The Puppy Place, a new pet store in Wilmington, North Carolina, is exacerbating an already severe issue of animal cruelty and overpopulation in our shelters by importing puppies from out-of-state puppy mills. 

These mills, notorious for their inhumane conditions, indiscriminately breed puppies for the sole purpose of profit, with little regard for their welfare.

The opening of The Puppy Place is not only inherently cruel but also strains the delicate balance between demand and supply in the local pet adoption scene.

Currently, North Carolina shelters are bursting at the seams with an overpopulation of needy animals. It's distressing to note that a recent study by Shelter Animals Count reveals euthanasia rates have escalated to a three-year high.

By adding to the supply of puppies in the market, The Puppy Place inadvertently contributes to the heartbreaking euthanasia statistic. Let us unite against such establishments and call for the closure of The Puppy Place and a ban on the retail sale of cats and dogs. Instead, we should direct our efforts and funds to the support of our local animal shelters. 

Take a stand against puppy mills and animal cruelty - sign the petition today.

Quick Information

1. The Puppy Place is selling SICK dogs (a recently purchased pup was hospitalized with Parvo days after leaving The Puppy Place).
2. The Puppy Place vaccinates WAY too early in order to sell faster, increasing the risk of disease, neurological conditions, and immune deficiencies.
3. Example: A 3-week-old puppy was already given 3 doses of Ivermectin-based heartworm prevention, which shouldn't be given until 8 weeks.
4. Only HALF of the puppies born in mills survive their first 12 weeks.
5. Not including breeding animals, as many as 2 million dogs die in puppy mills each year.
6. Mill dogs are purposefully euthanized; these procedures rarely use legal or approved methods, including drowning, shooting, or gassing with improvised gas chambers.

5 Facts About Puppy Mills 

1. Female dogs are bred at every opportunity with little to no recovery time between litters. When, after a few years, they are physically depleted to the point that they no longer can reproduce, breeding females are often killed.
2. Every year in America, it's estimated that 2.11 million puppies are sold that originated from puppy mills, while 3 million are killed in shelters because they are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes.
3. Puppies in mills are found with bleeding or swollen paws, feet falling through the wire cages, severe tooth decay, ear infections, dehydration, and lesions on their eyes, which often lead to blindness.
4. Most puppy mills have no veterinary care, climate control, or protection for the animals from weather (hot, cold, rain, or snow).
5. It's common to find dogs in puppy mills with collars that have been fastened so tightly that they have become embedded in a dog’s neck and must be carefully cut out.

Additional Resources

1. Protest Coverage
2. Puppy Mill Statistics
3. 11 Facts About Puppy Mills