Question about petstore puppies
 

I know most probably come from puppymills which is horrible, but why would that keep a person from buying them? Is it because if you buy them, you are supporting puppymills with money??? I've always wondered this, because whenever I see puppies in pet stores I just want to buy them all so they will have a home..so why would someone want the puppy to stay there just because its from a mill, its not the puppies fault?

I can see if it was because if you buy them, than you support them, however im not sure if this is this case, like if this is the reason people seem so agianst buying pets from petstores..

you are right. most dogs in pets stores come from mills. and although i would love to save every puppy in a petstore and give it a good home, if i do i will be supporting mills. put it this way for every dog that gets sold in a petstore another dog gets sold from a mill to replace the one that was sold at the pet store. so if noone buys from petstores that it will affect the mills in the best way their pocket books wich is what we need to do, to disencourage them from massive breeding and selling.

I couldnt have said it better myself. :) dianne and prudence :)

It's usually a never-ending cycle. The puppy mills make money each time you buy from a pet store that buys from a puppy mill, and if they keep making money, they will keep being in business. Have you checked out our sister site, MillBusters (www.millbusters.com). There is quite a bit of information there, as well as some pictures that are pretty graphic and sad to see. :(

I have rescued three dogs from puppymill - petstore situations and I am volunteering times to have them stop their activities .

You have a good question. Not to repeat everyone but this can't be said enough !!

MOST Pet Stores buy from Mills. The Pet Store sells a puppy - they make money THEN go buy more puppies and the mills make money and continue to mass breed to supply these Pet Stores.

IF NO ONE bought puppies in Pet Stores - they wouldn't be going back to the Mills to replace the sold puppies and the mills would slow down on the breeding because they would have no place to sell the puppies.

It's a TERRIBLE situation either way - I just wish the Sale of Live Animals in Pet Stores was totally BANNED in this country - then the mills would be not mass breeding like they are. Either way - the dogs lose. It's a terrible vicious circle.

You pose such a good question. I have had trouble my whole life with the admonition not to buy a puppy from a pet shop.

I know there is at least one pet shop in New York City that buys puppies from breeders and demands AKC registration and all relevant health tests. They won't buy yorkie puppies whose stifles have not been graded "normal" by a vet. I believe Venus and Serena Williams, the tennis sisters, bought their yorkies there some years ago. They are not supporting puppy mills. It's impossible for me to believe they are the only ones.

So, as for everything in life, I believe you have to go deeper. I think we can avoid buying puppies from puppy mills in this day and age by demanding AKC registration. The AKC inspects their breeders' kennels and have been able to withhold services from kennels with poor conditions. This is a very good first step. I would urge everyone to avoid buying puppies with alternate registrations and ask every pet shop owner if their puppies are registerable with the AKC.

Thanks for bringing up this topic.

CJ

I've never thought about banning it. That's really a good idea and a pretty obvious one at that. Most good breeders don't sell to pet stores so they are pretty all mills so it wouldn't be hurting anyone it shouldn't. IT would hurt the mills then maybe the pet stores but if you're buying puppies from a puppy mill you're no better than the puppy mill itself, at least in my opinion.
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Chris I think a lot of people think the same way as you, I know I did. I thought of it more as saving a puppy rather than saving the puppy mill. Then one day it just clicked.

I think another reason, not the main reason however, is that people try to save the people that would be buying the puppy the heart break that very well could occur. A lot of times these puppies aren't healthy and people want others to get healthy puppies so they don't have to deal with vet visits/bills and possibly death. The main reason not to buy them is because of supporting puppy mills but sometimes this reason can be quite convincing as well.

:'(
 

My family has always gotten our animals from Angels for Animals..a local shelter. They make sure all animals are up-to-date on shots and neutered/spayed. It's great. However, I bought my yorkie, Maggie, from a petstore. I'm usually SO against it .. but she was an impulse buy. I don't regret it because she is the best thing that has happened to me. I had a lot of bad stuff going on in my life and I was really stressed. We had a pet store in the town in which my college was.. so i went just to play with the puppies and give them some love. I absolutely fell in LOVE with Maggie. I knew that i HAD to have her. She's great.. and i wouldn't change my decision for the world. I do though, agree with everyone else on this post that animals shouldn't be bought from petstores.

PS- My cousin and I are moving in our apartment this weekend. She really, really wants a yorkie (and i do too so maggie can have a playmate!). If anyone has a list of local places I can rescue a Yorkie (puppy mills, shelters, etc.) PLEASE let me know. I'm in northeastern Ohio and am willing to drive about an hour or a little more. Ijus twant to save a little furbaby's life! One stipulation- Can't be too pricey. Us poor college students over here are maxed out! lol PM me and let me know :) Thanks!

AKC registration does not guarantee against a mill-bred pup. There are plenty of mills with a few dogs registered AKC and policing them all is beyond the registry's abilities. It is unfortunate, but when some folks don't honor the honor system, you cannot be sure what you are getting, papers or not. Just say no...to pet store pups.

The only way to stop the mills is to not buy pet shop puppies. There are plenty of puppies at breeders that need good homes too. I dont purchase anything from petshops.

Ok, I understand better now, its horrible! :( Thanks everyone for your replies! :)

your welcome and also WELCOME TO YT!!! :D

Not buying from a pet shop doesn't guarantee against a mill-bred pup either. There are plenty of puppy mills with outlets that are not pet shops. The AKC has had a rigorous inspection policy for at least a decade and they have weeded out many notorious puppy mills. Only buying an AKC-eligible puppy is a good first step.

I have been hearing this anti-pet shop rhetoric for over three decades and the over-population problem is still as serious as ever. It's a too simplistic slogan that lets people off the hook from doing their research. The public thinks that as long as they avoid a pet shop, they avoid a puppy mill. Not true.

CJ

I don't think that anyone was suggesting that anyone should be let off the hook from doing proper research in selecting a puppy. The question was raised as to why not to buy a pet store puppy. I agree that AKC registration is a good thing to look for. I would like to know what other outlets are used by the mill producers so we know what else to steer clear of.