You do not have to rescue dogs or investigate breeders to help stop puppy mills. Consumer choices, education, reporting, and sharing accurate information can all reduce the demand that keeps commercial puppy mills in business.
Stop Online Puppy Mills focuses on reaching people before they buy a puppy. Here are practical ways you can help educate others, report concerns, support responsible choices, and spread the message to look beyond the puppy.
Anyone can make a difference—whether it’s by spreading awareness, making ethical choices, or taking action in your community. Below are several impactful ways you can help protect dogs from the horrors of puppy mills and create a more humane world.
Educate Others About Puppy Mills
Be a voice for the voiceless. Sharing the truth about where many puppies really come from is one of the most powerful actions you can take.
- Talk to friends, family, and neighbors about the reality of puppy mills.
- Encourage students to research puppy mills for school projects, speeches, or term papers.
- Use our website as a trusted source of information or contact us if you need help or additional resources.
- Volunteer to distribute printed materials in your community to spread awareness locally.
- Visit our Puppy Mill Education page for downloadable lesson plans and kids activities.
Use Social Media to Raise Awareness
Social media is a powerful tool to educate and inspire action.
- Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X @StopPupEMills.
- Share our posts, videos, and stories to educate your network.
- Watch and share our We the Puppies educational video campaign to help more puppy buyers understand what they should see before they pay.
Every share spreads awareness and helps interrupt the cycle of cruelty.
Look Beyond the Puppy Before You Buy
Online puppy sales can make it easy to focus on the puppy while never seeing the breeder, the mother dog, or the conditions where the dogs live.
Before paying:
- Know who actually bred the puppy.
- Visit the breeder in person.
- Meet the mother dog.
- See where and how the breeder’s dogs live.
- Research breeder and license information when applicable.
If you cannot meet the mother dog and see where she lives, do not buy the puppy.
Adopt or Rescue Your Next Dog
There are thousands of loving, adoptable dogs waiting in shelters and rescue groups.
- Over 25% of shelter dogs are purebred. Many others are lovable mixed breeds (aka “designer dogs”).
- You can find dogs of every breed through breed-specific rescue groups.
- Visit Petfinder.com to search shelters and rescues near you.
Adopting saves lives and breaks the puppy mill cycle.
Learn About Puppy Mill Laws and Legislation
Laws affecting commercial dog breeding, pet sales, and animal welfare are considered at the federal, state, and local levels.
- Learn about current puppy mill legislation.
- Read proposed bills and understand what they would change.
- Contact your elected representatives if you want to share your views.
- Stay informed through Stop Online Puppy Mills updates.
Lawmakers listen to their constituents—make sure they hear from you.
Sign Up for our Newsletter
Stay up to date on:
- Puppy mill news and legislation
- Consumer education campaigns
- New research and breeder information
- Ways to help and take action
Sign up for our Newsletter. (We never share your information.)
Report a Puppy Mill or Suspicious Breeder
If you have information about a suspected puppy mill, commercial breeder, puppy broker, online seller, or sick puppy, report it to Stop Online Puppy Mills.
Names, locations, websites, advertisements, photos, veterinary records, license numbers, and communications with sellers can all help document concerns.
Report a Puppy Mill Report a Sick Puppy
Support Stop Online Puppy Mills
Donations help Stop Online Puppy Mills reach puppy buyers before they purchase, maintain consumer education resources, research puppy-selling websites and breeders, and expand awareness campaigns.
Your support helps us continue Saving Puppies One Click at a Time.
Make a tax-deductible donation today
One Person Can Make a Difference
You do not have to do everything. Share one post. Educate one puppy buyer. Report one concern. Help one person look beyond the puppy before they buy.
Every informed decision reduces the demand that keeps puppy mills in business.