# Puppy Mill



## allan47885 (Apr 28, 2010)

Hi,

My husband and I just came back from a trip to look at a GSD puppy. What appeared on the net to be a reputable breeder turned out to us to look like a puppy mill. We arrived early due to the miles and when we pulled up, the yard was full of trash, there was an old truck sitting there with no wheels and from what I saw of the dog runs out back, they were grown up in weeds and grass with dogloos in the pens. Never saw one of the dogs, after looking at the premises, we decided to leave. I didn't want to fall in love with a puppy and take it to get it out of there. 

Can anyone let me know where I can report places like this to?

Thank you so much,

Still searching for a GSD puppy to join our menagerie.

Gail


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Call your local Animal Control. Go to a shelter, there maybe a GSD for you also some have puppies.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

From what you've described, they're not violating any laws. Nothing wrong with old project trucks (I have one behind my house), weeds, grass, or dogloos. I agree they're not exactly signs of a quality breeder but they're certainly not against any law. As long as the dogs have food, water, shelter, and sufficient veterinary care there's nothing you can do.


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## GermanPrinceHero (Feb 13, 2010)

Agreed. Just because a red neck has a litter of pups to sell, does not mean he is running a puppy mill or is a bad dog owner.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

The one thing you can do, and you already did, is NOT support such a breeder and encourage future breedings by buying one of the pups. Unfortunately, anyone can come up with a good looking web-site. Good thing you decided to check out the place first. 

If you want to list your general area, and what you are looking for in a puppy, people can give you reccomendations. You can post web-sites and ask for feedback too. Due to Board Rules negative comments on breeders need to be done via PM, but positive comments can be posted. Usually if people post "I sent you a PM", that is code for you-know-what. 

Also, by commenting on different websites, people can give you general info on what to look for in a reputable breeder, and what to avoid.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Castlemaid said:


> *The one thing you can do, and you already did, is NOT support such a breeder and encourage future breedings by buying one of the pups. Unfortunately, anyone can come up with a good looking web-site. Good thing you decided to check out the place first.*
> 
> If you want to list your general area, and what you are looking for in a puppy, people can give you reccomendations. You can post web-sites and ask for feedback too. Due to Board Rules negative comments on breeders need to be done via PM, but positive comments can be posted. Usually if people post "I sent you a PM", that is code for you-know-what.
> 
> Also, by commenting on different websites, people can give you general info on what to look for in a reputable breeder, and what to avoid.


:thumbup:


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## allan47885 (Apr 28, 2010)

I totally agree that any ******* can have a littler of puppies. However, after we got home I did do some searching on the net and found a report from one of the tv stations in the area regarding this breeder from 2006 saying that the conditions were deplorable, 21 dogs per pen, no food or water, dogs living in their own excrement. No one actually living at the location, just housed the dogs there. However, due to the laws of the state, unless the dogs are actually underfed, not much can be done. I can assure you, I will have nightmares about this. Now I'm going to go pet my dogs.........


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Often, the local laws regarding food, water, and shelter for animals leave much to be desired, and as long as a "breeder" is meeting those minimal needs they're not doing anything illegal and there isn't much you can do, no matter how deplorable the conditions actually are. Sad, but true. 

If there is actual abuse or neglect, and minimal standards of care are not being met, it's possible that they can be shut down. I think it's worth contacting your local animal control, but don't get your hopes up. They may already be aware of this person.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I disagree, there are pens, and dogs, and garbage around. There IS something you can do. 

You can lodge a complaint with your local GSD club. They can tell you whether the individual is a member. By law they probably cannot do anything. If the person is a member, they can probably tell them to clean up their act. 

Having garbage lying about will draw rats and other rodents. 
Having weeds growing up near the kennel is an environement that is friendly to ticks and biting insects, certainly no place you want to do business with. 

Uhm, I only got the front yard mowed this week, and its raining again, and the dandylions are getting a bit out of hand. But you should be able to tell that the dogs themselves are not being neglected. 

If there was no water, no shelter, then you can call animal control.


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

When I first joined this site, I posted pics of what I thought was a puppy mill and did not buy from them or even visit there from the pics, none of the dogs were papered but they were very beautiful GSD's. I posted on here about how I thought it was a puppy mill and seemed horrible to me but after showing the pics and reading the responses, many people here actually thought it was a pretty nice setup for the dogs.

I was looking at dog igloos and hay and a bunch of pens and later learned that is pretty typical. There is a difference between just having GSD's as pets and breeding GSD's. I have learned since then that most breeders actually have a setup much like the one I thought was a puppy mill. I just didn't realize that, in my mind, I thought that the dogs always lived full time as part of the family in the house, but now I realize that is actually a BYB, or backyard breeder. I suppose it depends on the actual breeder, and my point is that you can't really judge by what the house looks like or the fact that they have outdoor pens.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

igloos and outdoor pens are not a problme, but trash all around is. 

If the dogs did not bark or come out, than it sounds like they are not there. Maybe they have already been gone for a while. 

Weeds and grass grown up in the pens, well it depends on the area, here the pens would be mud pits and no weed and grass grown up in them.


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