With Your Help, One Day This Will End
Our mission at Stop Online Puppy Mills is to educate consumers about puppy mills, commercial dog breeding, and the ways puppies are marketed and sold online.
Stop Online Puppy Mills is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014. We believe consumer education can reduce the demand that keeps high-volume commercial dog breeding profitable.
Today, puppy mills do not always look the way people expect. Puppies may appear on polished websites with professional photographs and friendly descriptions. Sellers may also offer guarantees, delivery, and online payment.
Education Before the Purchase
A major part of our mission is reaching people before they buy a puppy. We educate consumers about online puppy brokers, commercial breeders, and puppy-selling websites. We also teach buyers how to recognize breeder red flags and identify who actually bred the puppy.
We encourage buyers to meet the puppy and mother dog in person. Buyers should also see where the breeder’s dogs live before paying a deposit or agreeing to delivery.
A puppy photo tells you very little about the breeding operation behind it. That is why our message is simple: Look Beyond the Puppy.
How We Carry Out Our Mission
Stop Online Puppy Mills uses several tools to educate consumers. These include online advertising, social media campaigns, breeder research, firsthand field work, and educational resources.
Our website also provides information about puppy-selling platforms, licensed dog breeders, puppy mill red flags, and real experiences shared by puppy buyers.
Explore our puppy mill education resources, learn about our awareness campaigns, or visit our Puppy Mill Watchdog to continue learning.