It's a general agreement among many, no matter if they enjoy the adult-sized creatures or not.

Puppies are cute.

I'll admit that I often venture to pet stores to play with the newborn dogs. I can't have a dog in my current apartment, but I can just drive to a local store to be around some.

But I would likely never buy a dog from one of these stores because sadly, many of them are raised in puppy mills.

Puppy mills are breeding facilities that produce purebred puppies in large numbers, and they have long concerned the Humane Society of the United States.

The problems documented in these mills include overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of human socialization, overcrowded cages and the killing of unwanted animals.

The emphasis at these facilities is on profit above animal welfare. Mother dogs are forced to have litters at an early age and are kept continually pregnant.

They're often killed when they're no longer able to produce a profitable litter size, according to animal advocacy organization Friends of Animals.

The puppies are typically sold when they're about seven weeks old. They are packed in crates and shipped to pet stores, a journey that lacks adequate food, water or ventilation. And not all of them survive the trip.

Those that do survive can be infected by contagious viruses and parasites.

It's a shame I can't include images in this small space, because photographs show the real horror of these locales.

I have had dogs all my life, and all three were rescue mixes. Goliath was 5 years old when we adopted him from a shelter. He was turned in by a family who didn't have time for him. Jeter was about 5 weeks old and had been found in the snow. And Belle was raised by an elderly man in a trailer park. When we put her leash on for the first time, she balked -- we realized that she had never been walked.

These mixed breed rescues were a vital addition to our family. They were grateful to have been rescued, and it was obvious in their love for us and loyalty to our family.

Unfortunately, many people instead choose to buy purebred dogs born in puppy mills for hundreds of dollars.

You may think that dogs in pet stores are healthier or somehow "cleaner" than dogs in animal shelters, but that's not always true. Dogs who are born in puppy mills often contract illnesses from the sites.

When buyers purchase their dogs from these pet stores, the money goes into funding the continuation of puppy mills, causing a never-ending cycle of abuse. But there are much better options for those looking to add dogs to their families.

Hundreds of hopeful dogs are waiting to be adopted at animal shelters throughout the country. Just here in State College, we have Centre County PAWS.

We have the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with six branches across the state. But while sheltered dogs are waiting to be rescued, many people continue to buy pets solely from stores.

By rescuing a dog from a shelter, you're not only saving yourself money; you're saving an animal in need. And you very well might be bringing home the best friend you ever had.