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Why you shouldn't buy puppies from the "pet store"
http://m.local10.com/pets/veterinarian-fired-for-refusing-to-work-with-puppy-mill-broker/-/16717942/23353960/-/m7rul3z/-/index.html
Margot49 wrote: We just have to keep talking and educating as many as we can and pray they don't feel sorry for that "doggie in the window".
I think this would be the key to putting a stop to pet stores selling puppies and kittens. If everyone simply stopped buying puppies and kittens that were for sale in pet stores there would be no need for them to purchase more. Supply and demand. No demand equals no need for supply! The problem is there are always going to be people who do not believe what we are telling them. There are always going to be people who will believe the line of hogwash that the pet stores hand them about "professional breeders" and how they are not puppymills, and until we can reach those people are get them to understand, it will always be an uphill battle with the puppies and kittens coming out on the losing end.
The most difficult part of it all, IMO, will be the "collateral damage", meaning those puppies and kittens who are left in the pet stores because people have stopped purchasing companion animals from pet stores. If we can harden ourselves to it, that's the battle right there. But there will always be someone who gives in and buys the puppy, convinced that they are "rescuing" it. And, as I said in another post, with the prices that the pet stores pay for these little ones, no matter how low a price the store goes down to, because of the prices the stores pay for the animals, they almost always make at least SOME profit from them. Even at $25, in many cases they have made back the money they spent on the puppy which enables them to go buy another one to replace it.
We are going to be fighting this battle for a long, long time. And even if we manage to stop the pet stores, as long as there are backyard breeders there are going to be people who will make it profitable for bad breeders to continue making money by breeding their pets. Legal? Sure! But ethically it is disgusting! But, like I said, you can't legislate morality. :(
Ghilly
I think this would be the key to putting a stop to pet stores selling puppies and kittens. If everyone simply stopped buying puppies and kittens that were for sale in pet stores there would be no need for them to purchase more. Supply and demand. No demand equals no need for supply! The problem is there are always going to be people who do not believe what we are telling them. There are always going to be people who will believe the line of hogwash that the pet stores hand them about "professional breeders" and how they are not puppymills, and until we can reach those people are get them to understand, it will always be an uphill battle with the puppies and kittens coming out on the losing end.
The most difficult part of it all, IMO, will be the "collateral damage", meaning those puppies and kittens who are left in the pet stores because people have stopped purchasing companion animals from pet stores. If we can harden ourselves to it, that's the battle right there. But there will always be someone who gives in and buys the puppy, convinced that they are "rescuing" it. And, as I said in another post, with the prices that the pet stores pay for these little ones, no matter how low a price the store goes down to, because of the prices the stores pay for the animals, they almost always make at least SOME profit from them. Even at $25, in many cases they have made back the money they spent on the puppy which enables them to go buy another one to replace it.
We are going to be fighting this battle for a long, long time. And even if we manage to stop the pet stores, as long as there are backyard breeders there are going to be people who will make it profitable for bad breeders to continue making money by breeding their pets. Legal? Sure! But ethically it is disgusting! But, like I said, you can't legislate morality. :(
Ghilly
Sadly sometimes people desire a certain breed & can be hard to find (yet pet shops) then if u research there are many rescue organazations that even have just certain breeds (i think its great they try & find homes, and interview people. Sadly after a puppy grows, people have no interest & just want to give them up. They shldnt get ine w/out researching the breed & many vets wrk w/payments if u cant pay at once. Do pets give up on us? NO! They deserve all we can do.) im very impressed w/ASPCA. they do there best i feel, dont kill in few days. Yet wrk w/unwanted dumped off dogs. (if im all over the place sorry) they do help find u pets & the best homes even if its a distance away. Plz give them a chance to (many humane soc are kill shelters ive learned. Plz keep a puppy/dog for more than few months. Yes they are wrk, need training, if u think they dont. Dont get 1. Espec just to carry in ur bag & dress them up. They grow up. If u love them they'l give it back 100++percent. & plz dont just leave them tied outside nvr to be in ur home & just feed them & nvr bother til nxt feeding. They are unconditional, treat them the same or give to some1 who can take care of them. Just my thoughts.
Very well put, Ghilly!!
Yes, I showed Shelties. Yes, I did some breeding. It really is a science to try and do it correctly. Studying pedigrees, testing for possible genetic problems in the breed that one can test for (and every breed has them). Stud fees, sometimes shipping fees, tests done on your female to be bred, workings, shots, Vet care, food, equipment, on and on. Did I ever make a profit? Lol, hell no!! I had the same expenses whether I had a litter of 1 or 5. You end up needing a C-section, Mom or pups need Vet care, add those expenses.
I had a contract. I had a health guarantee against genetic defects. Guy that got a puppy from me once told me he hadn't answered so many questions or filled out paperwork like that since he bought his last car. LOL!!
Very long story, that I won't go in to here, but I did discover a genetic disease in one of my female's lines. I "suspected" something and started researching. Contacted breeders and Vet's across the Country and one in Canada. Finally took 4 dogs up to UC Davis and was working with a Vet at Cornell. 3 dogs in this line I was showing!! I pulled every one and had them spay or neutered and got them in great homes (they were not affected).
Many of us get aggravated to be grouped with "backyard breeders".
Any reputable breeder, who strives to maintain the integrity of a breed, is going to operate in the same way. I have refused, more than once, to sell my puppies to someone. Oh, we all have stories!!
Mentioning gangs, which are increasing here too, many keep Pitts on there properties and have them debarked so the cops don't know they are there and they are bred and raised to be aggressive. Don't be too judgmental when you hear of a cop shooting a dog until you know the circumstances.
A neighbor of ours rescued a Tri-pod Pitt and she is the sweetest thing But she is way to interested in the small dogs in the neighborhood. At least her owner always has her on lead but I told my husband not to let our little one too close.
Well, off my soap box.
We just have to keep talking and educating as many as we can and pray they don't feel sorry for that "doggie in the window".
Yes, I showed Shelties. Yes, I did some breeding. It really is a science to try and do it correctly. Studying pedigrees, testing for possible genetic problems in the breed that one can test for (and every breed has them). Stud fees, sometimes shipping fees, tests done on your female to be bred, workings, shots, Vet care, food, equipment, on and on. Did I ever make a profit? Lol, hell no!! I had the same expenses whether I had a litter of 1 or 5. You end up needing a C-section, Mom or pups need Vet care, add those expenses.
I had a contract. I had a health guarantee against genetic defects. Guy that got a puppy from me once told me he hadn't answered so many questions or filled out paperwork like that since he bought his last car. LOL!!
Very long story, that I won't go in to here, but I did discover a genetic disease in one of my female's lines. I "suspected" something and started researching. Contacted breeders and Vet's across the Country and one in Canada. Finally took 4 dogs up to UC Davis and was working with a Vet at Cornell. 3 dogs in this line I was showing!! I pulled every one and had them spay or neutered and got them in great homes (they were not affected).
Many of us get aggravated to be grouped with "backyard breeders".
Any reputable breeder, who strives to maintain the integrity of a breed, is going to operate in the same way. I have refused, more than once, to sell my puppies to someone. Oh, we all have stories!!
Mentioning gangs, which are increasing here too, many keep Pitts on there properties and have them debarked so the cops don't know they are there and they are bred and raised to be aggressive. Don't be too judgmental when you hear of a cop shooting a dog until you know the circumstances.
A neighbor of ours rescued a Tri-pod Pitt and she is the sweetest thing But she is way to interested in the small dogs in the neighborhood. At least her owner always has her on lead but I told my husband not to let our little one too close.
Well, off my soap box.
We just have to keep talking and educating as many as we can and pray they don't feel sorry for that "doggie in the window".
Margot opens an interesting can of worms with the statement that pet stores are not cheap, in fact, they are often charge the same or more than a reputable breeder. I have seen the lists of puppies from mills that pet stores place their orders from. I'd be willing to bet that 95% of the pet owning population doesn't know that small breeds such as Beagles, miniature Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Brittany spaniels and many small terriers can be purchased by pet stores from puppymills for as $25 per puppy! Then the pet store turns around and sells that puppy for upwards of $400 in many cases! Some of these puppies take months to sell and are no longer the cute, typically puppy-looking representative of their breed and as they grow, the pet store keeps marking them down in hopes of selling them. By the time they are 6 months old they no longer look like puppies at all, the pet store marks them down to $75, and along comes someone looking in the window, sees this puppy marked down to $75 and they buy it, thinking they practically "stole" it, and then they justify it by claiming that they "rescued" it from the pet store because it was too big for its cage and they were feeling sorry for it. They snicker because they think they gypped the pet store out of money for the puppy when, in reality, the pet store STILL came out on top, just not as MUCH on top because they still scored $50 on that puppy. The care the puppies receive in the pet stores is minimal, the vaccines they receive cost about $.75 per dose because the vets who work for these stores purchase the vaccines in such large quantities and, most of the time, the puppies are not even SEEN by the store vet unless they are near death, since vetting the puppies cuts into the bottom line. The foods they receive are tax write-offs for the business so the 4 months of food the puppy ate while it was there doesn't really figure into the equation. So the soft-hearted person "rescues" a puppy that the pet store STILL makes a $50 profit on, which is enough for them to purchase two more puppies to take the place of the "rescued" puppy. Pet stores pay between $40 and $60 for medium-large breeds and $80 to $100 for large-to-giant breeds. Bulldogs, which command prices of $2500 and UP in pet stores cost them about $250 to purchase from the puppymills because of the fact that they are delivered by C-section, although in many cases, English bulldogs in puppymills only receive C-sections if they end up in trouble while trying to whelp naturally, yet the price still reflects the C-section. "Designer breeds" like the -Poo crosses cost about $30 per puppy for the pet stores to purchase them, yet the stores sell them for upwards of $700 and $800 because of the "Designer Breed" label. It's SO frustrating because it's very difficult to get the average person to understand that what they are being told about puppymills and pet stores is the truth! Probably 90% of the time they will argue their point, convinced that you're trying to tell them something based on the fact that you're just some "animal nut" who throws red paint on people wearing fur. It could not POSSIBLY be that you know what you're talking about and are trying to educate them so that they are not faced with the heartbreak of having to put their pet down at a young age because they are riddled with painful genetically-transmitted diseases.
Chihuahuas and pit bulls are probably the two most overbred breeds there are today. If there is ANY breed that needs to have its breeders carefully governed it is the Pit Bull. There are so many, well, I'll just come out and say it, IDIOTS, breeding Pit Bulls today, it's frightening! And these are dogs that can kill or maim with one bite and shake! While Pit Bulls are often loving, loyal dogs, when they fall into the wrong hands, which many of them do, they can be killing machines. They are TERRIERS! They are bred to instinctively be aggressive toward other animals. So while even the ones who are sweet to people (which they ALL should be, but unfortunately are not) can make wonderful pets, when careless people own them, basically nobody in the neighborhood can ever let their guard down. The irresponsible owner then decides that he thinks all of his friends should have one of "Chainsaw's" puppies and he breeds him to his buddy's female, who is a great watchdog because she's "uber protective" (read vicious), naturally the puppies are adorable, as puppies are, but they then end up being owned by the rest of the guy's gang members who all repeat the process because, well, who WOULDN'T want a massive, over-protective beast with jaws of iron and an innate hatred of small, furry animals for a pet?
The people who breed Chihuahuas are at the opposite end of the ignorance spectrum. Folks, if you want a pet that weighs less than 2 pounds, get a guinea pig or a rat. There is absolutely NO NEED to purposefully breed a dog that weighs less than the sandwich you ate for lunch! With the tininess comes all SORTS of health issues, and calling it a "teacup" anything doesn't make it a legitimate breed, OR a healthy animal! Breed standards were developed for a reason. They were written by people who have the best interest of the breed in mind, and even when they are followed as closely as is humanly possible, problems STILL exist in some cases. But at least if breeders TRY to breed to the breed standard there's a much better chance of getting healthy puppies. Many of the puppies produced by puppymills and backyard breeders are so far off their breed standards they don't even look like the breed they are supposed to be.
I don't know what the answer is when it comes to pet stores. I would love to see it become illegal for pet stores to sell puppies and kittens. I would love to see pet stores become home bases for adoption days for shelter and rescue animals. There are just SO MANY pets that are homeless today there is no need to make more! I would love to see people have to pass a test and be issued a breeder's license before they could produce a litter. Heck, I'd love to see they have to pass a test before they could be considered qualified to simply OWN a dog or cat! IMO, having a pet is not a right, it's a privelege. Just because you have the money to purchase one shouldn't mean you are able to. It just means you have enough money to shell out to buy one. But then, there are many people today who have human children who, IMO, shouldn't, but it all boils down to the fact that you can't legislate morality.
Ghilly
Chihuahuas and pit bulls are probably the two most overbred breeds there are today. If there is ANY breed that needs to have its breeders carefully governed it is the Pit Bull. There are so many, well, I'll just come out and say it, IDIOTS, breeding Pit Bulls today, it's frightening! And these are dogs that can kill or maim with one bite and shake! While Pit Bulls are often loving, loyal dogs, when they fall into the wrong hands, which many of them do, they can be killing machines. They are TERRIERS! They are bred to instinctively be aggressive toward other animals. So while even the ones who are sweet to people (which they ALL should be, but unfortunately are not) can make wonderful pets, when careless people own them, basically nobody in the neighborhood can ever let their guard down. The irresponsible owner then decides that he thinks all of his friends should have one of "Chainsaw's" puppies and he breeds him to his buddy's female, who is a great watchdog because she's "uber protective" (read vicious), naturally the puppies are adorable, as puppies are, but they then end up being owned by the rest of the guy's gang members who all repeat the process because, well, who WOULDN'T want a massive, over-protective beast with jaws of iron and an innate hatred of small, furry animals for a pet?
The people who breed Chihuahuas are at the opposite end of the ignorance spectrum. Folks, if you want a pet that weighs less than 2 pounds, get a guinea pig or a rat. There is absolutely NO NEED to purposefully breed a dog that weighs less than the sandwich you ate for lunch! With the tininess comes all SORTS of health issues, and calling it a "teacup" anything doesn't make it a legitimate breed, OR a healthy animal! Breed standards were developed for a reason. They were written by people who have the best interest of the breed in mind, and even when they are followed as closely as is humanly possible, problems STILL exist in some cases. But at least if breeders TRY to breed to the breed standard there's a much better chance of getting healthy puppies. Many of the puppies produced by puppymills and backyard breeders are so far off their breed standards they don't even look like the breed they are supposed to be.
I don't know what the answer is when it comes to pet stores. I would love to see it become illegal for pet stores to sell puppies and kittens. I would love to see pet stores become home bases for adoption days for shelter and rescue animals. There are just SO MANY pets that are homeless today there is no need to make more! I would love to see people have to pass a test and be issued a breeder's license before they could produce a litter. Heck, I'd love to see they have to pass a test before they could be considered qualified to simply OWN a dog or cat! IMO, having a pet is not a right, it's a privelege. Just because you have the money to purchase one shouldn't mean you are able to. It just means you have enough money to shell out to buy one. But then, there are many people today who have human children who, IMO, shouldn't, but it all boils down to the fact that you can't legislate morality.
Ghilly
Hi Jerry,
Definitely not saying to close pet stores but try to get them from selling live animals, ESP puppies and kittens. If people keep buying from pet stores then there is supply and demand. If the pet stores stop buying from these mills then the mills stop making a profit. Did you know the Amish are big puppy mill producers? It generates a lot of income for them.
Years ago, we had a chain pet store open up in our mall. Between a lot of Letters to the Editor, getting bad news coverage and many of us who picketed and gave handouts by the store, they eventually stopped. Actually, they eventually closed. Another local farm feed store used to sell puppies from local "breeders" but we got that stopped too. Now, most if the pet stores, chain and private, are more into promoting rescue and many rescue groups take animals to the store for adoption days.
Not only that, these pet stores aren't cheap. They often charge the same or more than a reputable breeder.
Back to what Ghilly pointed out, many if these "designer" breeds are just mixes, although I am sure some will eventually be recognized by AKC. Have you heard of Miniature Aussies? There is no such recognized breed but they are advertised as such. These poor dogs are ending up with major bone problems and a life of suffering. My daughter's boss got one from a "reputable"'breeder and she has spent thousands on this poor dog because now, of course, she loves him. The poor thing should be put out of his misery. He has no life and I don't mean to sound heartless.
When my kids were in school, I was doing education fir our breed club.
I used to take the dogs to school, talk about spay and neuter and give an obedience demonstration, kids loved it. I would sometimes get calls from parents asking fir advice. So, can we conquer the puppy mill world? Probably not but we can sure try to be out there trying to educate people.
Sometimes I check our local Shelter web site and the place is full of Pitts, Pitt mixes, Chihuahuas and mixes!! Sad, very sad.
Definitely not saying to close pet stores but try to get them from selling live animals, ESP puppies and kittens. If people keep buying from pet stores then there is supply and demand. If the pet stores stop buying from these mills then the mills stop making a profit. Did you know the Amish are big puppy mill producers? It generates a lot of income for them.
Years ago, we had a chain pet store open up in our mall. Between a lot of Letters to the Editor, getting bad news coverage and many of us who picketed and gave handouts by the store, they eventually stopped. Actually, they eventually closed. Another local farm feed store used to sell puppies from local "breeders" but we got that stopped too. Now, most if the pet stores, chain and private, are more into promoting rescue and many rescue groups take animals to the store for adoption days.
Not only that, these pet stores aren't cheap. They often charge the same or more than a reputable breeder.
Back to what Ghilly pointed out, many if these "designer" breeds are just mixes, although I am sure some will eventually be recognized by AKC. Have you heard of Miniature Aussies? There is no such recognized breed but they are advertised as such. These poor dogs are ending up with major bone problems and a life of suffering. My daughter's boss got one from a "reputable"'breeder and she has spent thousands on this poor dog because now, of course, she loves him. The poor thing should be put out of his misery. He has no life and I don't mean to sound heartless.
When my kids were in school, I was doing education fir our breed club.
I used to take the dogs to school, talk about spay and neuter and give an obedience demonstration, kids loved it. I would sometimes get calls from parents asking fir advice. So, can we conquer the puppy mill world? Probably not but we can sure try to be out there trying to educate people.
Sometimes I check our local Shelter web site and the place is full of Pitts, Pitt mixes, Chihuahuas and mixes!! Sad, very sad.
So, what is proposed for all those puppies in the pet stores?
It is my guess that our rescue Westie was from a pet store and the well intended owner couldn't afford the associated medical expenses. Yes, one of the risks that is higher from puppy mill dogs...I didn't read the post above but assume it covered that concern.
Our dog has many home pet manners and was estimated to be 8 years old when rescued from a park by Animal Control in Jersey City NJ. I can believe someone simply couldn't afford the high medical cost and special food costs needed to keep this dog well. I would not be surprised to learn that they with a broken heart put him out in the park with hope someone would take him home. That is what happened and someone adopted him who can afford treatment for the dog. But, the dog almost lost his life in the park, near death when rescued, he is now a healthy rascal.
But, stopping the production of this type story isn't simple. What is proposed, closing pet stores? Putting more regulations on pet stores? What?
I can see a transition in pet stores because they can't sell their dogs, but where do those dogs go?
Misfitsforme, it will take thousands of you to accomplish this transition.
It is my guess that our rescue Westie was from a pet store and the well intended owner couldn't afford the associated medical expenses. Yes, one of the risks that is higher from puppy mill dogs...I didn't read the post above but assume it covered that concern.
Our dog has many home pet manners and was estimated to be 8 years old when rescued from a park by Animal Control in Jersey City NJ. I can believe someone simply couldn't afford the high medical cost and special food costs needed to keep this dog well. I would not be surprised to learn that they with a broken heart put him out in the park with hope someone would take him home. That is what happened and someone adopted him who can afford treatment for the dog. But, the dog almost lost his life in the park, near death when rescued, he is now a healthy rascal.
But, stopping the production of this type story isn't simple. What is proposed, closing pet stores? Putting more regulations on pet stores? What?
I can see a transition in pet stores because they can't sell their dogs, but where do those dogs go?
Misfitsforme, it will take thousands of you to accomplish this transition.
Nothing will get me on my soapbox quicker than the subject of breeding dogs, puppymills and backyard breeders.
Puppymills, however, despite the fact that they are hell on earth for the dogs who live in them, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the HUGE problem of homeless dogs today. Puppymills have had the finger pointed at them as being the cause of the problem because they are businesses and they are responsible for breeding hundreds to thousands of puppies per mill per year. The thing is, only about 15% of the puppies born in this country each year are produced by puppymills. The truth is, however, that the main culprit in the issue are the millions of people who breed their pets each year, and many of these are referred to as "unique breeders", meaning they will produce only one litter in their lives, but because there are so many individuals, they are responsible for 75% of all the puppies born each year in this country. The remaining 10% of the puppies produced in this country every year come from hobby breeders, which are the group of people who will take the time to show their dogs, who will bother to do health testing before breeding, who will make sure their dogs meet their respective breed standards before allowing them to produce a litter.
The AKC places no demands on anyone before they can register a litter, the only requirement is that both parents of the litter be registered with the AKC and both parents be of the same breed. The AKC does NOT allow the registration of the hundreds of new mixed breeds that have flooded the dog market in recent years, like the ubiquitous -poo mixes. Only the CKC (Continental Kennel Club, NOT to be confused with the very legitimate Canadian Kennel Club bearing the same initials) and small, fly-by-night registries like the APR (American Pet Registry), ACHC (American Canine Hybrid Club), and, really, any registries BUT the AKC and Canadian Kennel Club. The ACHC was developed by the Hunte Corporation, the major driving force behind puppymills. Their misuse of the word "hybrid" preys on the ignorance (used in the truest sense of the word) of the general public as it pertains to animals. A mix of a poodle and a yorkshire terrier (known as a Yorkie-Poo) is NOT a hybrid animal at all, it is simply a mixed breed (or, less politically correctly, a mutt). Hybridism occurs when two different species interbreed, not simply two different breeds, and with hybrids, sterilization is often also the result. Probably the best known example of a hybrid is a mule. One parent isi a horse, the other parent is a donkey. Mules are sterile and cannot reproduce. Horses are horses and donkeys are donkeys. Mules are the progeny. When it comes to dogs, however, poodles are dogs and yorkshire terriers are dogs, their progeny are simply called puppies, and those puppies are subject to any and all of the genetic problems that plague the parents. The puppies are also not sterile, and so they go on to breed and produce puppies of their own, adding to the already almost insurmountable problem.
The largest part of the problem are the Unique Breeders, or the pet owners who will often produce only one litter in their lives. Because there are so many of these breeders, however, there is a never ending supply of these one-time breeders. They breed their dogs because they think they are just so adorable everyone should be able to have one just like them. The shelters and rescues are already filled with other dogs just like them, but you can't convince them of that. They breed their pets because they want their kids to witness the miracle of birth. IMO, they should take their kids to the shelter on euthanization day so that they can see the tragedy of what happens to the pets that people surrender to the shelter by the thousands every week. They breed their pets because they do that cute little trick or because they tilt their head when they hear a noise or because, well, you can name just about anything and people will look at it as a reason to breed their pets.
Getting back to puppymills, the fact that their dogs can be AKC registered means nothing. Good dogs CAN and do end up in puppymills to be used as breeders and for this reason, most hobby breeders, when retiring their champions, will often spay or neuter them and place them in pet homes. Spaying and neutering is done because puppymillers will masquerade as "families" trying to adopt former show dogs, only to turn around the put the retired champion on the "assembly line" to produce two litters of puppies a year until they die. The "family" that showed up to adopt the dog probably consisted of a puppymiller and their significant other and one or two borrowed kids who were coached on the way over to refer to the adults as "mom" and "dad". They appear as the perfect family, a great place for the retired champion to live out their golden years. Until the dog's name starts showing up in the pedigrees of puppies bought at pet stores. This is what originally alerted hobby breeders to what was happening. At this point, very few, if any, responsible breeders will re-home their retired champions prior to being spayed or neutered.
People need to be educated to realize that there ARE no "designer breeds". They are mixed breeds. Mutts, if you will. They happen every day of the year accidentally when two different breeds accidentally happen to breed. And that happens often. So often, in fact, that there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO DELIBERATELY BREED THEM. PLEASE, people. Educate yourselves. Don't think that you know better, or that someone is telling you this just because they don't want you to have a litter of puppies, or because someone is just trying to tell you how to run your life. If you have spent any time at all in the trenches, as many of us have, you will realize that this is true. You will realize how great the problem is and how hard people are working to try to make it better. The puppymillers, pet breeders and pet stores will tell you what you want to hear. The puppymillers and pet stores will prey upon your ignorance of the situation and will use the old "these puppies don't come from puppymills, they come from commercial breeders" line on you. Some pet stores will tell you that their puppies all come from "private breeders", which translates to the average person who breeds their pet dog and then can't find homes for the puppies so they give or sell them to a pet store to find them homes. Hobby breeders, those who show and test their dogs before breeding, are forbidden by the Code of Ethics of each and every one of the parent clubs for the individual dog breeds from selling their puppies to pet stores, so IF a pet store tries to tell you that their puppies come from show breeders, they are lying through their teeth and hoping you just don't know any better.
I've got to get down from this soapbox for at least a while. Sorry for the rant.
Ghilly
Puppymills, however, despite the fact that they are hell on earth for the dogs who live in them, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the HUGE problem of homeless dogs today. Puppymills have had the finger pointed at them as being the cause of the problem because they are businesses and they are responsible for breeding hundreds to thousands of puppies per mill per year. The thing is, only about 15% of the puppies born in this country each year are produced by puppymills. The truth is, however, that the main culprit in the issue are the millions of people who breed their pets each year, and many of these are referred to as "unique breeders", meaning they will produce only one litter in their lives, but because there are so many individuals, they are responsible for 75% of all the puppies born each year in this country. The remaining 10% of the puppies produced in this country every year come from hobby breeders, which are the group of people who will take the time to show their dogs, who will bother to do health testing before breeding, who will make sure their dogs meet their respective breed standards before allowing them to produce a litter.
The AKC places no demands on anyone before they can register a litter, the only requirement is that both parents of the litter be registered with the AKC and both parents be of the same breed. The AKC does NOT allow the registration of the hundreds of new mixed breeds that have flooded the dog market in recent years, like the ubiquitous -poo mixes. Only the CKC (Continental Kennel Club, NOT to be confused with the very legitimate Canadian Kennel Club bearing the same initials) and small, fly-by-night registries like the APR (American Pet Registry), ACHC (American Canine Hybrid Club), and, really, any registries BUT the AKC and Canadian Kennel Club. The ACHC was developed by the Hunte Corporation, the major driving force behind puppymills. Their misuse of the word "hybrid" preys on the ignorance (used in the truest sense of the word) of the general public as it pertains to animals. A mix of a poodle and a yorkshire terrier (known as a Yorkie-Poo) is NOT a hybrid animal at all, it is simply a mixed breed (or, less politically correctly, a mutt). Hybridism occurs when two different species interbreed, not simply two different breeds, and with hybrids, sterilization is often also the result. Probably the best known example of a hybrid is a mule. One parent isi a horse, the other parent is a donkey. Mules are sterile and cannot reproduce. Horses are horses and donkeys are donkeys. Mules are the progeny. When it comes to dogs, however, poodles are dogs and yorkshire terriers are dogs, their progeny are simply called puppies, and those puppies are subject to any and all of the genetic problems that plague the parents. The puppies are also not sterile, and so they go on to breed and produce puppies of their own, adding to the already almost insurmountable problem.
The largest part of the problem are the Unique Breeders, or the pet owners who will often produce only one litter in their lives. Because there are so many of these breeders, however, there is a never ending supply of these one-time breeders. They breed their dogs because they think they are just so adorable everyone should be able to have one just like them. The shelters and rescues are already filled with other dogs just like them, but you can't convince them of that. They breed their pets because they want their kids to witness the miracle of birth. IMO, they should take their kids to the shelter on euthanization day so that they can see the tragedy of what happens to the pets that people surrender to the shelter by the thousands every week. They breed their pets because they do that cute little trick or because they tilt their head when they hear a noise or because, well, you can name just about anything and people will look at it as a reason to breed their pets.
Getting back to puppymills, the fact that their dogs can be AKC registered means nothing. Good dogs CAN and do end up in puppymills to be used as breeders and for this reason, most hobby breeders, when retiring their champions, will often spay or neuter them and place them in pet homes. Spaying and neutering is done because puppymillers will masquerade as "families" trying to adopt former show dogs, only to turn around the put the retired champion on the "assembly line" to produce two litters of puppies a year until they die. The "family" that showed up to adopt the dog probably consisted of a puppymiller and their significant other and one or two borrowed kids who were coached on the way over to refer to the adults as "mom" and "dad". They appear as the perfect family, a great place for the retired champion to live out their golden years. Until the dog's name starts showing up in the pedigrees of puppies bought at pet stores. This is what originally alerted hobby breeders to what was happening. At this point, very few, if any, responsible breeders will re-home their retired champions prior to being spayed or neutered.
People need to be educated to realize that there ARE no "designer breeds". They are mixed breeds. Mutts, if you will. They happen every day of the year accidentally when two different breeds accidentally happen to breed. And that happens often. So often, in fact, that there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO DELIBERATELY BREED THEM. PLEASE, people. Educate yourselves. Don't think that you know better, or that someone is telling you this just because they don't want you to have a litter of puppies, or because someone is just trying to tell you how to run your life. If you have spent any time at all in the trenches, as many of us have, you will realize that this is true. You will realize how great the problem is and how hard people are working to try to make it better. The puppymillers, pet breeders and pet stores will tell you what you want to hear. The puppymillers and pet stores will prey upon your ignorance of the situation and will use the old "these puppies don't come from puppymills, they come from commercial breeders" line on you. Some pet stores will tell you that their puppies all come from "private breeders", which translates to the average person who breeds their pet dog and then can't find homes for the puppies so they give or sell them to a pet store to find them homes. Hobby breeders, those who show and test their dogs before breeding, are forbidden by the Code of Ethics of each and every one of the parent clubs for the individual dog breeds from selling their puppies to pet stores, so IF a pet store tries to tell you that their puppies come from show breeders, they are lying through their teeth and hoping you just don't know any better.
I've got to get down from this soapbox for at least a while. Sorry for the rant.
Ghilly
So many people just don't know!!!! :( Thanks for the article, it was great! Karla
Great article and good for him!!!
However, people can buy puppy mill puppies and pet store puppies with AKC registration, assuming that hasn't changed. Of course, looks impressive to a buyer but who knows if the information is correct or even gies with that puppy. AKC makes money that way. Don't get me started.
Yes, I used to show dogs and did some breeding. I also have done education for our large breed club and have done puppy referral - these are club positions.
I explained to people then, as I do now, that the fact a dog is AKC registered means little. I then try to advise them what to look for when looking for a reputable breeder. Nothing is 100% foolproof but we need to keep trying to educate people the best we can.
Thanks. Nice to know another good Vet will be joining the ranks. We sure need and depend on them.
However, people can buy puppy mill puppies and pet store puppies with AKC registration, assuming that hasn't changed. Of course, looks impressive to a buyer but who knows if the information is correct or even gies with that puppy. AKC makes money that way. Don't get me started.
Yes, I used to show dogs and did some breeding. I also have done education for our large breed club and have done puppy referral - these are club positions.
I explained to people then, as I do now, that the fact a dog is AKC registered means little. I then try to advise them what to look for when looking for a reputable breeder. Nothing is 100% foolproof but we need to keep trying to educate people the best we can.
Thanks. Nice to know another good Vet will be joining the ranks. We sure need and depend on them.
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