It can be very tempting when you see that adorable little puppy in the window, to buy it. DON’T! Most puppies, if not all puppies from pet shops, come from puppy mills.
What’s A Puppy Mill?
A puppy mill, or puppy farm, is a commercial breeding facility that breeds dogs for pet stores. Breeding is intensive and is done in conditions considered to be inhumane. Dogs are commonly kept in elevated cages so their urine and feces will drop through. Cages are just big enough for them to turn around in and, unfortunately, are sometimes even stacked on top of each other. So it’s basically just like factory farming with chickens and cattle. Investing in good food, housing, and general upkeep and heath of the animals, doesn’t put anymore money in the puppy mill operators pocket, so conditions are instead quite poor.
Our Pet Store Says Their Puppies Come From Someone Reputable
THEY LIE! Of course the pet store wants to sell you a puppy and aren’t going to be truthful about where they came from or you might not buy it. No responsible breeder would sell their puppies to the pet store, EVER! Here’s a good video below that’s an excellent example of what a pet store will tell you, vs the what the reality is.
Buying Outside Of A Pet Shop
You can still run into puppy mill dogs and or backyard breeders elsewhere. A quick definition for a backyard breeder is basically someone breeding dogs who has no idea what they’re doing. They don’t test their dogs for defects or follow any standards. There’s ways to tell whether or not the puppy your interested in is coming from such a scenario. The biggest thing is that you should be able to go to where the parents of the puppy live to both meet them and see what the living conditions are. If someone is trying to meet up with you elsewhere to sell the puppy to you, WALK AWAY! The person should also be knowledgeable about the breed and preferably even does dog shows, competition, and or events with their dogs. The parent dogs will have undergone testing for genetic defects common in the breed, and a good breeder will generally want a contract of some sort to make sure their puppy is going to a good home and won’t end up in the shelter.
What Can Be Done?
Logically the best thing to do is not to buy from these sources, it’s the supply and demand game. Another thing to do would be to voice to the pet store that as long as they are selling puppies, you will no longer be shopping there. If it hurts their business too then it’s incentive for them to no longer sell puppies. It’s unfortunate that these facilities are not illegal, and they are being kept in business by people buying their puppies.
Where Is The Best Place To Buy Dogs?
The best thing to do is adopt adopt adopt. petfinder.com is a great resource to find a variety of pets all over the globe. There should also be several shelters in your area, or adoption groups to get in touch with. You can find both mixes and purebreds and many adoption groups are willing to, or require, a trial period. This makes sure a dog is the best fit for your family. Communal websites like craigslist are going to have A LOT of backyard breeders, but you can also find some reputable breeders in the mix. If you’re set on a purebred from a breeder just do your research. My other blog post here gets into more detail on how to identify a good vs a bad breeder, as well as first hand experiences with each.
Just Remember
If you fall for that puppy in the window, and buy it thinking your saving it from the pet store. Yes, you may be providing that puppy a good home. But just think of momma dog on the other end continuing to be bred over, and over, and over again to make new puppies to replace the one you bought. Not only is that a horrid life for mom and dad dog, but then you have multiple other puppies out there that may or may not find good homes.
In all honesty, I think it’s cheaper to buy from and actual breeder. My jaw drops when I see what the pet stores charge, even for mixes. At one such pet store they were charging $1,399.00 for a beagle/aussie mix. And that was ON SALE! And who knows what potentially costly genetic defects that puppy may have!
Thanks for reading, I hope this article gives someone a new perspective and awareness about where they are getting their puppies/dogs from and encourages good decisions.
Favorite Adoptions Sites:
Pet Finder – Find pets anywhere near you
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary – Kanab, UT (Awesome Place To Visit!)
Reader Recommended Post/Rescue Recommendations
Dog Rescue: The Importance of Adopt Don’t Shop When Bringing Home a Pet
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