Humane Society Releases ‘Horrible Hundred’ Puppy Mill List

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
The Humane Society of the United States has released it’s list of 100 worst puppy mills and found that Missouri has the most puppy mills in the country.


The Humane Society of the United States has released its “Horrible Hundred” list, which is an annual compilation of the worst puppy mills in the country. Topping the list of states with the most number of puppy mills in the United States was Missouri, with 23 known puppy mills, followed by Ohio with 13 and Iowa with ten.


Related: Maryland Legislature Prohibits Pet Stores Selling ‘Puppy Mill’ Pets


The Humane Society says that since President Trump took office, it’s been more difficult to compile the list, as in February of 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture took all information about animal-welfare inspection reports of their website. Previously, those reports had been public record for at least five years.


Though the reports were then put back on the USDA site, the names of the facilities and the street addresses and owners’ names were blacked out in the name of privacy and it’s harder to find out who is running puppy mills and where they are. The Humane Society still pressed on to ensure the safety of all animals they can.


Though the USDA has said they’ll give the information out under the Freedom of Information Act, advocates say that that is a slow process, and even when the data is given, it is often still riddled with redacted information. The USDA says that they are looking to ensure the breeders are not harrassed excessively and that their privacy outweighs the right to the information for the animals.


Related: Humane Society Fights Back Against USDA Records Removal


As a result, The Humane Society is now suing the USDA for the access to all nonredacted inspection reports, saying that without that information, consumers cannot rely on the current versions to ensure safety for animals or to ensure the federal government is doing its job to police and regulate them.


While the top three states have been on the Horrible Hundred List for a while, 14 other states join them and complete the list. Those states are: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusettes, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The Humane Society did their best to include specific names and probably names, so watch out when looking for your next furry family member.

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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