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Today, some 2.6 million dogs are sold in pet stores across the country. Of those, an estimated 90% are from puppy mills. And, if you’re like most people, you already know what a puppy mill is – a facility dedicated to breeding dogs as quickly and as cheaply as possible. The Humane Society exposes photos of dog breeders in the U.S. keeping dogs in tiny cages, weening pups too early, and retiring dogs or euthanizing them as soon as litter size drops. But, puppy mills may be much worse than you know. These 33 facts and statistics about puppy mills expose just how bad the industry actually is. There are over 10,000 puppy mills in the United States Less than 1/2 of all puppy mills receive USDA inspections Only 24% of puppy mills are licensed There are 2,929 puppy mills licensed for the pet trade 16 states don’t regulate puppy mills The Humane Society of America has rescued over 11,000 dogs from puppy mills since 2006 An estimated 214,000 dogs live in puppy mills Puppy mills involve caging dogs to save space Puppy mill dogs are 41.6% more likely to have health problems than the general dog population The Horrible Hundred documents the worst puppy mills in the United States 40% of dealers on the Horrible Hundred list have appeared 5+ times on the list About half of the Horrible Hundred puppy mills are USDA-licensed 15% of the Horrible Hundred are registered with the American Kennel Club 90% of puppies in pet stores still come from puppy mills 18 “Horrible Hundred” list puppy mills have lost their licenses or shut down Puppy mills don’t report birth or death statistics Petland is the only pet store chain still selling puppy mill puppies in the U.S. 2.6 million puppies are sold from puppy mill origin each year 25% of all dogs in shelters are purebred and likely from puppy mills Only about half of puppy mill dogs survive the first 12 weeks An estimated 1,307,407 puppies are born in puppy mills each year Puppies from puppy mills can carry diseases Many areas have their own laws to prevent puppy mills The average cost of a puppy from a puppy mill is $50-150 Puppy mills can turn out over 1,000 dogs per caretaker Only 4 states limit the number of dogs kept in each mill Dogs are bred twice a year in puppy mills Puppy mill puppies may be weaned too young to improve profit There are 250 USDA-licensed puppy brokers in the United States Many pet stores pledge not to sell puppies from mills Puppies sold as “from a breeder” may be sourced via a broker from a mill instead 22 states have laws in case your puppy mill puppy dies soon after purchase 91% of puppy mill complaints cite a sick or dead puppy Statistics & Trends In U.S. Puppy Mills 1. There are over 10,000 puppy mills in the United States Today, there are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills in operation in the United States. Most of these are in the central U.S., where there are few laws to limit the number of dogs a mill can keep, the conditions they are kept in, or even whether or not they need licensing. For example, the state of Missouri has 900 licensed puppy mills – but is expected to have many more illegal mills. 2. Less than 1/2 of all puppy mills receive USDA inspections Commercial puppy breeders with more than 5 females are required to earn a USDA license and to be open to regular and surprise inspections. Unfortunately, less than a third of all puppy mills have this licensing. For example, of the over 10,000 mills in the United States, only about 3,690 had licensing under the USDA. These facilities include breeders for the pet trade as well as for commercial purposes such as animal testing. However, with more than half operating without USDA licensing, the larger majority fail to comply with even the generic national requirement for licensing and inspection. 3. Only 24% of puppies come from licensed mills The Humane Society estimates that puppy mills breed some 1,307,407 puppies each year. Of those, less than 4 million come from licensed puppy mills. More than half of these dogs don’t survive the first 12 weeks. Many more die during transportation, where puppies can be treated as normal cargo, without food or water, or proper ventilation. Many are also intended for animal testing, laboratory, and even dog fighting purposes. But, less than a quarter are bred in licensed mills. 4. There are 2,929 puppy mills licensed for the pet trade The USDA lists 2,929 puppy mills as having a Class A Breeding license. This means that the mill is licensed to have breeding females and to produce pups for the pet trade. There are a further 761 dealer licenses, 415 intermediate handler licenses, and 1,942 carrier licenses. Each of these licenses mandates how companies can handle and treat pups during breeding, transportation, and sale. 5. 16 states don’t regulate puppy mills The Humane Society of the United States shows that many U.S. states do nothing to regulate or limit puppy mills. In fact, 16 U.S. states have no regulations or laws to address puppy mills at all. A further 16 have regulations in place but don’t inspect puppy mills on any kind of regular basis. This means that more than half of all states don’t have the regulatory power to ensure that puppies in mills are treated well. On a national level, any commercial pet breeder with 5 or more breeding females is required to obtain a USDA license. However, many do not get this licensing. In fact, of the 2.6 million puppies sold in pet stores each year, only about half come from licensed puppy mills. The rest primarily come from unlicensed mills. 6. The Humane Society of America has rescued over 11,000 dogs from puppy mills since 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXebWP6G-yc The Humane Society of America claims to have rescued over 11,000 dogs from puppy mills – often in busts of dogs being kept in illegal or inhumane conditions. This means that many of those busts were of licensed mills, which then went on to lose licensing or face fines for that animal treatment. The Humane Society of America goes on to attempt to house those dogs. However, animals that are too old, sick, or unsociable may be euthanized – which is likely often the case when thousands of dogs are brought into the system all at once. Still, hundreds of organizations exist across the United States to attempt to train puppy mill dogs, get them back to health, and move them back into life as a pet. 7. An estimated 214,000 dogs live in puppy mills An estimated 214,000 dogs live in puppy mills as permanent residents. Of these, some 139,086 are breeding females. Each of these is estimated to have about 9.4 pups per year – or two litters per female dog. And, for female dogs, that often means that breeding starts as soon as they reach sexual maturity and ends at about 5.5 years – when the dog’s litter size begins to drop and the dog is “retired” or, often, euthanized. The rest of the dogs kept in mills are males for breeding purposes. 8. Puppy mills involve caging dogs to save space The USDA sets minimum sizes for dog kennels for research, exhibition, sale, and transportation. Meeting these requirements is part of getting an Animal Welfare Act USDA license to operate as a puppy mill/breeder. Yet, those standards are based on minimum standards for health rather than minimum standards for quality of life. In addition, those regulations are not intended for permanent and sole housing for the animal, despite the fact that puppy mill dogs may never leave their cages until they are sold to a pet store. For example, the USDA requires that the primary enclosure be at least 6 inches taller than the tallest dog in the enclosure. To add, the floor space should be the length of the dog plus 6 inches, squared. So, if your dog is 31 inches long, the kennel would only have to be 9.51 square feet. Puppies require an additional 5% of extra space per puppy – which means that a kennel with 5 pups only needs to be 25% bigger than the initial enclosure. That means you can keep a dalmatian and 5 pups in a kennel that’s just over 3 x 4 feet and 2.5 feet tall. And, you can stack those cages, provided there’s a barrier between the cages. If mills don’t follow regulations, those cages can be even smaller. And, most mill dogs will never be let out of them. 9. Puppy mill dogs are 41.6% more likely to have health problems than the general dog population The Veterinarian Institution reports that puppy mill dogs are 41.6% more likely to have health problems than the general dog population. These health problems include illnesses such as intestinal parasites, respiratory problems, parvovirus, skin disorders, infections, and hypoglycemia. They also include congenital defects such as seizures, skeletal disorders, liver disease, eye issues, spinal disorders, deafness, hernias, or heart murmurs. Dogs from puppy mills are also more likely to have temperamental issues such as fearfulness, aggressiveness, or abnormal behavior and to be more difficult to socialize or train. This happens because many puppy mill dogs are raised in cages without being walked, on low-quality food, and exposed to feces and urine. That, plus a lack of early socialization and care can result in dogs with permanent problems. 10. The Horrible Hundred documents the worst puppy mills in the United States The Humane Society creates a yearly list of the worst offenders of known puppy mills in terms of puppy care, dog conditions, space, and humane care. This list is known as the “Horrible Hundred” and includes many of the same breeders every year. Unfortunately, the Horrible Hundred only includes known puppy mills, or those that have been traced and inspected via the USDA, puppy sales to pet dealers, or which have been reported to the Humane Society. 11. 40% of mills on the Horrible Hundred list have appeared 5+ times on the list 40% of the top 100 worst puppy mills on the Horrible Hundred have appeared 5 or more times on the list. That’s important, because these mills are often USDA licensed and may have appeared on the list because they received a fine or a citation during an inspection. For example, the 2022 list cites issues with medical care, home euthanizing, DIY medical care, underfeeding, dirty conditions, small cages, and rodent infestations. Those mills are largely still in operation, and some have only been fined a token amount. 12. About half of the Horrible Hundred puppy mills are USDA-licensed While USDA Animal Welfare Act licensing is supposed to work to ensure that dogs in breeding mills receive good standards of care, about half of the Horrible 100 are USDA-licensed. That is in part because those are the mills that are inspected and which have citations that the Humane Society of America reports on. However, it also means that standards in USDA-licensed mills are often less than desirable and may in fact violate what most people would consider the bare minimum of care. 13. 15% of the Horrible Hundred are registered with the American Kennel Club A further 15% of the Horrible Hundred puppy mills are registered American Kennel Club breeders. This means that even if a dog has an AKC registration, it may be from a puppy mill. And, it may have been raised in extremely bad conditions, sold too young, and suffer from health problems. This is especially important for people looking for purebred and registered dogs to try to avoid puppy mills. Here, the only option is to vet the breeder first, to ask to see where the dog was raised, and to visit the breeder in their home. If anything seems off, the dog may be from a mill and not from a quality breeder. 14. 18 “Horrible Hundred” list puppy mills have lost their licenses or shut down The Humane Society of America reports that 18 of the puppy mills on their Horrible Hundred list have been shut down or had their licenses revoked since the list began. This means that in at least 18 cases, the USDA later agreed with the Humane Society’s assessment that the mills were not meeting requirements for animal care – and so badly that they warranted much more action than a fine. 15. 90% of puppies in pet stores still come from puppy mills While most Americans agree that puppy mills are bad for dogs, 90% of dogs in pet stores still come from mills. That’s even true when the pet store doesn’t share where the dog comes from, when the dog is from “a breeder” and when the dog is registered with the American Kennel Club. This means that in any case where you want to avoid shopping at a puppy mill, you have to avoid pet stores unless the pet store can tell you exactly where the dog came from and where you can see the breeding conditions. This is important because pet stores often don't know where their dogs come from. Most source their dogs from dealers, who source from a variety of sources such as reputable breeders and from puppy mills. However, the American Kennel Club (AKC) strongly discourages its breeders from selling puppies to pet stores. This means that any AKC-registered dogs in a pet store are there against the explicit recommendations of the club for the dog’s welfare. And, that means that the breeder already doesn’t care about some aspects of that dog’s welfare. 16. Puppy mills don’t report birth or death statistics Most puppy mills do not report birth or death statistics for puppies. Instead, they report sales statistics. This means that if a large number of pups die in a puppy mill, no one knows. In fact, so long as puppy mills dispose of bodies without being caught, no one has any idea of what is going on. That’s resulted in situations where licensed puppy mills have been documented and taken to court for euthanizing hundreds of dogs at once – often because of illnesses or inability to sell them at the market rate. For example, in May of 2022, the ASPCA took a puppy mill to court and eventually had a veterinarian sign a disclosure that he had euthanized 199 puppies in a single day because the animals were sick. There are hundreds of reports of puppy mills disposing of puppies in the trash, burning them, or hiding them. But, with no records of puppy births, how high those losses actually are is unknown. Yet, only about 50% of puppy mill pups are expected to live past 12 weeks of age. 17. Petland is the only pet store chain still selling puppy mill puppies in the U.S. Petland is the 9th largest pet store chain in North America. It’s also the only one to buy from puppy mills. In fact, Petland brokers buy from 11 of the Horrible Hundred list. Other major pet store chains like Petsmart, PETCO, and Pet Supplies Plus have all either stopped selling puppies or taken a pledge not to source from puppy mills. This means that while Petland is one of the few pet stores that often have puppies, its puppies are most likely sourced from a puppy mill. While there are exceptions and Petland stores make their own decisions, it’s important to avoid buying puppies from pet stores if you want an ethically-sourced puppy. 18. 2.6 million puppies are sold from puppy mill origin each year Pet stores sell an estimated 2.6 million puppies to homes each year. These puppies are intended as pets. However, only about half of them come from licensed pet mills. Pet stores often don’t know where they are sourcing puppies because they deal with an intermediary. This means that even if they claim pets come from USDA-inspected facilities or from American Kennel Club-inspected facilities, that’s not guaranteed to be standard across all pups. In fact, a dealer may purchase some pups from a licensed breeder, show those facilities, and then source more pups from a puppy mill. Dealing with an intermediary and sometimes more than one intermediary, makes it extremely difficult for even ethical pet stores to figure out the origin of the dogs they are selling. 19. 25% of all dogs in shelters are purebred and likely from puppy mills With millions of dogs entering the pet trade every single year, it makes sense that many would end up in shelters. In fact, an estimated 25% of all dogs in shelters are purebred dogs – and many of those are from puppy mills. Registration or paperwork showing the dog's breed is not an indication that the animal wasn’t from a puppy mill. 20. Only about half of puppy mill dogs survive the first 12 weeks The Humane Society of America estimates that about half of all puppies born in puppy mills die in the first 12 weeks. This high death rate can be traced to cramped and dirty conditions. Here, mothers are more likely to sit on and smother pups. Pups are also more likely to get sick and to get infections because of dirty conditions and exposure to feces. In addition, mothers who may be malnourished and under-exercised may be very unlikely to produce enough milk for the litter. So, a large percentage of the dogs die before they are old enough to be sold. Yet, another 20-30% of those dogs may die during transport from puppy mills to dealers and brokers. Often, dogs are moved into crates and stacked in transport trucks without appropriate care – and then not fed or given water until they reach their destination. By law, dogs being transported should be given water and food every 12 hours – legal requirements which any pet owner would be appalled at – but often those are not met. 21. An estimated 1,307,407 puppies are born in puppy mills each year While some 2.6 million puppies make it to the pet trade, an estimated 1,307,407 puppies are born in mills each year. About half of those die before reaching an age where they can be weaned. Many more die during transportation. This still means that millions of dogs are left over to be sold for animal testing, euthanized, or otherwise sold off before they get too old. 22. Puppies from puppy mills can carry diseases Puppy mills are notorious for dirty conditions. However, those conditions often result in diseases and bacteria, many of which are transferable to humans. In 2019, over 30 cases of Campylobacter jejuni were traced to puppies kept in poor conditions. 88 percent of infected people in that event reported that they’d petted a puppy in a pet store – resulting in a hospitalizing illness. Of course, pet mill puppies also come with diseases that affect their own health. The Humane Society tracked 2,479 buyer complaints between 2007 and 2011. Over 57% of those complaints were because of illnesses like parvo, intestinal parasites, pneumonia, and other preventable illnesses. Another 34% of those complaints were linked to congenital conditions which can also relate to conditions and how the dog is kept. 23. Many areas have their own laws to prevent puppy mills Over 450 communities have their own unique laws to prevent puppy mill sales. Often, these laws ban puppy mills (breeding on a large scale) or ban pet stores from selling puppies. How those regulations are enforced depends heavily on the area, but often violations are fined or shut down. You can see the full list of cities and towns banning pet sales at shops here. 24. The average cost of a puppy from a puppy mill is $50-150 Puppies cost $200-1,500 at pet shops. Yet, many of those pups cost just $50-150 each from a puppy mill. That’s even true with purebred dogs – although papered dogs will cost more because of the licensing. This means that puppy mills provide the highest margin of profit to the pet store – which is why many pet stores still source them. For example, Petland has been tracked asking $1,300 for a puppy mill dog which they likely paid no more than $150 for. 25. Puppy mills can turn out over 1,000 dogs per caretaker Puppy mill farmers sometimes have hundreds of dogs, which are cared for by just one or two people. For example, one farmer couple admitted to caring for over 200 breeding dogs by themselves, producing thousands of puppies for sale each year. The couple used stacked plastic grating and cages, exercise wheels for the dogs, and no outside facilities. With just 2 people to care for over 200 dogs, it would be physically impossible for the couple to walk the dogs or provide attention and playtime or socialization. That’s even more true when the breeding females have pups, which would be an insurmountable amount of work with normal standards of animal care. 26. Only 4 states limit the number of dogs kept in each mill While many states require that dog breeders have a license most don’t place any limits on the number of dogs per facility. In fact, only four states do. The states of Oregon, Virginia, and Washington each limit dog breeder licenses to a maximum of 50 dogs. Louisiana limits this to 75. Otherwise, there are no restrictions on the number of animals a breeder may keep in their facility. 27. Dogs are bred twice a year in puppy mills The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends that dogs should not be bred before 8 months of age. However, many puppy mills start as early as 6 months, or when the dog first goes into heat. In addition, it’s recommended to wait 6 months after pups are weaned before breeding the dog again. This means that there should be at least a year between pups, or a single litter a year. Yet, most puppy mills breed female dogs twice per year. This means unhealthy conditions and extreme stress on the female dog. Often, the results include small pups, low milk, and an unhealthy mother and pups. 28. Puppy mill puppies may be weaned too young to improve profit Puppies should be 8-10 weeks old before they are fully weaned. Yet, some puppy mills ship puppies to dealers as early as 4 weeks. This happens because moving puppies faster means the female will breed again sooner. Younger puppies also sell better – meaning the dealer is more likely to sell the stock before they age out and everyone involved makes more profit. This can mean pups are weaned as much as 4 weeks before they should be – which can result in bone and development problems, illness, and weight loss that can cause death. 29. There are 250 USDA-licensed puppy brokers in the United States Puppy brokers exist to move puppies between breeders and pet stores. Often, this means they buy puppies in bulk and then sell them to a pet store without the store being aware of where the pups come from. There are 250 of these organizations licensed by the USDA. In addition, many more operate without licensing, though, often on a smaller scale. 30. Many pet stores pledge not to sell puppies from mills Major pet stores like Petco have recognized that puppy mills treat dogs poorly. As a result, many have taken the Humane Society pledge to avoid selling puppies from puppy mills. All chains, except Petland, have taken this pledge. However, a store having taken the pledge does not mean their dogs are not from a mill. For example, many buyers do not know where their dogs are from. In addition, they may cite USDA licensing or AKC inspection as a reason that their dog source is ethical. As has been detailed in other areas on this list, those qualifiers aren’t always as good as they might sound. 31. Puppies sold as “from a breeder” may be sourced via a broker from a mill instead Pet stores have no way to know where their dogs come from if they source from a broker. Because most don’t have the local connections to consistently source dogs from local breeders without a broker, most use brokers. This means they may unknowingly be purchasing mill-bred dogs, sold as “from a breeder”. That’s especially true when the dogs have AKC or similar paperwork – as AKC does not normally approve of breeders selling to pet stores. 32. 22 states have laws in case your puppy mill puppy dies soon after purchase Puppy mills selling problematic and ill or dying dogs are so common that 22 U.S. states have “puppy lemon laws” in place. These laws assert that sellers must sell the dog with a veterinarian inspection reflecting the name and address of the seller, the health of the dog, the dog’s medical record, and the health of the dog at the time of sale. Failing to meet those requirements can mean the seller is obligated to reimburse the cost of the dog in case of an unexpected illness or death soon after purchase, although specific repercussions and requirements depend heavily on the state. Many lemon laws also require that you return the dog – although if the dog has died you may simply be able to take the case to court instead. The fact that 22 states have regulations in place is a massive red flag for the average health of puppies leaving puppy mills. 33. 91% of puppy mill complaints cite a sick or dead puppy In the Humane Society’s report of complaints about puppy mill purchases, 91% cite a sick or dead puppy. This means that dogs from a puppy mill are significantly likely to have health problems – to the point where it’s the most common issue with those dogs. Frequently Asked Questions If you still have questions about puppy mills, these answers should help. What is a puppy mill? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm7B5qbEOck A puppy mill is normally defined as a mass producer of dogs for the commercial pet trade. Often, the term is used to describe those where animals are treated like agriculture, and raised in the cheapest or barest conditions possible. However, any facility raising dogs for the commercial trade may be a puppy mill. How can you spot a puppy from a mill? It’s always a good idea to go to see puppies in the kennels where they were raised to get a good idea of raising conditions. Here, it’s also important to keep in mind that some mills have “show” areas, where they move dogs to a loose heated barn for display to visitors and may claim to only have a few dogs. You'll also want to look at the dog’s health, look at the coat, check how social they are, and look at a veterinarian’s inspection of the dog. In many states, lemon laws only apply if you don’t see the dog before purchase – so you may not be protected if you go see a dog and it later turns out to be sick. Are puppy mills legal? Puppy mills are legal in most states. However, some states and communities have completely banned commercial dog trade. On a national level, though, puppy mills are legal, licensed, and inspected. The USDA hands out commercial breeding licenses and there are thousands of legal puppy mills in the United States. Unfortunately, legal doesn’t mean conditions are good, as 40% of the Horrible Hundred puppy mills are licensed. Conclusion There are thousands of puppy mills at work in the United States. These mills normally sell to pet stores – although most pet store chains have now taken the pledge not to sell puppy mill pups. In addition, many puppy mills raise dogs in very poor conditions, which means buying from a pet store may get you a sick, poorly socialized dog. Unfortunately, with 90% of pet store dogs coming from puppy mills, there’s almost no way to ethically source a dog from a pet store.