Mexican puppy mills feed LA dog population

A problem which has been ongoing for some time now in the pet industry, particularly in Southern California, has been a noticeable increase in the presence of unhealthy dogs from Mexican puppy mills. Usually, these dogs are smuggled into Southern California, and sold in a clandestine manner to unsuspecting owners on street corners or through newspaper ads to people paying cash.
 
Many of these dogs shortly after finding their way into a new home. Frequently these dogs suffer from parvovirus, distemper, scabies and other congenital ailments. Others, separated from their mothers too early, die from malnutrition.
 
The pipeline of puppies from Mexico is apparently filling a demand. People have become wary from buying puppies in pet stores because many of the animals are suspect, coming from puppy mills in the Midwest. However, now many of these mills appear to be in Mexico. Where exactly in Mexico the dogs are bred is not known. Some might be from Tijuana, where many people sell puppies from the backs of vans. Some might also be propagated in the interior of Mexico and then transported to Tijuana, and consequently easily integrated into the Southern California pet population.

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