Indiana’s State-Licensed Commercial Dog Breeding Industry
Indiana – A Major Link in the Puppy Mill Pipeline
Indiana is a central hub in the Midwest puppy mill pipeline. Every year, thousands of puppies bred in high-volume commercial kennels throughout the state are sold —through online listings, websites, puppy broker websites and to pet stores.
High Concentrations in Amish Communities
The state licensing data not only shows a steady increase in the number of commercial facilities, it also shows the highest concentrations of high volume commercial dog breeders located in rural regions, particularly the Amish communities of Daviess County in the south and the Shipshewana/LaGrange County area in the north.
While cultural practices vary, the licensing data shows the majority of Indiana’s licensed commercial dog breeders are located within Amish communities. Dog breeding is a common source of income in these communities where breeding animals for sale is seen as a business, similar to farming. The Indiana data is similar to Ohio Pennsylvania and Illinois.
It is important to note that the presence of a kennel in one of these communities does not automatically mean conditions are poor, but the high volume of breeding operations raises serious concerns about dog welfare, and transparency.