Central Virginia's Pets: Avoiding puppy mills

Thanks to recent national media coverage, much has been done to expose the cruel and inhumane conditions at puppy mills. Puppy mills are generally defined as places that breed large numbers of puppies for sale to pet stores or over the Internet. When one hears the term “puppy mill” rarely does one think of their neighbor next door raising litters of dogs that are emotionally and/or physically unsound. And yet, the line between irresponsible “backyard breeding” and those who raise dogs as a commodity for profit, as in a puppy mill, is a very fine one.

In reality, responsible breeding of purebred dogs, when done properly, takes hard work, time, money and involves many steps on the part of the breeder. Good breeders always “breed to improve.” Here are some key facts to keep in mind if considering purchasing a puppy from a breeder or looking to breed your own purebred dog.

In the United States, small-scale breeding of dogs is a mostly unregulated business. In contrast, in many European countries, one needs approval from the breed club prior to breeding a purebred dog, thereby helping to ensure more scrupulous breeding practices.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Kennel Club (UKC) are the only two legitimate kennel clubs in the U.S. Beware of other registries (sometimes called “toilet paper” registries since their paperwork has no merit). Many have official sounding names and acronyms similar to the AKC and UKC. Unfortunately, these registries are often used as “proof of paperwork” by pet shops, backyard breeders and puppy mills. Most people don’t know the difference and are easily misled. Several registries will even register mixed breeds (such as maltepoos, labradoodles, puggles, etc.) which is a “joke” according to reputable breeders.

So why is AKC or UKC registry so important? The registry documents the pedigree or lineage ensuring that the dog’s ancestors are of only one breed. Every breed has a kennel club approved by the AKC/UKC with a description of the breed standard. The breed clubs recommend health tests which screen for diseases prevalent in that specific breed, including screening of eyes, hips, and joints. Some also involve in-depth temperament testing. They have a code of ethics discouraging the breeding of dogs that do not match the breed standard.

In other words, merely having a dog examined by a veterinarian before he or she is bred is simply not adequate; that’s just the starting point. Just because you think your pet is “loving” (to you), cute and “seems healthy and the vet couldn’t find anything wrong” does not mean she should be bred.

Good breeders also abide by a ‘code of ethics,’ which includes having a sales contract with those who purchase a puppy. The contract includes a medical guarantee/warranty by the breeder that they would either refund the money and/or take the dog back should it develop a congenital medical issue later on. The contract also states what the breeder would do if the buyer ever decided they no longer wanted the dog. Reputable breeders either guarantee to take the dog back or they actively work with the owners to place it in another good home. Good breeders tend to stay in touch with “their” puppies and tend to treat them as extended family.

The Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs & Breeders (www.virginiafederation.org) is the umbrella organization actively working for the benefit of dog lovers. The Lynchburg area is fortunate to have two such reputable clubs — the James River Kennel Club (JRKC) and the Dog Owners Training Club (DOTC). If you’re considering breeding your dog, contact these clubs to learn more about ethical breeding. If you’re interested in purchasing a purebred puppy, contact Vinessa Alones, Breeder Referral Contact at JRKC, to help you get connected with good breeders.

A fact that many aren’t aware of is that AKC and UKC breed clubs forbid the selling of puppies to pet shops, auctions, or brokers. “No good, reputable breeder will ever sell to a pet shop,” says Alones.

The AKC Web site (www.akc.org) has step-by-step guidelines on responsible breeding and a wealth of resources for would-be breeders and buyers of purebred dogs. You owe it to yourself and your pup, or pup-to-be, to thoroughly check this out. According to Alones, it is “heartbreaking” to hear the horror stories of unsuspecting people who want a family pet, pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for a puppy from a backyard breeder or pet shop, which then accumulates expensive medical bills or ends up having an ill-temperament that they are then not able to cope with.

Rasanayagam is a volunteer board member of the Lynchburg Humane Society and wishes to thank all the reputable dog breeders and handlers who provided information for this article.