Puppy Mills, Pet Stores and Massachusetts

How much is that doggie in the window? Recent media coverage has shed new light on the answer to this age old question and on the plight of dogs raised in puppy mills and sold in pet stores. Watch a video about a Minnesota puppy mill selling puppies in Massachusetts.

smpaw_purple Watch Oprah Winfrey's recent program on puppy mills.

smpaw_green Read a recent article on the owner of Missy's Pet Land, located in Stoughton Massachusetts, who faces indictment on animal cruelty charges.

smpaw_red Act - Find out what you can do to stop puppy mill cruelty.

What Are "Puppy Mills"?
"Puppy mills" are large scale commercial breeding facilities where dogs are kept in inhumane conditions and repeatedly bred to generate as many puppies as possible for the lucrative retail pet market.

What is Wrong with Puppy Mills?
Click here to view footage taken from a puppy mill which shows you first hand the conditions dogs exist in at these commercial breeding facilities. A recent Channel 5 segment also exposed cruelty.  At puppy mills, breeding dogs live in small cages their entire lives. Dogs are generally crowded together in these small cages, receive little shelter from the elements and minimal veterinary care. Mother dogs rescued from puppy mills raids often do not know how to walk, as their paws have never touched solid ground. 

Puppies from puppy mills are also more likely to have genetic disorders due to the inbreeding which often occurs in puppy mills. These genetic deficiencies often lead to health issues and poor temperament which can be expensive to treat and heartbreaking for dogs and owners to go through.

What is the Relationship between Pet Stores and Puppy Mills?
Puppy mills supply pet stores with puppies. If you purchase a pet over the internet, from a puppy broker, or at a pet store, the dog likely came from a puppy mill. No responsible breeder would sell a dog or cat to a pet store, a broker, or over the internet. Responsible breeders care about the well-being of their animals and want to place their dogs in loving and carefully selected homes. Responsible breeders also keep track of their dogs offsprings' health in order to keep an eye on any possible genetic conditions they need to be aware of.


Are Puppy Mills Legal?
Commercial breeding facilities are legal and are regulated at the federal level by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires all wholesale breeders and brokers to be licensed and inspected by the USDA. The Animal Welfare Act also sets minimum standards of care for these facilities. Unfortunately, USDA inspectors cannot inspect frequently or thoroughly, allowing some facilities to fall through the cracks and get away with inhumane conditions.  For an overview of this law, click here. Many states also have laws that regulate commercial dog breeding. Click here to find out what laws are in place in Massachusetts and in other states.

Are Pet Stores Regulated?
Yes, pet shops are regulated by the state. Massachusetts Pet Shop Regulations can be found on the Department of Agricultural Resources' website (link provided below).   

smpaw_blue Read Massachusetts pet shop regulations (330 CMR 12.00). 
smpaw_red Read the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources' Pet Shop Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).  
smpaw_purple Read the joint policy statement from the Board of Registration of Veterinary Medicine and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources on pet shops.

Who can I call if I want to make a complaint about a pet shop?
If you think the pet shop regulations have been violated, you can contact the MSPCA's law enforcement department at 1-800-628-5808, the Animal Rescue League of Boston at (617) 426-9170, or the Bureau of Animal Health within the Department of Agricultural Resources at (617) 626-1795 and provide a description of the problem.

How can I find out about past complaints on a particular pet shop?
Typically government records like citation and inspections are public records. To request information, call the Department at (617) 626-1795. Below we have also listed recent articles appearing in local newspapers that list citations and past complaints from the public about Massachusetts and nearby area pet stores.

What can I do if I purchase a sick dog or cat?
Massachusetts has a pet "lemon law". The pet shop that sells you the dog or cat must give you a 14-day warranty, which entitles you to a full refund or replacement if a veterinarian determines that the animal is diseased or has a congenital disorder.  See 330 CMR 12.05(3).  Yoy may  file a formal complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources by calling (617) 626-1795.

Local Pet Stores -Recent Media Coverage:

smpaw_red Puppy mill owner faces charges - WCVB, Channel 5
smpaw_blue Pet Shop Horror: Outrage as pooch peddlers foist sick animals on the public - Boston Herald
smpaw_green Making puppy mills history - Wicked Local Cohasset
smpaw_purple Hunt on for Randolph pet shop owner - Patriot Ledger
smpaw_red Stoughton pet shop owner faces animal cruelty charges - Enterprise News
smpaw_blue Puppy in window may be sick as a dog - Enterprise News
smpaw_green Puppy seller to face stricter health regulations - MetroWest Daily News
smpaw_purple Puppies live in closed shop - CBS 3 Springfield News
smpaw_red Pet store customers call for tougher laws - WFSB, CT
smpaw_blue Sick puppy argument gets ugly - Worcester Telegram & Gazette
smpaw_green Pet store reopens after being shut down - CBS 3 Springfield News
smpaw_purple MA pet store hit with penalty - The Sun Chronicle
smpaw_red Pet owner says shop should pay vet bills - Nashua Telegraph


More Links of Interest

smpaw_green MSPCA's Belief Statement on the Retail Sale of Pets
smpaw_purple Tips on Buying a Puppy Responsibly

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