Airline’s Puppy Deaths Spark Debate about Commercial Breeders

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Retrieved August 14, 2010 from http://www.aspca.org/news/national/08-13-10.html#1

This is a good article about Breeders and Commercial online purchases of dogs, etc.   Sign that the times are changing, and what to beware of next. 
Some good advice we may be able to pass along. 

As animal lovers become more aware that purchasing a dog from a pet store supports the inhumane practices of puppy mills, commercial breeders are using online sources to get their dogs directly into homes across the country.

On August 3, seven puppies died of suspected heat-related complications in the cargo hold of a plane en route from Tulsa, OK, to Chicago, IL. The victims were seven of 14 pups transported by the airline, and reportedly came from a
commercial breeder in Oklahoma—many of the puppies were booked on connecting
flights, making it likely that they were purchased online by buyers in different
cities.

“Puppy mill operators are creating professional looking websites that convincingly dupe consumers into thinking they are reputable breeders,” says Cori Menkin, ASPCA Senior Director of Legislative Initiatives.

“A sure way to spot a scam is that they often offer to ship the dogs to the buyer without ever meeting in person. No reputable breeder would ever ship a puppy to a buyer sight
unseen.”

Buying a puppy over the Internet is just as risky as buying from a pet store—you can’t see the puppy’s breeding premises or meet his parents. Furthermore, those who sell animals online are not held to regulations established by the Animal Welfare Act.

“The Animal Welfare Act requires breeders to be licensed and meet specific minimum standards of care for animals bred for resale, but a loophole allows puppy breeders who sell directly to the public—which includes over the Internet—to go unregulated,” says Menkin. “They are able to keep inspectors away
and operate without being accountable to anyone.”

“The bottom line is the only way to be sure your new puppy isn't a product of cruel and inhumane conditions is to see for yourself where he lives—visit the breeder’s facilities and meet the puppy’s parents,” Menkin states. “Or better yet, adopt from your local shelter.”

For more information on the risks associated with buying a puppy in a pet store or online, please visit our online Puppy Mill campaign.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Maybe I should REMOVE our name and write the ASPCA, who wrote this article with our responses. Possible they can edit this piece and encourage people to RESEARCH when purchasing a puppy. Education, which I have certainly received here on DK is the key. As they said in the article people have learned from publicity that purchasing from mills and pet stores is not acceptable.