How to Report an Unethical Dog Breeder

Co-authored by John Jess

Last Updated: November 3, 2022 References

Unethical dog breeding is a problem, and this practice can lead to unhealthy dogs being sold. Dog breeding and puppy mill laws vary by state and country, so what is considered ethical and unethical may not be the same everywhere. To report unethical dog breeding, learn how to recognize the signs and then reach out to animal control or animal advocate organizations.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Reporting Unethical Breeding

1
Reach out to your local animal control. You may want to start by contacting the animal control in your community. When you contact them, you can explain to them why you believe the breeder is unethical and what complaints you have. They may ask you specific questions about the situation to try to gather facts. It's generally the job of animal control to investigate any claims of mistreatment of pets.^{[1]
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- Animal control may check it out or refer you to someone else to talk to. However, even if animal control goes to investigate, they cannot enter a home or check out the property without the owner's consent, unless they have a warrant.
- If this doesn’t yield results, then move on to animal organizations.
2
Contact the Humane Society. One way you can report unethical breeding is through the Humane Society’s website. They have a form on their website where you can report a puppy mill by providing the basic information for the breeder, including their name, address, website, email, or phone number. You can find the form [here].^{[2]
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The Humane Society of the United States
National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
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- You will have to give them basic information about yourself as well.
- The Humane Society will look for key signs of unethical breeding. They will start with registration and pedigrees, then talk to the breeders. Ethical breeders are knowledgeable, so they will evaluate the knowledge of the breeder. Next, they will assess where the breeders are breeding and keeping the dogs, if the breeder will even allow them to see it. These things will give them an idea of the ethics of the breeder.
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3
Try other animal organizations. If animal control or the Humane Society doesn’t help, you may want to try other animal advocate organizations. Many of these organizations have hotlines or contact emails where you can report unethical activity or ask for advice.
- You may want to try the American Kennel Club or ASPCA. They may be able to launch their own investigations.
- You can also contact the AKC to see if the breeder is a member, though unethical breeders can still be members without the AKC's knowledge of their practices. Alerting the AKC may help them figure out if something unethical is occurring.
- These organizations may be able to send people out to investigate.
4
Report them to a complaint website. There are websites you can submit complaints to about unethical breeding. On these sites, you can state the name of the breeder or kennel and share your story about why they are unethical breeders.^{[3]
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- Websites such as Complaints Board and Consumer Affairs allow you to post reviews on specific breeders, or make posts about the specific breeder under headings like “dog breeders” or “pet breeders.”
- When you write a complaint post, you should provide specific information. Give the name of the breeder or kennel and the location, followed by a detailed description of why you believe they are unethical. Include things like their business practices, the state of the kennel, and the health of the puppies. These key things help distinguish ethical from unethical breeders.
- Online reviews and complaints are a great way to make the breeder's reputation known so other people do not deal with them.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Recognizing the Signs of Unethical Breeding

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Look for knowledge of the breed. Respectable breeders will be very knowledgeable about the breed, which includes any genetic problems. Unethical breeders will not be able to answer questions about the breed, and they may try to tell you there are no genetic defects.
- Try asking the breeder questions about the dog or the breed and listen carefully to the answers. If it sounds like they are skirting the question or not answering, you may have an unethical breeder on your hands.
- Be wary of any breeder who breeds more than two breeds. Also be wary of breeders who promise "rare" dogs, or "rare" colors or sizes.^{[4]
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2
Evaluate the breeder's behavior. Ask plenty of questions about the dogs before you buy them. You should ask to see where the puppies and parent dogs spend their time. Ethical breeders will have no problems letting you see this area. Unethical breeders will not let you see where they keep the dogs, and often only let you see one dog at a time instead of the entire litter.
- Unethical breeders will often request that you meet them somewhere else to get the puppy, often before meeting you. Ethical breeders will want to meet you first before letting you take the dog, and they will want to do it where they keep the puppies.
- Ask for health records for the puppies. Responsible breeders will have all the tests, shots, and other records from a vet. Many unethical breeders will have the care list provided on their own letterhead, with no proof they have been seen by a vet at all.
3
Assess the puppy's health. Responsible breeders will not try to sell unhealthy or sickly dogs. Dogs that look sick, are too skinny, or have a poor coat may indicate you are dealing with an unethical breeder. Dogs that are scared or antisocial also point to irresponsible breeding.^{[5]
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- This is why it's important to see the puppy with the whole litter. Puppies should be socialized with the litter and their parent.
- Look for dirty or unhygienic living conditions. This can be a sign of poor health or health problems in the dogs.
4
Determine if the breeder is involved in the dog community. Ethical dog breeders breed their dogs to improve the breed. They are proud of their dogs and are active at dog shows and in breed organizations. An unethical breeder probably won’t participate in any types of dog shows or other sports. They are not interested in the betterment of the breed, only making a profit.
5
Evaluate registration papers carefully. Respectable breeders will have their litters registered by the American Kennel Club or the Kennel Club UK. However, unethical breeders can also get registrations for dogs that are not purebred. Ask for pedigree papers and study them carefully.
- An unethical breeder won’t have documentation of their dogs, they won’t have registration certificates, and they won’t have pedigrees.
- Be suspicious of registrations from other organizations. These don’t guarantee anything. Only papers from the official kennel clubs have authority.
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Ask for a guarantee. Respectable breeders are proud of the litters they produce and put a lot of time into breeding them. This means the breeders have had the dogs tested for genetic problems that occur within the breed and can provide documentation of this.
- Respectable breeders will also give you a lifelong guarantee for the health of the dog, and they will have a policy where they will take the dog if you want to give it up for any reason.
- Be wary of "health guarantees." Not all breeders who have health guarantees will be unethical, but if you sign a contract or waiver, make sure to read it very carefully. These are usually given to remove any liability from the breeder.
7
Evaluate the age of the dogs. Puppies for adoption should be at least eight weeks old and not younger. Unethical breeders may try to get you to adopt the dogs earlier. The mother should also be at least two years old when they start having litters.
- Female dogs should only have had a limited number of litters. Most female dogs shouldn’t have litters every year.
8
Evaluate the payment. If a breeder asks for an astronomical fee for a dog, or a large down payment, it may point to an unethical breeder. Sometimes a dog that is much cheaper than other breeders may be from an unethical breeder. Most purebred dogs are expensive, so you should check the price your breeder is charging against others. Purebred puppies can range from around $800 to a couple of thousand.
- Some unethical breeders and puppy mills may charge only from $500 to $900 for a dog, while a respectable breeder may be more expensive.^{[6]
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- Many unethical breeders require a large down payment up front. Sometimes, they will take the down payment and never deliver the puppy. Or they will require you to pay hundreds of dollars before even seeing the puppy.
9
Notice how the breeder interacts with the dogs. You should also see the way the breeder interacts with their dogs. Many unethical breeders abuse their dogs, so if the dogs seem afraid or skittish around the breeder, this is a cause for concern.
- If the breeder will not let you see them interact with their dogs or the litter, this is cause for concern. A respectable breeder will love their dogs and have a good relationship with them.

Community Q&A

Question

If a breeder breeds the female five times back to back, isn't that considered abuse to the female?

Community Answer

Yes, this is considered abuse. A breeder should only breed a female three times maximum.
Question

I had a verbal agreement with a breeder, and the dog didn't work out. I returned the dog, but the breeder kept my deposit. Can I get my money back?

Community Answer

The best thing to do before buying from a breeder is to have a written contract so that way that stipulates what will happen to the deposit in case you return the dog. It's very unlikely you could get your money back in this situation.
Question

Should I report a breeder if she knew the female had a genetic knee problem and has bred the female more than 3 times? She also refused viewing of onsite kennel and breeds several breeds of puppies.

Community Answer

Yes, it would be appropriate to report what you've viewed and documented. Her license may need to be taken away if she is knowingly passing on genetic defects as well as harming the welfare of the pregnant dog.