SPRINGVILLE, Utah — With warmer weather fast approaching, it's tempting to get a new puppy for long walks in the sun. But the Springville Police Department's Animal Control Office is warning people how to avoid puppy mills that can bring heartache for both new owners and the puppies for sale.
They've seen several cases of people unwittingly buying puppies that are sick or dying. In most cases, the sale was "cash only" from a third-party seller in a parking lot.
Often the puppies are described as being the runts of the litter, but the sad reality is that they are barely weaned, inbred, or have fatal illnesses.
Springville's Police Department wants to stop puppy mills from proliferating and new dog owners from being scammed.
Here are ways to avoid buying from a puppy mill:
-Research the seller's history
-Consider adopting from a shelter
-Realize that most breeders will make home visits and allow parents to see the entire litter
-Breeders will have paperwork, vaccination records, bloodline test results, and the like
-Breeders will be able to answer questions about the breed and the puppies
A message from your friendly Animal Control Officer BEWARE OF "PUPPY MILLS" There are multiple cases of individuals...
Posted by Springville Police Department on Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Here are warning signs that the seller is from a puppy mill:
-Ads that show only one puppy
-Sellers that only meet in a parking lot
-Sellers that claim they are selling for a friend
-Sellers that cannot provide the puppy's background information
-Sellers that do not provide receipts
Puppy mills profit off of animal abuse and scam pet owners, and should be reported to the local police department.
