Bailing Out Benji is a small nonprofit organization based in Ames, Iowa that is dedicated to ending puppy mill cruelty through research, education and advocacy.
Our team provides transparency into the commercial dog breeding industry by forensically auditing government health records and inspection records and making that information public. We regularly release audits of USDA inspections, puppy store sourcing, online brokering websites, USDA brokers and more. Our investigations have led to the closure of numerous puppy mills and have sparked attorney general cases across the country.
Our research is used from classrooms to policy rooms across the country in order to make necessary changes in the lives of countless animals and to protect consumers against this predatory industry.
We are fighting to end puppy mill cruelty, but not like everyone else.
RESEARCH
Bailing Out Benji has the largest puppy mill database in the world.
Our unique research connects commercial breeders, puppy mills and hobby breeders across the country to the pet stores and online websites they sell through.
Through Freedom of Information Act requests, our team forensically audits government health records and inspection records and makes that information public in order to provide transparency for the consumer.
The research we do can be very costly but it has proven to be the most effective tool advocates have in order to create change in their communities. To date we have connected more than 75% of the nation’s puppy-selling stores to the puppy mills and commercial dog breeders they buy from, as well as online websites. We have built a database that allows us to track more than 7,000 breeding facilities across the country and are currently auditing an additional 16,000 breeders that are selling online .
EDUCATION
We work to give the public the tools they need to be the most effective animal advocates possible.
Bailing Out Benji is a volunteer based nonprofit organization that works tirelessly to educate about the puppy mill problem across the United States. With more than 215 volunteers in 27 states, our grassroots nonprofit has become a respected resource in communities across the country.
Each weekend you will find our volunteers in their own communities sparking conversations about how to humanely acquire their next pet. We participate in over 200 events annually across the country!
ADVOCACY
Through our streamlined approach and unbiased research, we make it simple to create change in your community.
Through our unique and thorough research process, we are able to provide the most current and accurate data surrounding the puppy mill industry. We provide all of our research to the public and policy makers for free in order to create change for the dogs trapped in puppy mills.
On top of advocating for stronger protections for animals, our organization works to protect the consumer as well. We fight against high-interest, predatory financing and we have helped countless families file complaints after purchasing sick puppies.
Don’t miss out on the work we are doing in your community, sign up to receive our action alerts today!
We can’t do our important work without your help. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.