Written by Mindi Callison and Alexis Bell – October 2025
The Puppy Mill Capital
Who is the worst? Which state has the most? How many are there?
These are all valid, yet frequent questions we receive about the puppy mill industry. The public is craving to know how the states rank and where the problem areas are, but very few organizations use discernment and nuance when talking about this issue.
So today we are going to talk about which state has the most ‘puppy mills’ and why Missouri gets such a bad wrap. Stick with us as we mix a little background information in with some statistics.
Why is this important? At tabling events and online, many people ask us why the midwest has so many puppy mills. They ask why the middle of the country seemingly has all of the breeders, while other states have none. The answer all boils down to licensing. The midwest states have licensing, states outside of the midwest don’t (generally speaking, without that being a hard and fast rule). So while we are speaking about Missouri today, please keep that context in mind.
USDA vs. Missouri: Why Dog Breeding Oversight Differs So Much
When it comes to dog breeding, both the federal government and the State of Missouri have laws meant to protect animals but the two systems- federal USDA licensing under the Animal Welfare Act and Missouri’s Animal Care Facilities Act (ACFA)– often operate very differently.That is one big reason why you can see zero federal violations but multiple of state violations for the same breeder in Missouri.
Before we get into the data, we want to give you a short overview of the requirements of licensure for each regulatory agency.
Who Needs a License
- USDA: Only breeders who sell puppies sight unseen (like online or to pet stores) or ship across state lines and have more than 4 breeding females must have a USDA license. Small breeders who sell directly to the public are often exempt.
- Missouri: Any breeder with more than three intact female dogs must be licensed or registered by the state, no matter how they sell their puppies.
Missouri has a very low threshold for licensure, which is why the state is known to have the most licensed dog breeders in the country. States like California, Florida, and Arkansas have no regulations for breeders, which removes them entirely from the conversation surrounding puppy mills.
Standards for Care
Both the USDA and Missouri require breeders to provide:
- Clean and safe housing
- Fresh food and water
- Veterinary care
- Proper shelter from heat and cold
But Missouri’s rules are stricter and more specific.
For example, Missouri sets temperature limits, defines how often dogs must be fed, and requires clear veterinary records for each dog. The USDA’s rules are more general, leaving many details up to interpretation.
** What does this mean? A breeder can meet the USDA’s minimums but still violate Missouri law.
Inspections and Enforcement
- USDA: Inspects breeders based on “risk.” Some facilities go 2-3 years without being checked if they have a clean inspection history.
- Missouri: Inspects every licensed breeder at least once a year and follows up on public complaints.
** Because Missouri inspects more often, it finds and documents more problems.
The Bigger Picture
Missouri is often called the “Puppy Mill Capital of the United States” for one specific reason: it has more licensed breeders than any other state.
Because the state has strong regulations and licenses more breeders, it has the reputation of being the puppy mill state. While states like California and Florida have no licensing requirements, but are home to hundreds of unlicensed breeders. The good news is that Missouri’s state program offers a clearer picture of what’s happening inside breeding facilities- and helps fill the gaps left by weak federal oversight.
This is a major reason why we include state-licensed breeders in our data. The USDA level alone gives limited insight into what’s happening across the country, yet it remains the primary focus of most national “anti–puppy mill” efforts. To make matters worse, federal data is often incomplete or misrepresented in public discussions, spreading misinformation and making effective advocacy more difficult.
At the beginning of 2025, we conducted an audit of all USDA inspections performed in 2024. The results showed that only 3% of USDA-licensed breeders in Missouri had violations, a finding that surprised many who have long believed Missouri has the most “puppy mills” in the nation. However, when we analyzed all available federal inspection data, a different picture emerged. In Wisconsin, 39% of breeders inspected in 2024 had federal violations. Ohio and Pennsylvania followed closely behind, with 29% of breeders cited in each state.
Even setting state data aside for a moment (acknowledging that state laws often surpass the USDA’s minimum standards) the federal data alone shows that while Missouri has more licensed breeders than any other state, its breeders are performing marginally better at meeting minimum federal standards than those in states like Wisconsin, where 39% of breeders inspected in 2024 had violations and where facilities receive far less public scrutiny. This nuance is often lost when federal data is used to shape national “anti-puppy mill” narratives.
To be clear, this does not mean Missouri doesn’t have serious problems; it does. But these findings remind us to broaden our perspective. When we look beyond headlines, we see that many states are struggling, and some may be falling further behind simply because they aren’t in the national spotlight.
Missouri still deserves attention, especially when we take into account its state inspection data. When we analyzed five years of USDA and Missouri state inspection reports, we found that 61% of Missouri-licensed breeders received violations. This is a staggering number, showing that nearly two-thirds of licensed facilities, whether federally or state licensed, are struggling to meet regulatory standards.
This combined data paints a more comprehensive picture of the commercial breeding industry nationwide. It highlights how stronger state oversight can expose issues that federal inspections alone may miss, and underscores why relying solely on USDA data gives an incomplete and often misleading view of the problem.
When we look at the full picture, it’s clear that Missouri isn’t the only state with a puppy mill problem; it’s just the one with the most transparency and national attention. The real issue is a broken system that allows poor conditions to go unchecked in states with little to no oversight. By focusing on data, not headlines, we can direct our energy where it’s truly needed and continue pushing for stronger laws, better enforcement, and real accountability for the dogs trapped in this industry.
Bailing Out Benji is leading the way when it comes to research into commercial dog breeders, unlicensed breeders, pet stores sales, online sales, and more. If you are interested in learning more about our research, please click on the following resources:
- National averages regarding licensed dog breeders and how they sell. This information allows for us to measure the progress of legislation and educational efforts.
- Where puppies come from. This landing page for our research is home to all of our data showing where puppies went after leaving commercial dog breeding facilities.
- Our licensed dog breeder search engine. This groundbreaking search engine allows for puppy buyers, advocates, and lawmakers to look up licensed dog breeders just by typing in their name, kennel name, or license number.
