STOP Puppy Mills! Pretending they don't exist won't make them go away.

This is from the Humane Society of the United States:

"Millie, a twelve-year-old Chihuahua, was found wandering alone on a Virginia roadside. Millie was a puppy mill breeder dog who, after producing litter after litter of puppies all her life, was cruelly abandoned when she could no longer give birth."

Dear Friend,

Millie's story is just one of thousands that could be told about puppy mill dogs. The way she was treated -- and then abandoned -- is not uncommon. Like dogs victimized by dogfighting, these puppy mill dogs suffer in an industry largely hidden from the public.

Today, you can get an exclusive look at how dogs like Millie end up in puppy mills: Watch our undercover video exposing the cruelty of puppy mill dog auctions. Then, sign our pledge to stop puppy mills.

Puppy mills are large-scale factory farm operations that confine dogs in small cages and force "breeder dogs" to produce litter after litter of puppies to support consumer demand for purebred pets and "designer" dogs. Most puppies sold in pet stores or through Internet sites come from a place filled with suffering, disease, malnutrition, genetic inbreeding, and loneliness. Even the puppies themselves are often prone to a variety of diseases. Some die within days or weeks of purchase.

But the worst fate in this cruel industry is for breeding mother and father dogs who never leave the puppy mill. They endure a lifetime of misery, confined in tiny cages stacked on top of each other in row after row, deprived of exercise and basic medical care, and continually breeding to satisfy consumer demand for puppies.

Many of the dogs used for breeding are bought at auctions. Click here to watch the exposé of these appalling dog auctions, featuring footage shot during our recent undercover investigation.

After you watch the video, please sign our pledge to stop puppy mills. By choosing not to buy your next pet or any pet supplies from retail stores or Internet sites that sell live animals, you are directly helping to end this cycle of cruelty.

When you're ready for a new dog in your life, please adopt from your local shelter or rescue group, or from a pet supply store that partners with one. And if you must, please only buy from a responsible breeder who treats dogs like part of the family.

Thank you for all that you do to help animals.

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States