It is astounding that year after year Ohio crops up as one of the worst states in the country for problem puppy mills, but here we are. The Humane Society of the United States’ “Horrible Hundred” report has been released, and a whopping 13 breeders in Ohio are on the list.

“Three of Ohio’s 13 breeders that appear on this year’s Horrible Hundred report have appeared in previous reports,” Mark Finneran, of the Humane Society of the United States, told WJW last week.

Humane Society rankings are based on inspections done by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Those reports mentioned dogs kept in cramped cages or enclosures that do not protect them from harsh weather, dogs not being given proper medical care — one breeder was cited for performing euthanasia on puppies without a veterinarian; another was cropping the ears on Schnauzers himself rather than having a veterinarian perform the surgeries.

It seems as though citations, fines, threats of referral to the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Legal Counsel and even prosecution are not a deterrent to these people.

“We encourage anyone who is upset by what they are seeing in the Horrible Hundred report to email or call Gov. Mike DeWine’s office,” Finneran told WJW. “And reach out to your legislators at the state house and ask how we are going to fix this puppy mill problem.”

Fair enough, but there is one other — very simple — solution. Don’t buy dogs from these breeders. They do what they do to these creatures because it makes them money. Cut off their revenue streams. If you absolutely must have a pure breed dog, check with reputable, humane, small-scale breeders or breed rescue organizations first.

Better yet, don’t shop at all. Adopt from a local animal shelter or sanctuary. An adoption fee will pale in comparison to the amount of money charged by breeders, and shelter pets can be wonderful companions. As a bonus, mixed breed dogs tend to have fewer inherited health problems than pure breed dogs.

Whatever your choice, as lawmakers look for ways to address the matter from Columbus, do your part by making sure puppy mill breeders don’t get another dime.