Ep:7 10,000... More or Less?

How many puppy mills are in operation in the United States? 

Did you say 10,000? We bet you said that there were 10,000. That number has been floating around the internet since around 2015 (as far as we can tell) and it is used everywhere! Would you be surprised to hear that this approximation is more of a ballpark guess and isn't rooted in fact or projections based on data? 

On this week's episode of "Truth, Lies, and Puppy Mills", Mindi and Kristen are joined by Alexis for an inside look at Bailing Out Benji's research and what it reveals about the public's understanding of puppy mills. The episode kicks off with real answers from everyday people who were asked “What is a puppy mill?” and “What do they look like?” .

Our team discusses the gap between public perception and reality, including the belief that there are 10,000 puppy mills in the U.S. They also talk about why just telling people where not to get a puppy isn’t enough—and discuss the importance of diving deeper than the slogans to educate the public on how to get a pet without supporting a puppy mill.

Fun fact: Between the recording of this episode and the publishing (roughly one week), the number of breeders we are tracking has greatly increased (including adding an additional 400 facilities with violations). Things change daily, which is why our field has to keep evolving and making sure we are advocating for best practices and meaningful change for animals and the people who love them.

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