Breeding Dogs Is Cruel, No Matter Where in the World It Occurs
All dog breeding is cruel. No matter the circumstances, no matter the country—when PETA entities have investigated dog breeders around the world, they’ve found that the dogs are exploited and abused for the “pet” trade. Disturbing eyewitness video footage—gathered from six exposés in different parts of the world—reveals that there’s no such thing as an ethical or reputable breeder. Bottom line: Buying a dog—whether from a puppy mill, a pet store, Craigslist or other online sites, a breeder, a neighbor, or anyone else—contributes to the ongoing suffering of countless animals.
PETA Entity Investigations Reveal Suffering in Dog-Breeding Facilities Around the World
A Jack Russell Terrier Breeder in Michigan
In 2021, a PETA investigation uncovered dozens of Jack Russell terriers and their puppies confined to small, barren kennels with little protection from the bitter cold and snow 24/7 at JRT John’s Jack Russell Terriers, a breeding facility in Michigan.
Mothers and puppies there were kept in wooden boxes in a carport. They were surrounded by urine-soaked straw and the stench of ammonia. Puppies’ tails were twisted off without any pain relief, and the investigator even found a dead dog in one of the pens.
Bulldogs Come With a Warning at a Virginia Pet Store
In Chantilly, Virginia, a PETA investigator visited a pet store and asked an employee why a 6-month-old English bulldog didn’t come with a “lifetime warranty” like some of the other dogs for sale. The answer? Because of the “known sinus issues” of flat-faced dogs. These types of dogs can have difficulty even breathing because their airways are restricted from birth. Yet, breeders continue to breed and sell them because they feel that their profit outweighs the risks to the dogs’ health and well-being.
Appalling Conditions at Breeding Facilities Certified by the Vietnam Kennel Association
For several months in 2022, PETA Asia investigators visited 13 Vietnamese dog-breeding facilities—including some that are certified by the Vietnam Kennel Association. At most facilities, they found rampant injuries and untreated illnesses. Many dogs had overgrown nails, matted fur, and skin conditions due to the facilities’ filthy surroundings and lack of care. This video shows just some of the abuse documented in these investigations:
Multiple Facilities Exposed in South Korea
In 2022, a PETA Asia investigator visited multiple puppy mills in South Korea and observed dogs frantically pacing back and forth in filthy, cramped cages amid the constant, deafening sound of barking. Cages were caked with feces, and puppies who were barely old enough to walk were separated from their mothers. Rusty wire flooring exposed the dogs to injuries and tetanus, which likely went untreated. There was no bedding, no exercise, no companionship—no comfort of any kind.
At least one of these locations was labeled a “responsible” breeder, but the video evidence shows otherwise.
5 Filthy Puppy Factories in Indonesia
A PETA Asia investigator visited five Indonesian puppy mills where the conditions for dogs were awful. See the undercover footage for yourself, then remember it the next time you or someone you know is thinking about getting a dog:
Animals from profit-driven dog breeding operations like these are sold online and shipped across Indonesia like merchandise.
More Seedy Facilities in China
Another PETA Asia exposé in China revealed dogs confined to feces-caked wire cages that were barely any bigger than their own bodies and suffering from painful, distressing health conditions caused by inbreeding.
A Now-Shuttered Breeding Factory in Kansas
At a dog-breeding facility in Kansas called Nielsen Farms, a PETA investigator found dogs with no comforts at all—no bedding over wire flooring, little to no protection from the searing-hot summers or the frigid winters, and no regular veterinary care, even when they were ill. Crusty, oozing eyes, raging ear infections, mange that left their skin a mass of red scabs, abscessed feet from the unforgiving wire flooring—all were ignored or inadequately treated.
Thanks to PETA’s investigation, Nielsen Farms was forced to close its doors. However, many other breeding facilities that are just as terrible remain open for business.
People’s obsession with certain traits and physical characteristics—such as coat color or facial features—that are associated with specific breeds cause dogs who are bred to suffer. This demand leads to inbreeding and additional suffering from an array of health problems, including serious genetic disorders.
Dog breeding isn’t just extremely cruel, it also robs homeless dogs in shelters of the chance to find a family.
The best way to help dogs like those seen in PETA’s video exposés is to refuse to buy them.
