According to dosomething.org “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.” Ever wanted a puppy? This is your chance to save one. There are many options to getting a furry friend. Adoption centers, friends, breeders and puppy mills. What is a puppy mill? “A commercial dog-breeding facility that focuses on profit with little overhead cost. The health and welfare of the animals is not a priority.”

Though many breeders don’t seem to be up front about their intentions, there are smaller market breeders who run puppy mills. Often times puppy mills focus on maximizing profit, and rarely the health of the animals. The worst abuse often affects the mothering-female breeding dogs.

The Humane Society argues, “You’re too smart to get a dog from a pet store or online seller-you might as well buy direct from a puppy mill […] The moms of the puppies are kept in cages to be bred over and over for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever joining a family.”

Often times, people are tricked into buying a dog from an owner whose dog may just have had a litter, but really they come from a comparable operation to puppy mills. You can never really be sure to trust these sources. These puppies are frequently malnourished, disease infested, infectious and so much more. Receiving a puppy under such conditions would not only be heartbreaking, but also cause a very serious array of expensive medical issues to handle in the near future.

Adopting, however, is the right thing to do. There are over 3 million puppies dying in shelters because they are not being adopted. Not only is adopting a feel-good act, but it has many great benefits. Financially, adopting is much cheaper. Up to 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred dogs. These dogs often come with a hefty price tag, from puppy mills. If you’re looking for a purebred, why not save money and a life by adopting?

Generally, shelters look into the complete evaluations including vaccinations and microchipping prior to adoption. Most shelters also pay to have puppies spayed or neutered to prevent abuse of reproduction, similar to the maltreatment in puppy mills. Shelters evaluate puppies and consider their health conditions before making animals available for adoption. Most, if not all dogs, have great health when put up for adoption. This meaning that the new owners would have little to no medical expenses to worry about.

It’s important to consider, and investigate your options when buying animals. In most states, puppy mills are banned and considered illegal. However, it really is up to the discretion of the buyer to investigate the circumstances that the puppy is in. Adopting not only presents very credible health information, but also can be seen as inexpensive and humbling. You’re not just saving a puppy’s life; they’re also saving yours.