Puppy mills are cruel, yet often legal commercial breeding facilities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for updating and enforcing the minimum standards of care outlined in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). But sadly, the standards haven’t been meaningfully updated in decades. They are far from humane and allow severe mistreatment of puppies and their parents.

It’s been three years since the ASPCA first proposed improvements to current AWA standards. We have yet to receive a response from the USDA—yet another missed opportunity for the agency to better protect the dogs whose wellbeing is its responsibility. Please sign our petition to demand improved dog care standards for USDA-licensed breeders.

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USDA Silent for 3 Years While Dogs Suffer: Fight Back!

Under current USDA regulations:

Continual access to water is not required.
Enclosures must only be 6” longer than the dog.
Dogs can be kept in stacked cages with wire flooring.

Dogs can be exposed to extreme temperatures, both very hot and very cold, for up to four hours.
Dogs don’t have to be let out of their cages for exercise.
Breeders can perform DIY medical procedures such as ear-cropping, tail-docking and caesarean sections.
Mother dogs can be bred repeatedly with no rest between litters and no screening for heritable defects.
Unbreedable dogs can be abandoned or destroyed.