Originally Posted by LilMissy (Post 2787166)

I just wanted to point out that this isn't true. Our Petland's (and all pet stores) here in Canada (I live in BC too!) DO in fact get their puppies from puppy mills. What "good breeder" or even homebreeder would sell their puppies to a pet store? Our Petland's up here are the same deal as the ones in the states. We bought our pug dog from Pet Habitat @ Brentwood Mall in Burnaby, BC . She is suffering from several genetic defects, one of them being spondylosis. She can hardly walk anymore, and has no control of her bowel movements. I must carry her everywhere she needs to go. This poor dog has really had a life of suffering and will be PTS soon at the age of 8. Do you know where the pet store got her from that sold her to us? HUNTE CORPORATION, which is currently the largest puppy broker in the U.S. If you don't believe me you can watch the link which is an investigation by CBC News on March 6, 2009. The Pet Habitat that they are discussing in their broadcast is the one that I bought my pug from, and the investigation proves that both that store and PJ Pets get their puppies from HUNTE CORPORATION.

How Not to Buy a Puppy | CBC News: Marketplace

Do you know what makes me sick? The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada (PIJAC) has their seal of approval on Pet Habitats website. They are interviewed in this news article and are pretty much turning a blind eye to the puppy mill problem. We bought our pug because we couldn't stand to watch her suffer the way she was in that store. We had no intentions of getting a pet at that time, and the PIJAC approves of this place? :mad: What is the Canadian government going to do to stop the sale of dogs from Hunte Corporation from crossing our borders? We have just as much of a problem up here in Canada with puppymills as the states do. Their Missouri puppy mill capital is our Quebec puppy mill capital (just google Quebec puppy mills, and you will see).

I'm sorry to bump such a contraversial thread, but I couldn't NOT correct this misinformation. It is SO important that Canadians know that we have as much of a problem with puppy mills here as anywhere else. Please DO NOT support Petland, Pet Habitat, or PJ Pets by making purchases at these stores.

With hundreds of thousands of dogs born into puppy mills each year, Canada has become a haven for the puppy mill industry—and for unimaginable cruelty against our best friends.



Each year millions of Canadian companion animals are destroyed due to the greed of commercial puppy mills, the ignorance of back yard breeders and irresponsible pet owners. New laws, public awareness & compassion will end the suffering of the voiceless. Please help the animals.







CanadaNoPuppyMills.com

Puppy Mills | Humane Society International

No Puppy Mills Canada

CFHS | Puppy mills

Thanks for reading! :)

Originally Posted by RachelandSadie (Post 2787250)

took me forever to watch the video because i'm the only person in my office, but i finally watched it all...that made me so sick and i was crying a lot between calls to see those poor little babies faces all cooped up like that. if that was Sadie i don't know what i'd do...:( i defin. won't be supporting the APRI if they are basically the same organization as the one in the Canada video that supports pet industry. that stuff is sickening. i knew better than to buy from a pet store as well, but it makes me really sad that they are somehow getting AKC dogs from puppy mills...how are puppy mills getting registered with AKC and not getting caught and in trouble??? you would think if they check out their breeders as much as people on here say they do, that pet stores wouldn't be able to get their hands on an AKC dog at all...there's something missing here that needs to be fixed...petland always has 1000$$++ puppies all with AKC registry...goes to show that registry and "papers" don't mean nearly as much as where they puppy was born and bred....just like you guys said all along...

thanks again,
Rachel

Originally Posted by RachelandSadie (Post 2787250)

took me forever to watch the video because i'm the only person in my office, but i finally watched it all...that made me so sick and i was crying a lot between calls to see those poor little babies faces all cooped up like that. if that was Sadie i don't know what i'd do...:( i defin. won't be supporting the APRI if they are basically the same organization as the one in the Canada video that supports pet industry. that stuff is sickening. i knew better than to buy from a pet store as well, but it makes me really sad that they are somehow getting AKC dogs from puppy mills...how are puppy mills getting registered with AKC and not getting caught and in trouble??? you would think if they check out their breeders as much as people on here say they do, that pet stores wouldn't be able to get their hands on an AKC dog at all...there's something missing here that needs to be fixed...petland always has 1000$$++ puppies all with AKC registry...goes to show that registry and "papers" don't mean nearly as much as where they puppy was born and bred....just like you guys said all along...

thanks again,
Rachel

Originally Posted by Roxy 87 (Post 2787684)

Petland gets puppies from puppymills. Petsmart does adoptions right? They recently opened a petsmart in the nearby city where I live. On another note I did go into Petland one time and there was a family buying a yorkie and they were arguing with management over the price of the puppy. Petland was selling it for $1700! They thought it was $1100. :( All those puppies they have in there, it's sad. There was another girl in there looking at them as well and I was talking to her about going to a breeder instead.

Originally Posted by megansmomma (Post 2787668)

I think you are confused. The AKC does not personally go out and check the breeding conditions at the mills. As for pricing, a store can charge whatever they want it is the public that makes the demand and uninformed/uneducated consumers are purchasing from the pet stores. THAT is the reason that we are all trying to spread awareness of all these dirty secrets. Sometimes the issue is just so huge that it becomes difficult to wrap your brain around. :(

Originally Posted by FlDebra (Post 2787933)

But they do! Here is a small quote from their site: "The AKC is the only purebred registry in the United States with an ongoing routine kennel inspection program. The AKC has a dedicated team of field inspectors who visit kennels to ensure the proper care and conditions of AKC-registered dogs and verify that breeders are maintaining accurate records for their dogs. In 2007, AKC field inspectors conducted approximately 5,600 inspections nationwide. The AKC dedicates nearly $6 million annually to its compliance programs to ensure the accuracy of its registry and the care and conditions of dogs raised by breeders of AKC dogs." You can read more bout their inspection and investigation programs at this site: American Kennel Club - Investigations and Inspections Department

Originally Posted by ladyjane (Post 2787978)

Yep, I have a puppy in my home that came with papers from a breeder who lost his AKC priveleges for not allowing an inspection of his pups.

Originally Posted by jp4m2 (Post 2788150)

I see the link for the inspectors didn't work. Here it is again.....

The Philadelphia Inquirer Exposes AKC Greed - Companion Animal Protection Society

Originally Posted by FlDebra (Post 2787933)

But they do! Here is a small quote from their site: "The AKC is the only purebred registry in the United States with an ongoing routine kennel inspection program. The AKC has a dedicated team of field inspectors who visit kennels to ensure the proper care and conditions of AKC-registered dogs and verify that breeders are maintaining accurate records for their dogs. In 2007, AKC field inspectors conducted approximately 5,600 inspections nationwide. The AKC dedicates nearly $6 million annually to its compliance programs to ensure the accuracy of its registry and the care and conditions of dogs raised by breeders of AKC dogs." You can read more bout their inspection and investigation programs at this site: American Kennel Club - Investigations and Inspections Department

Originally Posted by megansmomma (Post 2788500)

See even I am getting confused. :rolleyes: I was assuming that it was the USDA that did the inspections and then reported to the AKC. But it all is just a giant tangled mess and the more education that is out there the better we will all understand.

Originally Posted by livingdustmops (Post 2787201)

Over a $94 Billion Dollar Industry...Lobbyists....Do you really think the government is just going to change this? It is up to US (you and me) to get the laws changed. Please go to Prisoners of Greed and see what you can do to help make the change. Just saying poor puppy is not going to do that.