by Melissa Peterson

Created on: January 03, 2009

If you are involved in the breeding of dogs, you have a duty to do it responsibly. Kennel and breed clubs most definitely have a duty to help combat puppy mills. A club dedicated to dogs has an obligation to not only promote those dogs, but to protect them. Puppy mills are dangerous and unfair to the dogs they mass produce and treat as just inanimate objects.

It is my belief that whether we are talking about pure bred dogs or mutts, all breeders should be licensed and registered and I think whether a club or simply an animal lover, we all have a duty to see this opinion become a reality. Puppy mills are a huge problem but so is the average person who thinks they will breed dogs to make a quick buck.

If the government mandated that anyone who breeds dogs must register, be licensed and report all births and sales, the overpopulation of dogs would not be such a huge problem. There should be a central, monitored database of anyone who buys a dog, if they spay or neuter them, if they are breeding them, how often they breed, who the puppies are sold to, etc There should be penalties inflicted upon anyone who doesn't comply and therefore this would hopefully reduce the amount of people breeding solely for monetary gain including puppy mills. Hopefully this would reduce the amount of people who purchase puppies which are so cute and then toss them aside once they've grown and become too much work. Puppy mills don't care who buys the puppies, only that they make their money and kennel and breed clubs should be concerned about this. They should be doing all they can to stop it.

There is an overpopulation of dogs who need homes and to permit irresponsible people who add to this problem to do so is a crime. Puppy mills are the worst of the worst. They care nothing about the dog's health or well being, only about making money. Seeing as kennel and breeding clubs are about many things "dog" one of those things should be about the wellbeing of all dogs and therefore, they should have concern about puppy mills.

Puppy mills have been around a long time and therefore it will take some time to wipe them out. Kennel and breed clubs should be at the forefront of this fight. Look at how much money the AKC makes. Research some of the other clubs. Dogs are an expensive business which should never have become "about business". They are living, breathing, feeling creatures. The ones who are shoulder deep in this "business" have a duty to protect the wellbeing of their "bread and butter."

Check out info on puppy mills and see what you think. Breed and kennel clubs should be about the love of the dogs. If you love dogs, how could you let this happen?

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