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"I had no idea about puppy farms, I just fell in love with Alfie and handed over the money."

Alfie (a golden cocker spaniel puppy), in his very short life, had to endure 29 visits to the Vet not forgetting the experience he had before Stacey fell in love with him. He died a month after she bought him.

Please help close down Puppy Farms in the UK and overseas.

What is a puppy mill/farm?

Puppy Mills are mass breeding operations that house puppies and their mothers in dirty, squalid conditions with poor diets, no medical care, no proper socialisation, and no exercise.

Puppies are often sick, malnourished, suffering from genetic problems and are abused in one form or another. Other animals can be commercially bred for profit in the same way, including cats.

It's those puppy dog eyes.

Puppies from Puppy Mills can look healthy and happy when you first see them. But, they often have many health and behaviour related problems which tend to present themselves after you've bought them home.

Be wary of buying animals from pet shops, too.

Like most people I'm against Puppy mills/farms for obvious reasons but I'm also wary of buying pets from pet shops or from people I do not know.

The more animals that pet shops sell, the harder it is to maintain good, quality care, whatever the good intentions. The staff usually have more than one job to do, including re-stocking the shop and selling to customers.

In the past, I've bought dogs from a rescue home or I've taken in pets from friends who can no longer look after them. I believe it's irresponsible to bring more young animals into this world when we can't even look after the ones we already have.

My first choice would be a rescue home or sanctuary for any new pet like a cat or dog.

"Save yourself TIME and MONEY when shopping for your new puppy with this easy-to-follow guide!" BUT don't buy from a Puppy Mill!

Puppy farm pups are often:

1. Sick or diseased.
2. Malnourished.
3. Sold without proper certification.
4. Removed from their mothers too early.
5. Born in overcrowded, filthy conditions.

"Diary of a Puppy-Mill Princess is the heartfelt story of Annie, a puppy mill survivor. The book documents Annie’s rocky journey of rehabilitation from rescued dog to companion through her desire for love and the commitment of the family that rescued her."

The Golden Rules on Buying a Puppy in the UK:

1. Always ask to see the mother.
2. Beware if the breeder is outside the UK.
3. Check vaccination cards. Beware if you can't see the vet's details.
4. Pedigree certificates do not guarantee the condition of the puppy.
5. Never buy from someone who offers to deliver a puppy.
6. Consider a rescue dog from your local RSPCA centre.

A Cheeky Chihuahua Pup

As with any pet, puppies are expensive to keep, often costing hundreds of pounds in care, food, vet bills shortly after they've been bought. The cost of Vet bills are considerably higher if the puppies have been purchased from pet shops, newspaper ads, the internet, and puppy farms.

If you've bought a puppy in this way and it falls sick, you may be reluctant to return it from where you bought it from.

Click here to read about your consumer rights as a Puppy Buyer.

PUPPY MILL AWARENESS DAY – Third Saturday in September

The Top UK Animal Rescue Centres

Blue Cross

RSPCA

Dog's Trust

Battersea

Should puppy sellers be licensed?

Often pet shops will sell puppies, too and it's not often known if these puppies come from Puppy Mills or from registered breeders.

But, should we make this practice illegal?

Should registered breeders and Rescue Homes be the only ones "allowed" to sell puppies or any young animal?

Would what you do if you saw what you thought was an ill-kept puppy in a pet shop? Would you complain to the appropriate authorities or would you buy the puppy from them thereby saving that puppy from more ill-treatment?