No pups for sale? Cities ban pet shops!!!!

[Lindsey, Lee, Whopper and Simba]

Hi all,

 

This has been discussed many times on here, but here's a great article about a growing movement to ban the sell of pets in retail shops and some views from both sides. 

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37359894/ns/health-pet_health/from/toolbar

 

I'm looking forward to reading peoples responses/opinions.

[Missi]

Interesting article. But, IMO, to contradict what the lobbyist said, I find the healthy, well-run retail pet stores to be the "anecdotal tails" and the exception versus the puppy-mill supplied stores. I would support the ban. I know it's some people's livelihood, but so is illegal drug sales. I understand that in an ideal world, with great regulation and enforcement dollars, attacking the "supply-side" (as they put it) would be more fair, but it has proven impossible to do. It sounds like NM has some forward thinking law makers!

On another note: would a ban on pet stores increase BYB's? Would it be trading out one nemesis for another? Or would puppy mills just get better websites and sell directly to the public?

oooh, oooh, oooh, and I HATE that the "against" used the "all rescues have emotional baggage" excuse! Come on now!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

These pet store owners are plain flat-out lying. Obviously, if selling pets in stores is banned, they will lose their livelihood. Most of them don't really know (or want to know) where the puppies come from, as the brokers bring them in trucks, with "papers" telling the "breeder"'s name, etc. If I put 40 cages in my garage and start breeding puppies, that makes me a "breeder", right?
NO reponsible breeder sells puppies to pet stores. Zero, zip, nada. As for the lady who wants what she wants and thinks shelter animals come with emotional baggage, how about buying a puppy from a real breeder? Last time I looked, there didn't seem to be any shortage of responsible breeders selling healthy, well-socialized puppies who have spent the first 8 weeks of their lives with their mothers and litter mates, not in cages.
There is a program out west to convert stores selling pets into higher-end pet supply boutiques, selling premium foods & designer collars, leashes, etc., and it has been very successful for those who have agreed to it. These store owners don't have to lose their businesses. Some of these boutiques also have sections for cats from shelters, similar to the areas you see in some Pet Smart stores. Others allow local rescues & shelters to hold adoption days in the stores, which brings them a load of business.

[Adina P]

Does she really not realize that it's not either Pet Store or Damaged Shelter Dog? That there is a whole spectrum of possibilities between those two?

I think banning the sale of companion animals in stores is probably the best way to reduce puppy mills and influence the situation. All the other legislation directed at breeders I think is far too difficult to implement.

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

I think it is a great idea! Being in Ohio there are many local pet stores, especially in the Amish areas. You would have to be a fool to think the puppies were coming from reputable breeders and not puppy mills. I just read an article online from PETA about hampsters being abused by employees for Sun Pets that owns PetCo (and another chain I forget which now). They think if they call themselves a "boutique" pet store that they are automatically reputable and that is totally false. The general pubilc really just needs to be more educated.

It intrigued me that stores were quoted as getting puppies from reputable breeders. I am curious if there are any breeders on DK that would ever consider selling to a pet store.......

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Denise, you will be very interested in this investigative report on the Ohio puppy mill auctions:
http://www.whas11.com/news/I-Team-Investigation-Inside-the-multi-mi...
Very heavily Amish, obviously, and notice the children there. Great lessons they are learning about how to treat dogs.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

That is really disturbing to me. But educational - thank you for posting.
Sometimes I just want to cry thinking about these poor puppy mill dogs and brokers and pet stores, etc....mainly because what can I do to help change this? I just hate it. I had totally different experiences with getting my dogs. Taquito lived with his sister Margarita and brother Pepito in a mansion - a good life. Mother takes photos of houses and saw Taquito and siblings. Mentioned I wanted a chihuahua and the lady said well, I have 6 dogs and have been thinking about possibly giving one of the chihuahuas to a really good home if someone asked me (like it would be "meant" to be or something). I came thinking I was getting Pepito, we didn't mesh and I got Taquito at 9 months. The 3 were from a reputable breeder that health tested.
With Peri...I visited weekly until I took her home. We played with her in the breeders house, on the lawn, etc....how amazing. I just couldn't imagine getting a dog any other way (aside from rescue, which I plan on doing in the future I think).

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I just saw this article this morning and was embarrassed that this was happening in Ohio (not that I should be surprised because a great portion of the population in Ohio doesn't even neuter/spay their animals. Additionally, the rescue organization that went with the reporter bought 9 puppies at the auction. I was beside my self. I had to review the article again to make sure I wasn't missing something. I had never heard of these auctions before.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

As to the DK breeders selling to a pet store, people tend to forget about retail mark-ups. A store doesn't sell the merchandise to you for what it paid for it; they have to realize a profit. When you buy a shirt, the store paid half of the price on the tag. Some merchandise may be marked up three times what the store paid for the goods.
So if a puppy is selling for $1000 in the pet store, the store paid maybe $500 for it...in some cases from a broker. The broker also is not in business for his health, so he is making a profit, too. Maybe he paid $300 for the puppy from the "breeder". Now, why would a breeder sell a puppy for $300-500 when she could sell it directly to the customer for $1000? And at the same time, see who is getting the puppy? And at the same time, keep the puppy with his mom and littermates rather than sending him off to live in a cage in a store?
If people would ask themselves these questions, they would realize that the puppies in pet stores couldn't possibly come from responsible, reputable breeders.

[BG and Gavin]

My girlfriend is a Customs Agent and she said the hoards of puppies she seeing being shipped into Canada from the US in the back of filthy trucks, destined for pet stores would make your hair curl. But they have their paper work in order so there is nothing that can be done.

[Mona Haight]

I would love to see pet stores banned from selling dogs and cats. They make a huge profit and care nothing about the animals. It would take away a lot of the impulse buying that people do. These are living creatures that take a lot of care not just a disposable item that you can buy on credit. Only education will help the cause. People need to do their research on who they are buying their pets from.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Amen, well said.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I agree completely about the "impulse buy" that occurs in pet stores. Any pet is a life-changing decision and should not be taken lightly. A little off-topic, but just this weekend, I was visiting a friend - her "backyard neighbor" had a gorgeous german shepherd. Poor girl lives tied up outside - under the carport, but still, tied up. Friend says that she has tried to talk them into getting her into a rescue group. No luck so far. My point is, what made those people decide they were ready for a dog? Come on!!!!