No, from what I understand it is usually pretty difficult for the public to get in to one. I've only seen the pics/video, read some reports online of actual inspections and talked face to face to a couple of people who have been at animal auctions.
It's no secret that the USDA is lax in their inspections and it's a safe bet that a lot of animals suffer at these mills. Nor is a secret that they will be exempt from mandatory s/n and will have great incentive to increase production and legally be able to.
I don't know if this was a lead in to defend puppy mills, I'm sure not every place is a place of horror, but that industry needs a major overhaul and the majority of the public is clueless as to where that "cute puppy in the petstore" came from, and how it's parents possibly continue to live.
Animal rights people may be nuts, but some of their propaganda is correct and shouldn't be ignored just because of the source. Puppy Mills are not just on the animals rights agenda, they are on the animal welfare concerns also. It's a shame that the source of the information is now more important that the information itself, and that every animal welfare issue gets lumped into being "animal rights nuts propaganda" and dismissed or downplayed. I personally think the Animal Rights people have done more harm than good just because of that, but I don't shoot the message just because of the messenger. This Oprah special will get the word out and maybe one day puppy mills will either be gone or they will not be places that are now known for suffering and for supplying pet stores with sick and problem animals.
Back to your original question, I think if I ever was in one of those places I would end up in jail for seriously hurting or killing someone. I don't know how these undercover people film what they film and just act "normal" while doing it.
I'm sorry if you thought i was trying to set you up for something, because I wasn't. I've been to a couple of true "puppy mills" not just nutso breeders.
Heres my take on them---its not the breeders necessarily who are completely at fault, although I do think they are doing a very bad thing and should be shut down. The real problem is they are feeding a major, major market and its all about the dollar. I am not aware of official statistics, they may be out there, I just don't know of them, but I'm willing to bet the majority of the dogs are under 30 lbs adult weight, 50 lbs at the most. The logistics of managing a kennel full of large dogs is very different than small dogs. Not only that, the market is much more lucrative for small dogs.
What I'm trying to say is you can chase the breeders until you are blue in the face,but the real problem is the people buying the dogs---certian pet store chains, independant pet stores, independant people. As long as there is big money ($1500 for a mixed breed?
, come on
) there will be puppy mills. Stop the market and you will stop the inhumane treatment of the dogs.
