Most of the dogs sold in pet stores and over the Internet come from puppy mills -- mass breeding operations where hundreds of dogs are kept in overcrowded and often unsanitary conditions without proper veterinary care, food, water or human interaction.

Watch this video to find out how miserable life is for a puppy mill dog.

For two weeks in August 2009, United Animal Nations (UAN) deployed 34 volunteers with its Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) to remove approximately 550 dogs from a puppy mill and care for them at a temporary shelter.

The dogs were found living in filthy conditions and exposed to harsh elements year round. Many were severely matted and suffering from chronic infected wounds, internal and external parasites, and serious skin and eye infections. It was obvious that many of these animals had never known life outside their wire cages.

Read more about this situation on our Web site:
http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=619

Read more about puppy mills here:
http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=409 (less info)