Puppy Mill Awareness Day is a holiday that’s observed on the third Saturday in September and is designed to educate people about the horrors that happen in puppy mills all around the world. Puppy mills are places that breed dogs solely for money and disregard the health and welfare of the puppies born there. The only reason puppy mills still exist is because the public continues to buy puppies from them. That’s why everyone needs to educate themselves about the problem and work towards eliminating puppy mills once and for all. And observing this holiday is a good starting point for beginning the journey towards 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 was 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 to supply a litter continuously—without any thought given to their health.
• When breeding females have been physically depleted and can no longer give birth, they are then put to death.
• Many dogs in puppy mills live their entire lives in cages and 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 aren’t given adequate protection against the elements.
• It’s 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 exists in the Midwest U.S. Missouri often ranks 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, less than 2,000 are licensed by the USDA.
• Licensed puppy mills produce over a million puppies a year.
• Some puppy mills get rid 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 buying a new pet. Many of the puppies that can be bought new come from puppy mills and it’s 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.