‘Horrible Hundred’ Puppy Mills: Missouri Again Tops List

ACROSS AMERICA— The Humane Society of the United States called out 100 problem puppy mills and puppy brokers in its annual “Horrible Hundred” list of problem breeders in at least 16 states.

The report, released every May, details the often-filthy, unhealthy conditions dogs and their offspring are kept in at high-volume breeding operations that sell puppies to pet stores or through their own websites — which means the puppies could end up anywhere.

The demand for puppies increased significantly during the coronavirus pandemic as homebound Americans sought canine companionship, yet inspection programs were put on hold, making the past year “one of the most troubling in modern history,” the Humane Society said.

Deadly weather events put more puppies at risk, the Humane Society said in its 2021 Horrible Hundred report.

Missouri once again led the Horrible Hundred list with nearly two dozen problem dealers, the Humane Society noted:

• Missouri: 21 dealers
• Ohio: 16 dealers
• Iowa: 11 dealers
• Nebraska: 8 dealers
• Pennsylvania: 8 dealers
• Kansas: 7 dealers
• New York: 7 dealers
• Indiana: 6 dealers
• Georgia: 5 dealers
• Illinois: 4 dealers
• Arkansas: 2 dealers
• Kentucky: 1 dealer
• Minnesota: 1 dealer
• Tennessee: 1 dealer
• Texas: 1 dealer
• Wisconsin: 1 dealer

The Humane Society said that inclusion in the Horrible Hundred report is not an indication that any local, state or federal laws have been broken, but that the conditions described do illustrate the need for tougher laws to protect the dogs.

Not all states require inspections of puppy breeding facilities. In some cases, regulators cut down on inspections, but the Humane Society said regulatory authorities ceased or curtailed inspections during the pandemic. Yet pet stores were considered essential businesses as interest in companion animals soared.

“Now more than ever, dogs need our protection, and kennel laws should be strictly enforced to make sure animals are protected in the next disaster,” the Humane Society said.

Some problem puppy mills cited in the 2020 Horrible Hundred report have closed, the Humane Society noted.

The report doesn’t include every problem puppy mill in the country, the Humane Society said, noting that “states with no dealers in this report are not necessarily doing better at preventing puppy mills.”

Many states do not have kennel inspection laws, do not share inspection records with the public or have not enforced the laws that are on the books. Some other trends:

About 40 percent of the dealers cited in the report are licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “but it appears that many more of the breeders listed in this report are operating in a manner that would require a USDA license, yet they have not obtained one, partly due to the steep plunge in USDA enforcement since 2017,” the Humane Society said.

About 40 percent of the 100 dealers on the list are repeat offenders who have appeared on at least one of the Humane Society’s previous reports.

At least eight of the dealers in the report are linked to Petland, the largest chain of puppy-selling pet stores in the country, although the HSUS said it’s very likely that number is much higher; because Petland purchases mostly from brokers (re-sellers), many of its breeders cannot easily be linked to the stores, and the HSUS does not have access to all sourcing records.

Many of the sellers in this report were offering American Kennel Club -registerable puppies or promoting themselves as AKC breeders, which is an issue because the AKC regularly opposes laws that would help crack down on puppy mill cruelty.

The best way to help animals is to refuse to buy a puppy from an internet site, a pet store, or any breeder buyers haven’t carefully screened and met in person, the Humane Society said. Shelters and rescue groups are better sources for dogs that need adopted, according ot the organization.