If you buy a dog online or from a pet store, you are likely supporting these businesses—or ones like them Consumers keep buying, so puppy mills keep breeding. This year’s report shows that puppy mills are still a pervasive problem in the United States. Our report describes terrible conditions that state or USDA inspectors personally witnessed, including a mother and her days-old puppies found in a dirt hole; a breeder who performed DIY ear crops and tail docking without veterinary training; and many breeders who casually describe “euthanizing” unwanted dogs with a gunshot to the head. Most of the listed puppy mills operate under names intended to lull consumers into a false sense of security—“Country Pets,” “Barb’s Pups,” “Kuddly Kritters Kennel,” “Heaven’s Blessings,” and even “In God’s Hands Kennel,” where dogs were found living in feces with frozen water in their bowls. There is one bright spot, however: at least two-dozen puppy mills identified in the last two reports are no longer operating.

Unfortunately, when it comes to bad breeders, this report is not and cannot be comprehensive. It is merely a small, yet representative sampling of the puppy mills in the United States —and a reminder not to be fooled by a cute name, a USDA license or registration papers. No matter what the sellers say, when it comes to breeders who sell online, to pet stores or at flea markets, puppy mills are not the exception. They are almost always the rule. Friends don't let friends buy dogs from puppy mills. Check the listings below to see what we found in each state. Nursing mother dog had ribs and spine protruding; official warning from USDA for poor veterinary care. Dogs with sores and hair loss. Nine dogs found in need of veterinary care. Dog with her foot stuck in wire flooring; sick dogs with moldy food. “Strong smell of rodent urine,” five years of dirty conditions. Emaciated dog in need of veterinary care. Dog with exposed bone in jaw and missing teeth.

Owner charged with animal cruelty after botched do-it-yourself surgeries on puppies’ tails. Failed at least four state inspections for unsanitary conditions. Fined three times by the state; $1,000 fine for unsanitary conditions. Unsanitary conditions and matted dogs. Dogs found living in darkness. Seventeen pages of USDA violations in 2014 alone; limping and wounded dogs. Dogs with open wounds and lesions.Best Light Bulbs For Salon Dog with “severely bloody” wound and dog with oozing swelling on neck had not been treated by a vet.Great Gatsby Themed Prom Dress Dogs exposed to freezing cold in temperatures as low as four degrees.Copper Bathroom Sink Faucets Refused to let USDA inspector take photo of dog they planned to have shot.

Received official warning from USDA for failure to provide adequate vet care. Admitted shooting dogs was “routine form of euthanasia.” “Gunshot to brain at close range” not acceptable form of euthanasia, per USDA inspector. Six repeat violations in March 2015; dogs with signs of severe eye disease had not been treated by a vet. Dogs found with eye problems and/or open wounds. Puppies found shivering in the cold, others found inside a dirt hole. Violations for five years in a row. Fined $6,643 by USDA for failure to provide veterinary care. Failure to obtain medical care for 30 sick or injured dogs. Very thin dog had not been taken to a vet; Puppies not vaccinated for deadly diseases. Repeated violations of animal welfare act; Dog with softball-sized mass had not been treated by a vet. Hairless dog found shivering in the cold. USDA veterinary care violations for four years in a row; medications 10 years past expiration date.

Dogs found limping and with open wounds. Yorkie died after not being treated for injury. Failed three state inspections in a row; Dog’s severe matting covered 80 percent of his body; operator failed 8 inspections since 2011. Dogs unable to avoid contamination with smeared feces. Unlawfully failed to let inspectors in for ten different visits since 2011. Given two official warnings by USDA for failure to provide proper care. USDA filed official complaint due to years of violations; one of the largest puppy mills in America. Inspectors repeatedly found injured dogs. Standing water mixed with feces presented health hazard to hundreds of dogs. Dog’s open wound exposed muscle and bone. Puppies “huddled together and shivering” in the cold. More than 100 dogs and puppies confined in dark, windowless building. Maltese found dead, frozen in bitter cold. Fined $4,107 by USDA in November 2014 for dogs with frozen water, filthy conditions and other problems.

Massive puppy mill has more than 1,000 dogs; received official warning from USDA for failure to provide medical care to ten dogs. Stench of ammonia [urine] in whelping room “burned the inspector’s eyes and throat;” cited for same issue four years in a row. Recurrent veterinary care problems even after official warning from USDA. Sick, dead and dying puppies found by inspectors. Performed do-it-yourself euthanasia instead of taking hurt Chihuahua to vet. Yorkie with possible broken leg went three months without being treated by a vet. Dogs found panting in building with a heat index over 100 degrees; wormlike insects crawling in the food. Thin mother boxer’s ribs, spine and hip bones could be visualized from a distance. Dogs “covered with fleas and ticks;” one puppy had ticks in his ears, on his stomach and between his toes; more than a dozen dogs in need of vet care. Fined by USDA for dogs exposed to freezing cold, excessive feces and injured dogs.

Sick puppies, dogs with mange and underweight nursing mothers. Dead puppy left in cage until next day. Year after year of sick and injured dogs; more than 90 dogs and puppies found ill or injured during USDA inspections. "He killed this dog by gunshot;” inspectors found emaciated, sick and dying dogs. Violations found at 20 different USDA inspections within three years; dogs repeatedly found in need of vet care. Repeated issues with thin and matted dogs. Do-it-yourself vet care involved re-using same syringe on all puppies. Failed nine USDA inspections since 2012. Seller of “AKC Saint Bernards” and bullmastiffs failed ten state kennel inspections within two years. Received official warning for dogs without water, excessive feces, dog with bulging eye. Received two official warnings from state. Received official warning from USDA in June 2014 for seven violations. Dropped USDA license after more than 50 dogs were found in need of vet care and puppy died;

failed nine state inspections but still licensed by the state. Received at least three official warning letters from state. Received official warning from USDA in Dec. 2014 for failure to provide adequate veterinary care to six dogs. AKC “Breeder of Merit” had underweight dogs, some without water or food; received two official state warnings for inadequate care. Dogs with veterinary problems found four years in a row. Received two state warnings for dogs and puppies kept in frigid conditions with frozen water. "Heavens Blessings” kennel more like hell for many dogs found injured and untreated. Dog’s open wounds were buzzing with flies. Failed five state inspections in a row. Dogs with frozen water and fly strike. Excessive feces soiled the dogs’ fur. Rusted-through enclosures had holes in the walls. Violations at every USDA inspection since September 2011. Sale of underage puppies; Dogs in the freezing cold with only barrels for shelter;

owner was warned four times that a plastic barrel is not adequate shelter. Seven dead puppies found in one day; dog had severely embedded chain collar Seven dogs had open wounds from biting flies. Emaciated dog had trouble walking. Massive kennel received two official warnings from USDA in 2014 for failure to provide adequate vet care, yet problem recurred. Blind dog, dog with ping-pong ball-sized tumor and others had not been treated by a vet. Injured dogs and filthy conditions. Cited for selling underage puppies. Eight warnings or citations from the state since 2010. Received six verbal and written warnings from state since 2010. Two hundred animals removed from squalid conditions, yet owner still sells online. “Overwhelming smell,” violations found at last eight USDA inspections. Dogs infested with lice had not been treated by a vet. Excessive feces found several years in a row. Dog found with tumors and open wound.