Puppy mills. Two words that evoke images of horrible living conditions and provoke strong emotions.
Unfortunately, lawmakers have been misled to equate the term with licensed, inspected breeders rather than the illegal, substandard operations it rightly describes.
Lawmakers have been ill-advised that a ban on pet store sales would eliminate these subversive operations. Despite these good intentions, these bans are not the solution.
They are an emotional overreaction to a complex problem.
Learning from the other side
The animal welfare community has spent decades promoting false narratives about commercial dog breeders and their relationships with retail pet stores. I should know, being that I surmised these same accusations for over 40 years.