In Part 2 of the BISSELL Pet Foundation interview, Cathy Bissell continues her conversation with Janie Jenkins, founder of Stop Online Puppy Mills, about puppy mills and dogs used for commercial breeding. The discussion looks beyond the puppy for sale and focuses on the conditions breeding dogs may experience and why puppy buyers should understand where puppies come from before making a purchase.
Missed the beginning? Read BISSELL Pet Foundation Puppy Mill Interview – Part 1.
Cathy Bissell and Janie Jenkins Discuss Life Inside Puppy Mills
Cathy: Walk us through a typical puppy mill from the surrounding scene to the interaction with the breeder, the puppies, and the mother pup.
Janie: Puppy mills vary in size and appearance. There is no single standard setup, so the conditions can look very different from one operation to another. Most of the mills I have been to keep the dogs in dark pole barns stacked in cages or they keep them in what is called a “Sundowner building”. The dogs are filthy, and they don’t see the light of the day. The breeders see nothing wrong with the way they treat their dogs. The mother dogs are separated from the other dogs when they are whelping (known as the process of giving birth).The mother dog is expected to care for and nurse her puppies until they are taken away. She will then be bred again.
Cathy: What types of breeds do you typically see in a puppy mill?
Janie: No breed is immune to puppy mills. The most popular dogs right now are the doodles and poos. They are mixing Sheepdogs, Bernese Mt Dogs, Irish Setters and so much more with toy Poodles to make Mini Doodle versions. It frustrates me so much to see these dogs because they are everywhere. Don’t get me wrong, they are adorable and it’s not their fault. I just know the cruelty involved with these high volume breeders. Would you want your dog to have his semen collected who knows how many times a week and your female dog artificially inseminated over and over again against their will? Many of these breeders are using IG, Facebook, and Pinterest to sell their dogs. They sensationalize them as the cute little puppies (that they are), but its important to know what happens behind the scenes.
Continue reading: BISSELL Pet Foundation Puppy Mill Interview – Part 3
To learn more about puppy mills and support our efforts to educate the public, follow Stop Online Puppy Mills on Facebook and Instagram.
