Puppy Mill Awareness Day is a holiday observed on the third Saturday in September, designed to educate people about the horrors that occur in puppy mills worldwide. Puppy mills are places that breed dogs solely for profit, disregarding the health and welfare of the puppies born there. The only reason puppy mills still exist is that the public continues to purchase puppies from them. That’s why everyone needs to educate themselves about the problem and work towards eliminating puppy mills once and for all. Observing this holiday is a good starting point for beginning the journey toward ending them.

The History of Puppy Mill Awareness Day

This holiday was created by the National Puppy Mill Project and has been observed for the last few years. The purpose of this holiday is to spread public awareness about the problem of puppy mills so that they can eventually be ended.

Facts About Puppy Mills

We wanted everyone to observe this holiday to its full potential, so we decided to do some additional research on puppy mills. Now we’re going to share that information with anyone reading about Puppy Mill Awareness Day.

• At most puppy mills, female dogs are bred continuously to supply litters—without any thought given to their health.
• When breeding females are physically depleted and can no longer give birth, they are then euthanized.
• Many dogs in puppy mills live their entire lives in cages, with little or no play or exercise.
• Puppies at puppy mills can be malnourished, have swollen or bleeding paws, and suffer from other physical conditions.
• In many states, puppy mills are still legal. It’s up to consumers to stop them by buying from trusted breeders or adopting rescue dogs.
• Many puppies in puppy mills are not given adequate protection against the elements.
• It is not unusual for dogs rescued from puppy mills to have had their collars on so tightly that they were embedded into their necks.
• The highest concentration of puppy mills is in the Midwest U.S., with Missouri often ranking at the top of the annual list for the highest number of puppy mills.
• Every year, over 2 million puppy mill puppies are sold in the United States.
• Of the 10,000 puppy mills that exist in the United States, fewer than 2,000 are licensed by the USDA.
• Licensed puppy mills produce over a million puppies a year.
• Some puppy mills dispose of unwanted dogs by shooting or drowning them.

Observing Puppy Mill Awareness Day

One of the best ways for people to observe this holiday is by avoiding purchasing a new pet. Many of the puppies that are sold new come from puppy mills, and it is consumer demand that keeps these mills in business. The best way to get a new pet is to adopt one from a shelter. Another thing that people can do is to spread the word about the horrors of puppy mills, both in person and on social media, using the hashtag #PuppyMillAwarenessDay.