Put Puppy Mills to Sleep
You enter the pet store and see the most adorable brown eyes staring at you longingly. The Maltese pup is pawing at his cage, trying to get your attention. As you stick you finger through the bars to let him lick it, you suddenly feel that $800 isn’t really that much money.
So what’s the deal?
When you ask about the puppy, the pet store employee tells you all about the private breeders, some of the best in the country, who provide their store with excellent pups.
Don’t be fooled!!
If you did a little research, you would find that many private breeders are charging $800 for their pups too. So how would the store make a profit? Maybe a group discount?
I don’t think so. It’s just not economically viable.
So where are these puppies coming from?
The answer is puppy mills.
What’s a “puppy mill?”
Imagine a commercial farm that raises cattle for slaughter. The cows are all crammed into a small area, no need to let them move around, their fates are sealed. They are often in a barn with no access to sunlight.
Puppy mills are similar, except the puppies aren’t slaughtered, they’re sold. Cages are overcrowded with yelping pups crying for a mother they left too soon. The enclosure is filthy; no one scoops their poop or changes their water. If a pup gets sick, he will go ignored.
The mothers are kept in pens and often forced to breed every seasonal cycle. They are puppy-producing machines that receive no love or attention and are often left outside to fight the elements. Once they can no longer produce children, they are usually “disposed” of.
On top of the horror of neglected, overcrowded dogs comes the health issue. Constant exposure to feces is a major health risk, as is a lack of clean water and room to move around. And when one dog gets sick, it is inevitable that the illness will be passed to his puppy-mates who cannot avoid touching the infected pup in so crowded a cage.
The first six months of a puppy’s life are crucial. If they are exposed to a bad environment, it could affect them for the rest of their lives. Puppy mill puppies live with absolutely no human contact and constant ear-splitting noise. They often develop neuroses and other behavioral issues that follow them throughout their lives.
These puppies are not pets; they’re product.
Why would a pet store buy from a puppy mill?
It’s simple: Economics.
Thanks to the neglect and overcrowding on their farms, puppy mills can sell their dogs cheap. If a pet store wants to turn a profit on dogs, it has to get them cheap. The $800 price tag is a huge net gain for the company.
Many mainstream pet stores, such as PETsMART and PETCO, no longer sell dogs. Instead, they hold adoptions where homeless pets can find loving homes. There are already so many lonely dogs out there, why bring in more?
What can I do?
DO NOT BUY A DOG FROM A PET STORE. No matter what an employee or store owner might say. There’s nothing in it for them if they aren’t puppy mill puppies.
Inform others and encourage them not to buy dogs from pet stores. As long as people buy from stores, puppy mills will stay in business.
A celebrity favorite pet store, Pets of Bel Air, was recently outed for having gotten their pups from puppy mills. Paris Hilton, along with others, purchased her many dogs from there, unknowingly supporting this horrific industry. No one wants an unhealthy dog. Once people know the truth, they will stop handing over their money.
But then where do I get a dog?
Your first thought should be a shelter or pound, especially one that puts animals down. People are often wary of shelter animals, but there are two important things to think about: 1) pet store pups are generally higher health risks than shelter dogs, 2) shelter workers are familiar with the temperament and health of their dogs and will most likely be honest with you – they don’t want to see you bringing a dog back.
The other positives are that the dogs are usually spayed/neutered, vaccinated against rabies, and micro-chipped. Not to mention, they generally cost around 35 to 50 dollars! That’s a lot better than 800…
But I had my heart set on a purebred dog!
Breed rescues will take care of you. There is a rescue organization for pretty much any breed you can think of – and many of them have branches operating in the LA area. You get the breed you want and rescue a pup at the same time. Often these rescues have waitlists as so many people are eager to take advantage of these great organizations.
If you’re looking for something in the super-serious, pure-bred, AKC champion arena, look for a private breeder. Certified, licensed breeders take immaculate care of their dogs. Before buying, insist on seeing where they raised the dog and meeting the dog’s parent(s). It’s not uncommon for a layperson to buy puppy mill pups to make a quick buck – often, they will sell their puppies online.
But a good breeder will be happy to show you around, and thrilled you asked. There is often a rigorous screening process to be sure the puppies go to the right home. Seeing proof of how the puppy has been treated/raised is essential to determining whether or not you have found a good breeder. And of course, seeing the parents assures you they were actually bred privately!
Sounds like a lot of work, there’s a pet store just down the street and I could get a puppy today!
Think of it this way: If you can walk in there, lay down your money, and walk away with a puppy so can anyone. Anyone. There are plenty of people out there who will pick up a cute pup and dump it once it grows into adulthood. There are abusers and neglecters. Let’s face it; there are people out there who just shouldn’t have animals! A place that doesn’t care who is taking the puppy, doesn’t really care a whole lot about their pups!
Assume it’s from a puppy mill. I have yet to see a store that can prove otherwise. If you want a healthy, happy companion you need to work a little harder than walking down the street.
But once you get to look into those adorable brown eyes, eyes brighter than those staring at you in the pet shop, you’ll know you made the right decision.
So what’s the deal?
When you ask about the puppy, the pet store employee tells you all about the private breeders, some of the best in the country, who provide their store with excellent pups.
Don’t be fooled!!
If you did a little research, you would find that many private breeders are charging $800 for their pups too. So how would the store make a profit? Maybe a group discount?
I don’t think so. It’s just not economically viable.
So where are these puppies coming from?
The answer is puppy mills.
What’s a “puppy mill?”
Imagine a commercial farm that raises cattle for slaughter. The cows are all crammed into a small area, no need to let them move around, their fates are sealed. They are often in a barn with no access to sunlight.
Puppy mills are similar, except the puppies aren’t slaughtered, they’re sold. Cages are overcrowded with yelping pups crying for a mother they left too soon. The enclosure is filthy; no one scoops their poop or changes their water. If a pup gets sick, he will go ignored.
The mothers are kept in pens and often forced to breed every seasonal cycle. They are puppy-producing machines that receive no love or attention and are often left outside to fight the elements. Once they can no longer produce children, they are usually “disposed” of.
On top of the horror of neglected, overcrowded dogs comes the health issue. Constant exposure to feces is a major health risk, as is a lack of clean water and room to move around. And when one dog gets sick, it is inevitable that the illness will be passed to his puppy-mates who cannot avoid touching the infected pup in so crowded a cage.
The first six months of a puppy’s life are crucial. If they are exposed to a bad environment, it could affect them for the rest of their lives. Puppy mill puppies live with absolutely no human contact and constant ear-splitting noise. They often develop neuroses and other behavioral issues that follow them throughout their lives.
These puppies are not pets; they’re product.
Why would a pet store buy from a puppy mill?
It’s simple: Economics.
Thanks to the neglect and overcrowding on their farms, puppy mills can sell their dogs cheap. If a pet store wants to turn a profit on dogs, it has to get them cheap. The $800 price tag is a huge net gain for the company.
Many mainstream pet stores, such as PETsMART and PETCO, no longer sell dogs. Instead, they hold adoptions where homeless pets can find loving homes. There are already so many lonely dogs out there, why bring in more?
What can I do?
DO NOT BUY A DOG FROM A PET STORE. No matter what an employee or store owner might say. There’s nothing in it for them if they aren’t puppy mill puppies.
Inform others and encourage them not to buy dogs from pet stores. As long as people buy from stores, puppy mills will stay in business.
A celebrity favorite pet store, Pets of Bel Air, was recently outed for having gotten their pups from puppy mills. Paris Hilton, along with others, purchased her many dogs from there, unknowingly supporting this horrific industry. No one wants an unhealthy dog. Once people know the truth, they will stop handing over their money.
But then where do I get a dog?
Your first thought should be a shelter or pound, especially one that puts animals down. People are often wary of shelter animals, but there are two important things to think about: 1) pet store pups are generally higher health risks than shelter dogs, 2) shelter workers are familiar with the temperament and health of their dogs and will most likely be honest with you – they don’t want to see you bringing a dog back.
The other positives are that the dogs are usually spayed/neutered, vaccinated against rabies, and micro-chipped. Not to mention, they generally cost around 35 to 50 dollars! That’s a lot better than 800…
But I had my heart set on a purebred dog!
Breed rescues will take care of you. There is a rescue organization for pretty much any breed you can think of – and many of them have branches operating in the LA area. You get the breed you want and rescue a pup at the same time. Often these rescues have waitlists as so many people are eager to take advantage of these great organizations.
If you’re looking for something in the super-serious, pure-bred, AKC champion arena, look for a private breeder. Certified, licensed breeders take immaculate care of their dogs. Before buying, insist on seeing where they raised the dog and meeting the dog’s parent(s). It’s not uncommon for a layperson to buy puppy mill pups to make a quick buck – often, they will sell their puppies online.
But a good breeder will be happy to show you around, and thrilled you asked. There is often a rigorous screening process to be sure the puppies go to the right home. Seeing proof of how the puppy has been treated/raised is essential to determining whether or not you have found a good breeder. And of course, seeing the parents assures you they were actually bred privately!
Sounds like a lot of work, there’s a pet store just down the street and I could get a puppy today!
Think of it this way: If you can walk in there, lay down your money, and walk away with a puppy so can anyone. Anyone. There are plenty of people out there who will pick up a cute pup and dump it once it grows into adulthood. There are abusers and neglecters. Let’s face it; there are people out there who just shouldn’t have animals! A place that doesn’t care who is taking the puppy, doesn’t really care a whole lot about their pups!
Assume it’s from a puppy mill. I have yet to see a store that can prove otherwise. If you want a healthy, happy companion you need to work a little harder than walking down the street.
But once you get to look into those adorable brown eyes, eyes brighter than those staring at you in the pet shop, you’ll know you made the right decision.