The Horror of Puppy Mills
When you buy a puppy from a pet store or from people selling puppies beside the roadside it is quite likely from a puppy mill. The parents of these dogs are kept in small cages and bred over and over again. They are used and abused to make money for the owner. When they can no longer be bred to make money they are killed. The dogs are kept in overcrowded cages, fed poor quality food and don't get proper veterinary care.
Dogs may be forced to live on elevated wire floor cages that injure their feet. This makes the cages easier to maintain as most of the excrement will fall through to the ground below. Many of the puppies born at a puppy mill will die before they can be sold. If you want a healthy puppy buy one from a reputable breeder.
It doesn't matter if you pay $50.00 or $1500.00 for your dog. The purchase price is minimal when you consider what you will spend over the years for veterinary care. Spending a bit more money to buy from a reputable breeder may save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Puppies from mills often have expensive health problems that you will have to deal with down the road. Besides illness and genitic problems they often have personality disorders.
To learn more about puppy mills and how to stop them check the links below.