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Reputable Breeders Do Not Sell Their Puppies To Pet Stores!!

You might see signs in a pet store stating they bought their dogs from "local breeders" or "ethical breeders". No ethical and responsible breeder would ever sell their dogs to a pet store. What this means is their "local" breeder is a dog broker, puppy mill (sometimes called commercial breeders), or backyard breeders.

Puppy mills/commercial breeders mass produce puppies to make a profit. Dog brokers buy puppies in large numbers from mills in the United States and abroad. Then sell them to other wholesalers and pet stores. Millers and brokers treat these poor animals as a commodity. Ethical breeders do not think of their puppies as "merchandise". Great care is given to all their dogs.

Most people honestly don't realize the extent of horror that their purchase has helped to perpetuate.

What happens behind the scenes is shocking. If you could get a glimpse of where that "cute" pet store puppy came from…you would be sick! The parents of these puppies are miserable. They are condemned! The females are bred again and again, until they can no longer reproduce. When that happens many are killed, dumped or left in to die alone. They are stuffed in a cage and live in deplorable conditions. They are given poor nutrition, no vaccinations, no socialization. With the mother's lack of nutrition and the poor conditions they live in, these puppies are damaged before they are born. Many puppies are born infested with parasites and with physical and mental problems. This is NOT a good beginning for a puppy. This leaves major heartbreak and financial expenses for the families that purchase them.

Puppies are usually taken from their mother between 5-7 weeks old. They are delivered in truckloads…packed in like chickens. I can't begin to imagine the fear these puppies have at such a young age.

Don't be fooled by "AKC papers". Just because a dog is purebred and has papers, does not mean you are purchasing a healthy, carefully bred dog that has been health tested and screened for hereditary diseases. Millers, brokers, and backyard breeders do not screen for genetic diseases. They breed for a profit and profit only. Don't kid yourself. AKC papers mean NOTHING except the dog "appears" to be purebred.

Resist the urge to rescue one of these pet store puppies. No matter how sorry you feel for that puppy, it only perpetuates the problem. If you buy that puppy, you are making room for one more to take its place and condemning the mother of that puppy to a cruel miserable existence of a life. It might be difficult but please WALK AWAY!

Ask any dog rescue group about the conditions they received their mill rescues or auction rescues in. They will tell you what purchasing a dog from a pet store really means.

A SOLUTION
One way to be part of the solution is to stop buying puppies from pet stores. If they are not selling dogs, they are not making any money!