Paws of despair: The tragic reality of puppy mills

A puppy mill , also known as a puppy farm is a dog breeding operation that put profit above the welfare of the dogs they sell.

The puppy mill industry came into existence after World War II when the US government was trying to help returning veterans enter civilian life after the war. Some soldiers applied for grants for land rights and subsidies to start farms but after crop failures in the Midwest USDA promoted puppy mills by advertising that it was a lucrative and fail-proof business. Encouraged by the government, farmers started to pack dogs into chicken coops and rabbit hutches and sell puppies to pet stores.