Support for Puppy Mills

Many people ask: If puppy mills are so bad, why aren’t they illegal?

The answer is far from simple, but it can be easily answered with one word: money.

According to American Kennel Club’s 2014 annual report, for ever puppy registered from their breeders (many of which are puppy mills) they make $27 dollars. These registration fees add up and are almost the entirety of the company’s income.

But if the puppies are AKC registered, isn’t that good?

A registration from the AKC is equivalent to a birth certificate. Just because you have one, doesn’t mean you are in tip-top shape. It is essentially paperwork and says you are under their list of “approved dog breeds”. Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this, it often leads to a misunderstanding and false reassurance that they are getting a healthy puppy from a humane breeder.

The American Kennel Club have been known to use their resources to protect puppy mills. In 2013, The Humane Society of the United States, an animal protection organization, did a full report on the AKC and how they are doing the exact opposite of what they should be.

In 2012, the AKC Government Relations Department fought multiple bills that were meant to protect animals and better the standards of breeding throughout the United States. Some of them include:

  • Bills in West Virginia, Iowa, Ohio and several other states that would have required puppy producers to comply with basic care standards, such as regular feeding, cleaning, minimum space requirements, safe housing and veterinary care
  • A bill in Rhode Island that would have prevented dogs from being tethered or confined to cages for more than 14 hours per day
  • Bills in three states that would have prevented owners from debarking dogs without a medical reason, and requiring that the procedure only be performed by a licensed vet
  • A Louisiana bill that would have prevented breeding facilities from keeping dogs continually in stacked, wire-floored cages

The AKC is also supposed to be in charge of inspecting their approved breeding centers. While according to their website, “AKC randomly selects breeders for inspection yearly. In addition to the random selection, AKC inspects breeders based on written, signed and substantiated complaints,” these inspections are done with low standards and little jurisdiction (The Humane Society).

Many puppy mills that have been closed down have been approved as AKC breeders. Below is one of many examples of the puppy mills:

“In July 2011, 58 dogs and puppies were removed from a facility near Bakersfield, Vermont owned by Karen Maple. AKC paperwork was found on the scene for the breeding dogs… Most of the dogs were found in horrendous conditions. Some of them were in dark enclosures without access to light, food or water. Others were found ankle-deep in feces, and others were dehydrated or severely underweight.”

The American Kennel Club’s motto is “The Dog’s Champion” but are they really?

Don’t trust an AKC label on a dog, go to a shelter to stop the support of puppy mills.


The Humane Society. “THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB: NO LONGER “THE DOG’S                    CHAMPION?”.” (2012): 1-13. The Humane Society. The Humane Society, 6 June              2012. Web. 28 May 2015.