A main cause in the overpopulation of puppies in shelters is breeding and overbreeding which leads to inbreeding and multiple health problems that can be distinctive between breeds. When diving into research we found that there are around 10,000 puppy mills in the United States alone, these puppy mills produce over 2.6 million puppies per year, the majority being sold in pet stores and online. Additionally, puppy mills sell puppies as young as 6 weeks and often discard females when they are no longer able to reproduce. These animals often live in conditions like small overcrowded cages piled up one after another.In an article by Best friends society they state ,”In most states, these commercial breeding kennels can legally keep hundreds of dogs in cages their entire lives, for the sole purpose of continuously churning out puppies.” Puppy mills neglect the animals' needs often leading to sick and unsocialized animals. As of January 2022, puppy mill puppies are 41.6% more likely to develop health issues then the general population of dogs. 

On average  6.3 million pets enter shelters yearly and there are only about 4.1 million pets adopted from shelters; in 2022 it was estimated that 40% dog owners adopted their pet from a shelter, where 29% of people are still obtaining their pets from breeders or stores.  

By signing this petition your helping spread more awareness on puppy mills. Our goal is to reach the right audience to help get in contact with people that can help end this crisis as we are trying to help give these animals voices.