National Puppy Mill Survivor Day – September 30, 2026

History of National Puppy Mill Survivor Day

Puppy mills are commercial dog breeding facilities that are known for rapid breeding and poor conditions. In the 1984 case Avenson v. Zegart, a definition for puppy mills was established. He described it as “a dog breeding operation that ignores the health of the dogs to keep overhead low and maximize revenues.” Puppy mills began in the post-World War II era, according to “Chanis Major V.” publications. Farmers in the Midwest looking for a different crop reacted to the growing demand for puppies by starting the first commercial puppy business. The first pet retail chains appeared in about the same period.

Puppy mill dogs are frequently kept in small wire cages that resemble rabbit hutches or chicken coops. Furthermore, due to a lack of funds, veterinary care for these puppies was frequently neglected. A home was considered incomplete without a dog by the mid-1960s.
As a result, groups like the Humane Society of the United States began to examine breeding kennels, culminating in the enactment of the Animal Welfare Act on August 24, 1966.

According to the U.S.D.A, there are between 2,000 and 3,000 federally approved commercial breeding facilities in the United States today. According to the Humane Society of the United States (H.S.U.S), over 176,088 dogs are held for breeding at U.S.D.A-approved facilities each year, with approximately 2.15 million puppies sold. Many of these puppies are available for purchase on the internet.