Petland

[Lee Seidman]

I just watched the Animal Planet show exposing puppy mills and Petland, I had it on DVR. I can not believe that people treat living creatures like those puppies are treated....they are cruel and heartless and should be put in cages themselves....as far as Petland is concerned, I will never even walk into one of their stores again. I do not for one second believe that Petland was not aware of  the puppy mill sources  they were buying  from; any vendor qualifies their suppliers, their reputation depends on the products they sell..Petland was just out for the almighty buck and I hope they get what they deserve!

[Frannie & Callie]

I haven't watched this yet (it's on my DVR) but I will say that I'm a professional buyer (obviously not for Petland) and if they are claiming they had no idea that their puppies come from mills I call massive BS on them. You know where you're getting your goods from and where your money is going (unless you're incompetent).

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The little store clerks who are working for minimum wage do not know, though. The pet stores in my area are staffed by teenagers working part-time who have absolutely no clue. Just like the lady who sells you a nightgown at Macy's has no idea where it came from.

[Frannie & Callie]

Yes, that I of course agree with. I haven't watched the show yet and assumed they were talking to ownership.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I also watched the show.
What is important to realize is that it is not just Petland, it is all pet stores. The HSUS investigation focused on Petland because it had to get evidence for the court case against them. But you saw that these puppy mills are happy to sell dogs to anyone. They are not just selling to Petland.
All of the dogs sold in pet stores come from places like this. Period.
It is the responsibility of every single one of us who claims to love dogs not to ever walk into any store that sells puppies again, not just Petland. Not to let your children look at the puppies, not to buy a collar, nothing. If you buy so much as a treat, you are supporting puppy mills by patronizing stores that sell puppies.
Please do not set foot in any store that sells puppies.

[Lee Seidman]

I agree 100%

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I think it is illegal to sell dogs in pet stores in Tennessee now. Thank goodness.

Did anyone watch Parenthood last week - they took their son to buy a dog at a pet store and ended up with a turtle instead. Still, dogs at a petstore. This is the show with the black doodle at the end of it....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It is so sad that so many people are still so ignorant about the source of pet store dogs. The whole time I was watching the show, I kept wanting to ask those owners, "Why did you buy a dog from a pet store in the first place? How could you think they came from a halfway responsible breeder?" It's just common sense that a decent breeder would keep her puppies with their mom and litter, and know who is buying them, rather than accept half-price for them (duh- retail stores buy at wholesale, people) so they could sit in a cage in a store for who knows how long before going home with anyone and their brother. What rational adult would do that, let alone a caring breeder?

[Frannie & Callie]

I noticed that too. I was glad they went with the turtle. I met a girl on saturday at Petsmart who bought her cockapoo at Petland. I wanted to shake her.

[Lee Seidman]

For those that missed the show, I believe it will be repeated tonight. Check your local listings

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Does anyone know if the special is supposed to air again? I would like to DVR it. There is a pet store in my area called the Pets Pajamma's - totally HIGH END pet store. They sell these "designer" puppies for hundred and thousands of dollars. All the designer brands of coutour dog clothes, leashes that are $100's, pretty assinine in my opinion. My girls lwanted to go in there so I thought I was going to put the hoity toity store on the spot and ask some questions since I had a feeling they wouldn't be welcomed. I first asked what they do with the doggie bakery items they throw away at night (sign said Made Fresh Daily) and if they donated them to pet shelters and rescues, she had said "we do not disclose that information" - I said "Oh I would think it would be good to show that you support shelters so you must not".

That irritated me so I decided to find out exactly where they get their puppies, I was told they have "approved brokers" - I said where do these "approved brokers" get their puppies. She said we don't research that since we approve the broker. I said that's nice so you are supporting puppies coming from puppy mills and because you do it with a broker it makes it ok? Then she said "If you are not here to purchase something I would ask that you leave".....

There used to be a Petland near us and I had a friend that purchased a dog their knowing that it was from a puppy mill, etc. It was a bassett hound and it was entirely to big for the cage it was in and it had been in there so long its front leg had grown crooked. They told her if it didn't sell it would go to a shelter. She bought him for $900 they gave her a discount from the $1500 - total BS but she saw it as saving him. He has been her constant companion for the last 9 years now and has no use of his front leg. So sad. She didn't want to support the store or the puppy mill but she couldn't see him suffer. Such a catch 22 but in the end it was the right thing to do.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Those who watched the show, remember the part where they talked about the problems with the puppies' feet from spending their early weeks and months standing on wire? They mentioned infections and the feet getting caught in the wire, but there's another problem that occurs, too; it distorts the bones of the feet during the growth period.
Jack's feet were permanently damaged from that. It isn't something you would know or see if you had purchased him as a puppy. But standing on that wire during the crucial developmental period from birth to a few months old causes the feet to flatten and "spread out", resulting in what breeders call "open feet". Jack's pads are far apart and thin, not tight together and thick, and his feet are flat, not arched like they should be. When he runs, the force of his weight causes the bones to spread way out and the entire surface of each individual pad hits the ground; they get torn off because of that. He also gets big rocks and debris in between the pads, they spread out so far. That's why he has wear boots at the dog park and forest preserves. He had to go to the emergency vet twice ($600) for it before I learned what caused it and how to prevent it.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Samantha came from a BYB in SD. She was an 'impulse purchase'. I truly had no idea about nor did I even think about where they got their dogs from. Shame on me! I am grateful that Samantha is a happy and healthy Doodle. For that we are blessed!
Well, I learned here in DK about the life of a PM dog. I work with the DRC and so many DK wonderful volunteers. I do everything I possibly can do to save others from living a rotten life. It isn't easy to let a foster doodle leave but that is my problem but one that is easy to live with when I know that they are going to a fantastic forever home.