With the holidays approaching, I want to remind consumers to be careful when considering the purchase of a new puppy from a pet store, out of a newspaper ad or sight-unseen through a breeder’s or puppy marketing website.

Be wary also anytime you are asked to pay cash for your puppy, if a seller agrees to meet you at a neutral location to meet your puppy or suggests that the puppy be shipped to you.

These are all sales tactics that “puppy mills” and “puppy brokers” use when trying to market their animals to unsuspecting buyers. Not being invited to a breeder’s facility to see the puppies parents and to see how all of the dogs there are housed and cared for is a red flag not to be ignored.

If you choose to welcome a new puppy into your home, allow yourself plenty of time to seek out transparent and responsible breeders, or consider adopting a pet from a reputable animal shelter or rescue organization.

Consumers would also be wise to locate and review state or federal animal welfare inspection reports on breeders they are considering purchasing from.

To learn more about puppy mills in Iowa and nation-wide, please visit BailingOutBenji.com.