How to Educate People to Not Buy Dogs at Pet Stores

According to the Humane Society of the United States, the overwhelming majority of pet stores that sell dogs get them from "puppy mills." Puppy mills are large-scale breeding facilities that neglect the health and welfare of their dogs in order to turn the maximum profit. Pet stores keep puppy mills in business, for the simple fact that they are in need of a constant supply of dogs and responsible breeders will never sell to a pet store. Here are ways to educate your friends, neighbors, family and anyone else you know about pet stores-so that cruel puppy mills will be a thing of the past.

Instructions

1. Tell anyone you know who is considering buying a dog from a pet store that about one-third of the dogs at shelters are purebreds and there are also breed-specific rescues for just about every breed of dog that exists. They will be saving a whole lot of money by rescuing a pet, plus they'll be saving a life. Millions of dogs wind up in shelters each year, and due to overcrowding, at least half are destroyed. Petfinder.com and Adopt a Pet.com have adoptable dogs available at shelters and rescues throughout the United States and Canada. All they need to do is put in their zip code and what type of dog they are looking for, and they should find one.

2. Let prospective pet owners know that puppy mill dogs are continuously kept pregnant and thus aren't passing on the proper nutrition to the next litter of puppies. Puppies sold at pet stores and over the Internet are likely to have health problems due to neglect, inbreeding, over-breeding and being taken from their mothers too early, and many consumers are faced with significant veterinary bills, or even the death of their puppy. On top of the steep prices that pet stores normally charge, odds are they will spend a good deal more in vet bills.

3. Tell the prospective owner that puppies from pet stores have a very difficult time being housebroken or crate trained, as they are used to eliminating in their cages.

4. Tell them that although the store may appear to treat their puppies well, the parents of these puppies are likely living in cramped wire cages stacked on top of each other and receive minimal medical care, no love or attention, no socialization, no exercise and no protection from harsh weather. The females are bred over and over until they die or are no longer "useful," in which case they are either destroyed or dumped off at shelters.

5. Inform them that no responsible dog breeder will ever sell to a pet store. If a pet store tells you they get their dogs from private breeders, it is most likely a lie. If the store is in California, for instance, and they obtain their puppies from the Midwest, it is a definite red flag that their puppies are from mills. If the owner tells you they "handpick" their dogs, they are merely handpicking puppy mill dogs by viewing pictures on the Internet.

6. Inform them that "papers" mean nothing and certainly do not guarantee the health of a dog. Organizations that issue papers, including the AKC, make their money from selling papers, not turning people away-and that includes puppy mills-some of their best customers.

7. Inform them that "USDA licensed" in essence means nothing. Puppy mills often pass inspection by the USDA, yet continue to operate under the same deplorable conditions. In other words, it takes a lot for them to shut down a puppy mill. The bare minimum is required, and certainly not up to par with the standards of a humane breeder.

8. Let them know that puppy mill operators, dog brokers that sell to pet stores and pet store owners are all briefed on how to mislead customers into thinking they are purchasing pets from private breeders. For instance, puppy mill owners are advised to give their operations mom-and-pop sounding names by using words such as "kennels" and "farms."

9. If the prospective dog owner tells you that the owner or employees at the pet shop are friendly, knowledgeable and seem honest, tell them "of course they seem that way; they want to sell you a dog." The employees may not even be aware that the dogs are from puppy mills, and sometimes (although rarely), the owners are unaware as well. Occasionally they are misled by brokers and take the "what I don't know won't hurt me" approach. If they would ever request to visit the "breeder" (puppy mill) in person, they would most likely be refused, and instead be told, "that's not the way we do business."

10. Explain to prospective buyers that if they buy a puppy from a pet store they are not "rescuing" the puppy from the store, just as the pet store is not "rescuing" puppies from puppy mills. They are instead keeping the puppy mills in business.

    Simply tell them that once the demand stops, the supply will stop. If people stop patronizing pet shops, they will be forced to shut down, which in turn will shut down puppy mills.

Tips & Warnings

• Tell people not to confuse pet supply stores that have dogs available for adoption with stores that sell puppies. Dogs up for adoption are rescued from shelters and rescue groups as opposed to being purchased from puppy mills or puppy mill brokers. An adoption fee is charged to help cover some of the expense that was incurred in caring for the dog, but it's nothing close to the steep prices that pet stores charge.

• Let anyone you know who is considering buying a puppy from a pet store as a Christmas or birthday gift, that it will be just as exciting for the recipient to receive a dog from a shelter and even more exciting for them to know they are saving a life!

• "Teacups" are in reality undersized dogs (runts) that are bred at puppy mills.

• If you see a store that sells puppies, run the other way. Many pet stores have countless lawsuits against them, and even if not, they are guilty of consumer fraud for the mere fact they sell "merchandise" from puppy mills.

• Petland is one of the nation's oldest and largest puppy mill-supplied pet store chains and continues to be involved in countless lawsuits for selling sick dogs.

Resources

• Petfinder.com
• Adopt a Pet.com