In the first scam called “bait and switch” an online retailer uses pictures of happy, healthy dogs to lure the customer into making a purchase. The buyer never meets the breeder in person or sees the facility. Most of the contact is conducted via e-mail and the buyer usually doesn’t see the dog in person.

According to the ASPCA, “the scam is revealed when the dog is delivered and the buyer is faced not with the adorable puppy from the photos, but a sickly dog, often of a different color or with different markings. Most buyers feel too guilty to take the puppy back.”

In the second scam called “Sanctuaries or Scamtuaries” some puppy mill breeders rope buyers in by appealing to their want to rescue dogs. They pose as rescue groups and claim to have rescued their pure-bred dogs from bad breeders, shelters or even from other puppy mills. The ASPCA tells however, “the scam is revealed by the price tag—the “adoption fees” for these dogs often exceed $1,000! Breed rescue groups usually charge no more than a few hundred dollars because their goal is not to make money, but to find wonderful homes for their rescues.”

Another way puppy mill breeders try to disguise themselves is by boasting they are registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC). Many potential customers are relieved to hear they are buying from an AKC certified breeder because they assume it means that the breeders do not raise their dogs in puppy mills or mistreat their stock.

Contrary to common belief the ASPCA tells us “…being AKCregistered means nothing more than your puppy’s parents both had AKC papers. While there are some AKC standards, they do not restrict puppy mills from producing AKC-registered dogs. The fact is, many AKC-registered dogs are born in puppy mills” A closer look at the ASPCA’s “No Pet Store Puppies” campaign, the Best Friends puppy mills initiatives and the Animal Welfare Act will show us how to avoid supporting puppy mills and what we can do to help those dogs who are already suffering as a result.

The ASPCA “No Pet Store Puppies” campaign through which urges people to refrain from buying anything from pet stores that 38 | PUPCULTURE APRIL/MAY