Lancaster County, PA is the Puppy Mill Capitol of the East Coast

When it comes to the purchase of dogs, Pennsylvania has a reputation it can do without - it has been called the Puppy Mill capital of the East coast. Dogs kept in the puppy mills are often kept in small cages and allowed little exercise. Cleanings of the pens are irregular and feces and urine often cover the pens in which the animals are kept. The pens themselves more often than not are converted chicken coops or remnants of old trailers. In fact, a site called "Prisoners of Greed" which can be visited at the url www.prisonersofgreed.org. In areas of Lancaster county the situation has reached the point where pet shops will no longer buy dogs from breeders, but will take animals from local rescue shelters instead to sell.

The county - with a large Amish and Mennonite population has more dog breeders operating than any other county in America. The Amish or Mennonite owners are often bewildered by the attitudes of city people believing that dogs are no different than any other kind of livestock. Daniel H. Kauffman, a breeder in Chester County commented, "We country people do not treat dogs much different from other farm animals. Where you have livestock, you have deadstock." The industry, which has caused some of the plain folk to be well off has netted over $4 million a year according to the New York Post. While the conditions may be known, the breeders who raise their dogs in homes and give their animals humane treatment rarely if ever see a profit on their dogs.