Can you imagine the sight of little puppies cramped together in small, damp, dimly lit cages, surviving the degraded quality of food and water while living in their own filth? It’s literally like a puppy jail. 

 Let alone the trauma that haunts these puppies, they are prone to a  number of diseases that the breeders might not care about. 

The demand for ‘purebred’ dogs at a cheaper price has given a rise to this form of animal cruelty. Breeders usually want to earn a higher profit margin with minimum investments. 

Pet mills is just the tip of a very brutal iceberg. For years, breeders have been genetically mutating doggos for their own monetary profit. This means that they augment body structures of animals to make them more desirable without caring about the impact it has on the animal’s body and health.

Did you know, irresponsible breeding can cause an animal a lifetime of unexplained congenital disease? English Bulldogs and Pugs are one such example of bad, misguided breeding practices. Both breeds grow up with various health issues and suffer chronic physiological stress. 

This is what an English Bulldog looked like before undergoing various disfiguring mutations.  

Below is the mutation journey of a Dutch Mastiff a.k.a early pug’s anatomy and how it completely changed because of years of irresponsible breeding.  

Undergoing a series of genetic mutations and misguided cross-breeding, the new generation of pugs are trapped with a life-long of health ailments. A few of which include high blood pressure, heart problems, low oxygenation, overheating, dentition problems, and skin fold dermatitis.  

Looking at two of many such examples, I realised that the whole societal concept of ‘pedigree’, ‘purebred’ dogs is actually a hoax. In order to get the “perfect” looking breeds that could sweep dog shows, humans have cruelly put them through a lot of issues for our own whims and fancies. 

You know, as we write this, there are over three million stray dogs roaming the streets of our country, some rescued by shelter homes while others somehow try to survive. All of them are looking for loving homes, just like people who are seeking companionship and emotional support from a pupper.

I don’t know how many of you know this but cases of abandoning ‘pedigree’ dogs skyrocketed during the lockdown because people started believing that dogs are carriers of the pandemic. 

Just imagine what happens when the owner of a ‘pedigree’ decides to abandon their doggo? Those purebreds now become a part of the already overcrowded unattended Indie dogs. 

One of the ways through which we could not contribute towards the cruel and inhumane breeding practices is by dropping our obsession with ‘pedigree’ breeds and adopting the rescued Indies and abandoned purebreds who are looking for loving homes. 

A dog ( Indie or ‘pure-bred’) doesn’t love you more or less on the basis of your caste, colour, gender, religion or creed. So why do you have to label them and discriminate against their breeds?  

Let us not be ignorant of the cruel animal torture that’s erupting under our noses. Let us not promote these heinous acts. Let’s be responsible and #AdoptDontShop. 

In case you still decide to purchase a ‘pedigree’ from a breeder please make sure that your breeder is licensed. Don’t hesitate in inquiring about the living conditions of puppets. Ask as many questions about where the puppers come from.