Obviously things vary greatly state to state, but here are a few avenues I would look into.

First, check to see what the laws are in your area concerning breeders, kennel licenses, inspections, sales of animals, etc. In NY, for example, that is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture and Markets. If they don’t have some sort of license, they might be violating the law in that way. A complaint to the state attorney general or the department that governs livestock itself might do the trick. If they are selling puppies at a flea market, my guess is that they do not have any license – and if they have to submit to an inspection – it might deter them from doing it. Also all animals are supposed to have a health certificate from a vet when they are sold – if they do not, they could be violating other laws as well. Are they charging taxes? Are they claiming the income to the IRS? Most reputable breeders lose money, so once they factor in expenses it doesn’t show as income. Puppymills on the other hand do not have many expenses (no vet visits, no grooming, no enrichment supplies) and would have to claim a major portion of their sales as income

Second, different areas have different laws regarding animal cruelty complaints. In my area, animal control does not investigate animal cruelty. The county has a contract with the SPCA of Erie County. So even in the city of Buffalo, the SPCA would be the one to investigate. Find out who is actually in charge of cruelty complaints and make the appropriate phone calls.

Third, be proactive - Print some anti-puppymill flyers and distribute them. Or if you feel uncomfortable doing that – just start talking to people at the flea market about how unhealthy these puppies look (we all know how fast bad news circulates). Write a letter to the editor about how these puppies look sickly and dirty – kind of a “buyer beware” campaign.

There was a pet store in this area several years ago that was selling puppies from puppy mills. The animals were in terrible shape and many got sick soon after purchase. Once word spread about their practices, people stopped buying puppies from them and they eventually went out of business. Sometimes it take time and effort – but in the long run, it will make a difference.

Hope this helps and Good Luck.