Animal Ark Puppy Mill Resource Center
    A place to learn about puppy mills in Minnesota, and how you can help clean them up


    Puppy mills are volume breeders of puppies that are then usually sold in the commercial trade to dealers, research labs, brokers or pet stores. This term does not apply to small, private breeders who sell exclusively to the public in small numbers.

    Because these enterprises exist exclusively for financial purposes, animal care is generally sacrificed for profit. USDA regulations themselves promote a mass-production mindset rather than quality. For example, USDA regulations only require six inches of headroom over an animals head in its cage, which only needs to be cleaned of urine and feces once per day.

    Worse yet, many puppy mills do not even meet the USDA's minimal standards. The USDA rarely, if ever, takes enforcement action against violators. There is, therefore, little incentive for puppy mills to comply with USDA regulations.

    Use the resources on this page to learn more about puppy mills, and what you can do to put a stop to these awful places.

    Puppy Mill Bills to Merge

    Cell Phone Captures Horror of Minnesota Puppy Mill


    Preliminary Recap of Two Different Bills to Regulate Puppy Mills in Minnesota

    For two consecutive legislative sessions, Senator Don Betzold has introduced bills that would, for the first time, allow the State of Minnesota to regulate dog and cat breeders. Opposition to his efforts has been fierce, and has come from some surprising places. Most specifically, some of Minnesota's leading experts on puppy mills felt Betzold's bill in 2008 focused resource in the wrong place: it did not require large, wholesalers of puppies to comply with new care standards to be developed by the State. Additionally, the bill defined a commercial breeder as one with as few as 6 breeding animals.

    Having small hobby breeders, with as few as 6 breeding animals, grouped together with large-scale puppy mills, like Kathy Bauck and Gary McDuffee, created a large rift between supporters of the bill and small, responsible breeders, and understandably so.

    Breeders working to preserve threatened or endangered dog breeds, for example, make no money from their efforts. Any money taken in through the sale of puppies goes back into genetic testing, preserving DNA samples of the best of the breed, and providing outstanding care for their animals. The best of these breeders tend to keep small numbers of animals, and may produce a litter of puppies every year or every other year. Read More.



    I-Team: Inside Minnesota Puppy Mill

    Just last week a nationwide investigation exposed how widespread problems with puppy mills have become. Now The I-TEAM gets a rare look at what happened inside one of those kennels in Minnesota.

    "They said the puppy was in good health," said Angela Rauen.

    Last May, Angels Rauen and Tim Howe bought their dog, Kennedy, from a Web site called Puppies On Wheels. They paid $900 for their dog, $100 of which was for delivery by truck at 1 a.m. on the side of the road.

    "She was coughing uncontrollably and that was from the minute we got off the truck. At night, it was almost like I thought she was dying," said Rauen.

    Puppies On Wheels is run by Kathy Bauck, a breeder who operates the site out of her Otter Tail County facility called Pick of the Litter.

    The I-TEAM learned Bauck has a history of bad breeding practices. Read the Rest.

    According to AKC, Animals are Property, so Puppy Mills Shouldn't be Regulated - Transcript of Animal Wise Radio interview with Lisa Peterson, Communications Director of AKC about Senate File 121. Check it Out.

    Featured Video: Dirtly Little Secret: Click the play putton on the video to watch it, or click here to play it at YouTube. Or, you may listen to the audio version here.

    Click on the video to learn how you can share it with others.

    A Plea for Help! Your Donations Badly Needed to Help Put A Stop to Puppy Mills. Please Donate Today!

    The photograph taken left is a small dog in a small pen filled with other dogs at a puppy mill in Minnesota. The photo was provided by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS). There are currently tens of thousands of dogs housed in puppy factories in Minnesota. Animal Ark is working with other groups to put a stop to the mass, commercial production of dogs. These animals need your help. Please make a donation to support our efforts. If you would prefer, mail a check to:

    Animal Ark
    809 E. 7th Street
    St. Paul, MN 55106

    Please indicate your donations is to help put a stop to puppy mills.

    Featured Editorial: Mike Fry asks, is the USDA incompetent, corrupt, or, possibly, both? Read it.

    "Minimum Standards". What Do They Mean?

    Featured Article: County Should Rescind Land-Use Permit. Find Out Why.

    USDA Files Show Little Falls Puppy Mill Violations. Find Out More.

    Featured Article: Stepping Up Against Animal Mills.

    Photos from Minnesota Puppy Mills

    Comment: Important Information Missing from Puppy Mill News Coverage. Read it.

    Donate to Animal Ark's Efforts to Put A Stop to Puppy Mills.

    Who Runs the Animal Mills in Minnesota? Ever since Gary McDuffee made headlines all over the state for his attempts to open a 600-dog, commercial breeding facility, people have been asking who runs these places. Want to know who? Find Out.

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    How You Can Help:

    Ask Your Senator and Representative to Support HF 253 and SF 7

    Donate to the Effort

    Email this to Your Friends and Family

    Get Involved:

    Check out the Puppy Mill Community at Best Friend's Network.

    New: How much room does a puppy mill dog need, according to the USDA? Check out our puppy mill cage size calulator to find out.


    Have something to say about this article? Share Your Comments with our readers. Or, leave a message on the Animal Wise Radio Comment Line by calling toll-free (888) 668-0687.

    Comments from readers:
    On 07/24/2007 Tabby said: Not just mills put pets to shame

    I would like to see the numbers of dogs and cats that went to the human society over the last 10 years. These pets mostly come from a one family home not puppy mills. Home many puppy mills in Minnesota have been caught not caring for their puppies? Now lets see where all these puppies that end up in shelters come from-a puppy mill or from family's that no longer want them. I think more people need to be taught that when you buy a pet you are making a contract to keep them forever. I think there is more harm done to dogs/puppies by single owners rather than puppy mills. Lets see the numbers and then lets talk about how each town/city is going to fine the single owner of all these unwanted pets. Dog license tage doen't keep owners from miss treating their pets. It only gives the town/city more money to play with and more laws in which we are governed by. BIG BROTHER coming to your town/city soon?

    On 04/01/2007 Jean S said: Morrison County

    I grew up in Morrison County and taught school in Little Falls and have always thought of this area as a place of good and honest people who knew what was right and worked hard to preserve this image. But as I read what is going on in the McDuffee case I think there is a lot of "good old boy" politics going on.

    I am not against people making a living but I do question McDuffee's business . Do the commissioners not take all the complains against McDuffee's puppy mill operation seriously? Is it not the job of the commissioners to protect their community against businesses that lack ethical responsiblity to the community?

    Morrison County deserves and needs people who will protect their community and not look the other way.

    J S

    On 03/15/2007 shirley b said: In response to Sheila - puppy mills

    Sheila,

    You say you know where every puppy is that you have raised in the last 25 years. I’m somewhat skeptical of that but let’s say that’s true. What about all the puppies they have produced and the puppies those puppies produced and so on down the line? How would you feel if you found that some of the offspring of your lovingly produced line of dogs had ended up in the hands of a "puppy miller" and was suffering a tortured existence as a puppy mill breeding dog? This bill does not appear to apply to you a "hobby breeder" but even if it did, if you truly love dogs I would think you would welcome an inspection and a small licensing fee if it meant it would help the quality of life of these poor unfortunate animals. That being said, I agree with you in that I would like to see puppy (and other animal) mills abolished. I also agree that there are holes in this bill, it’s to general and difficult if not impossible to enforce. As an example, how do you monitor that a dog is fed every 12 hours...ask the "miller"? This bill is not perfect but this is at least a beginning. At a minimum it is bringing some awareness to the public and it is better than sitting back doing nothing and wishing something would happen, or just turning away because you don’t know how to stop the suffering. I too believe the long term solution is public education. I also believe an immediate solution would be to pass legislation similar to what they passed in Sherburne County basically outlawing puppy mills. So, if anybody out there knows how to get that ball rolling feel free to jump in here!

    On 03/12/2007 Mike Fry said: Read the Bill

    This is for Sheila,

    Thanks for your comments on Senate File 121 and House File 1046.

    It is hard to know, but based on your comments, it appears you may not have read the actual text of the bill. I say that because first, as a “hobby breeder” you are specifically exempted by this proposed legislation. These bills specify as “hobby breeders” anyone who has fewer than 6 intact breeding females. In other words, if you are producing only one litter per year, I cannot see any way this proposed legislation could apply to you. Since it would not apply to you, I cannot see why it would cost you money.

    It is true that the AKC and a [shrinking] list of breeders that register with the AKC are opposing this proposed legislation. It is also true that large numbers of “puppy mills” register their pets with the AKC. So, the AKC has a financial interest in perpetuating puppy mills.

    The AKC has, in fact, been spreading a lot of false information about Minnesota Senate File 121 and House File 1046. However, as more people become familiar with the actual language of the bill, more are supporting it.

    You ask why Animal Ark would not support legislation that would outlaw puppy mills. But, it is your assumption that we would not. In fact, I would love nothing more than to see puppy mills closed. In the meanwhile, this bill requires that, if they are going to stay open, they should, at least, provide a minimal level of care to the animals they house. That is all this bill does - establish minimal care standards for puppy mill dogs and kitten mill cats. How anyone who cares about animals could possibly oppose that is beyond me.

    Thanks again for your comments.

    On 03/12/2007 sheila metz said: puppy legislation

    I am a small hobby breeder of GSDs, and have supported your organization for several years. I am thoroughly disappointed in your support of HF 121 dog/cat legislation. As supporters state, the bill has NOTHING to do with the amount of animals kept. Isn't that the problem? Why don't you support legislation OUTLAWINNG puppy mills, instead of supporting legislation that would make my puppies intact adults at 20 weeks (they have not even been xrayed yet for sale!) and allowing people to come into my home to inspect my kennel which is a sunroom in my home. I breed one litter a year, and this legislation is going to cost me more money and problems than will ever face these puppy mills. Read the bill again. Obviously, many breed groups and the AKC are against this bill. I will not longer be supporting your organization because you all can't think cleary regarding the world's unwanted, neglected animals. And believe me, I know where every puppy I have ever bred is, and have been doing so for 25 years. Thank you.