An impulse purchase of a puppy as a Christmas present helps keep puppy mills in business, warns a recent editorial in USA Today.

Buying a puppy from a brick and mortar pet store or via an online ad provides support for an industry that inhumanely breeds, transports, and sells thousands of puppies across the US.

The article notes that the parents of your cute new puppy may very well have spent their lives confined to a cage just six inches taller than the dog, with barely enough space to turn around in.

The Humane Society of the United States recently released a heartbreaking report called the “Horrible Hundred”—a list of the worst puppy mill breeders in the US.

USA Today goes on to report that recent legislative changes now block potential buyers from viewing a breeder’s inspection records on the US Department of Agriculture’s website.

If you are interested in getting a purebred puppy from a breeder, take your time and research reputable individual breeders in your geographic area.

Make an in-person visit to the breeder’s home, meet the puppy’s mother and littermates, and ask to see all health testing records.  Observe the overall condition of the place where your puppy lives.

And of course, rescuing a shelter animal is a great way to bring joy to everyone this holiday season!