Petland

[Oscar's Mom]

Please find a local breeder near you. You NEED to see the parents of your pup and get to know the breeder. Getting to know them could save you major heartache down the road. Just be patient and wait for the right pup. You can make a fast deal at a pet store but you might have a short relationship with your pup as a result. I feel sorry for the babies at the pet stores but if we buy them, they will keep more and more babies in that same shape down the road.

[cheryl000]

Every single puppy sold from a pet store came from a puppy mill, or a backyard breeder because a responsible breeder wouldn't only give out the dog just to whoever lays down the cash. A pet store acts like buying a puppy is like buying a car, as long as you have the cash, then no questions asked. IMO a good breeder would want to interview the families these puppies are going to and not push so many puppies out that they don't care or don't have time to. If they say they don't have the time to then they shouldn't be breeding puppies. Please read the following to see what constitutes for a responsible breeder and how they WOULD NEVER sell to a pet store!


Responsible Breeders versus Pet Stores

We've all seen them, noses pressed to the glass, eyes pleading for somebody to take them home. So cute and cuddly that many a rational person has made the impulsive decision to bring one home, a few hundred dollars later. And inevitably, thousands of dollars in veterinary bills later, the poor sucker finally realizes that maybe buying that puppy wasn't such a grand idea.

Right idea, wrong place, unfortunately.

Every single puppy sold from a pet store came from a puppy mill, or a backyard breeder. How can I make such a blanket statement, tarring them all with the same brush? Simply because there is not one, single responsible breeder out there who would allow one of his or her dogs to be marketed out like regular merchandise to whomever can lay down the cash. Let me repeat that, please. There are no responsible breeders who would sell their dogs to pet stores!

This is a fact, there is no debating this. Even though the pet store workers may try to assure you that the dogs came from a responsible breeder, it is simply not true.

Let's look at what defines a responsible breeder, shall we?


A responsible breeder must know where their puppies are going.
A responsible breeder will interrogate the potential buyer about their home, family, living arrangements, other people that share their house, their past, and their future. Police interrogations have nothing on a breeder trying to find the best possible home for his or her dogs. One I spoke with a few years ago sent a five page questionaire, on top of the fifty or so questions she asked me over the phone.

A responsible breeder will sell with a contract.

What kind of contract, you ask?

When you buy from a responsible breeder you will be signing a binding contract stating that if something (anything) happens, to this dog the breeder is the first to be told. This may seem a little extreme, but there is a very legitimate reason behind this. If your new dog develops hip dysplasia four or five years down the road, she'll know to pull the parents from the breeding line.

You sign that if something happens to you, and you can no longer care for your dog, she will be notified, so she may take the dog back into her care or find it a new home. (See #4)

You agree to spay or neuter your new pet as soon as possible to help prevent unwanted litters if your dog was bought as a companion.

You agree to abide by any other terms and conditions set forth in the contract. If that means getting hips certified at age two, or eyes certified, you do so.

As daunting as this is, if you think this over, you will realize that she has done this to protect her dogs. And most people have no trouble signing these contracts with a clear conscience.
A responsible breeder will take back into her care, any dog at any time that has been bred from her breeding lines. And often even dogs that were not.
A responsible breeder will do her very best to make sure that none of her dogs ever end up in a shelter.
A responsible breeder can guarantee your new dog's freedom from genetic diseases and defects for life, knowing that she has done the very best to breed best possible parent to the best possible parent and both were free from genetic problems.
Can ANY pet store say the same thing?

[BabyFidgette]

Originally Posted by StewiesMom

I'm not sure about the east coast, but here, the millers drive the puppies straight up from Missouri to the Chicago area in semi trucks and drop them off all over at pet stores. So there is not a broker/middle man.

Ewww...I don't know what's worse!

[BabyFidgette]

Originally Posted by ditsy

I appreciate as a animal lover you have concerns and this does you credit. I agree that everyone should seriously look into any store / person who is trying to sell you animal and I agree that many of the chain stores will not have animal welfare as a priority.

But I know someone who owns a store, I know him, I know his thoughts on the subject and I know he makes every effort to ensure his puppies come from a good source, he only buys puppies from in state, and has passed on breeder information to the purchaser and I have to say if *I* know one person who makes an effort than I can imagine there are other pet store owners out there that do the same.

I feel bad for the guy because he's been vandalized and abused for selling animals (which has put the animals in extreme danger) because of sweeping statements like "all pet stores buy puppies from mills".

I just think we have to be careful when using generalisations is all.

Yeah, that's the most stupid thing ever!! Let's bomb a pet store to stop puppymills, but hurt all the current animals in there?!?! Hello!!! What are these people thinking?

[Rae Rae]

Originally Posted by rrosenberry

Good I'm glad you are not buying from them, I hope your bf told them exactly why he is not buying and wants his money back.. the girl that works there is probably clueless as most people are when it comes to where the dogs come from maybe print her out some articles on the illness and defects,and drop the off to her, next time. I'm sure it would be enlightening to her..

Well he ended up telling her that I found another dog. After reading numerous complaints on other websites from Petland, I learned that they dont like to get money back, and if they do, it's never the amount it should be. So I told him to be careful with what he says, if he's rude then he might not get the money back. Now if I was to get the money back, I would first make up a story, then I would chew them a new a**hole for trying to sell me a sick pup, and for lying, and bitch them out for all the puppies that they harmed in making their money. So everything is all good with us now, we just gotta find a breeder now, do some more research, but the time is totally worth it. I don't need to get attached to a puppy only to have it get sick and dye on me.

[Patti]

I'm glad you got that resolved! Good luck in your search and don't forget about the dog show in a couple of weeks at the Lake County Fairgrounds

[Rae Rae]

Originally Posted by Patti

I'm glad you got that resolved! Good luck in your search and don't forget about the dog show in a couple of weeks at the Lake County Fairgrounds

I'm definitly going to go to that! Do you know the time/location/date of it?

On a side note to everyone..I know what puppymills are, I know its not good to buy from a petstore, so everyone who is telling me to PLEASE not buy from a petstore, I wouldnt. This was my bf's doing who had no idea about this stuff. Don't worry, I would never buy from a petstore, and that is why as soon as I had suspicion I made him cancel the transaction.

[Patti]

Rae Rae I will find out the date and times and post on here for any Northern Il and Southern Wi people.