The puppy in the window may be "on sale," but you'll be paying much more in vet bills than you can imagine!

5 Reasons to Avoid Buying Pet Store Pets

1.      Do You Want To Support Puppy Mills?

For one thing, responsible and ethical breeders would never sell any of their pets to a pet store. You want a responsibly bred pet for many reasons, but health being among one of the top reasons. Poorly bred dogs will cost you lots of pain, tears and money. Pet stores look at pets as merchandise and have do not give a hoot about the integrity of the breed. These puppies almost always end up with early age arthritis, hip dysplasia (I’ve met dogs under 1 year old with arthritis and hip dysplasia), giardia (a harmful parasite that is difficult to battle), personality disorders, etc. Find out more about puppy mills at the Humane Society’s website. Here is a good article on the connection between pet stores and puppy mills from PetSide.com.

2.      The “Guarantee”

Pet stores will guarantee that they will take your pet back and give you your money back when you discover how terribly ill your new pet is. What they won’t tell you is that they will not take the pet to the veterinarian for care. They won’t “waste” the money. They will pay to have the pet put to sleep, the end.

3.      House Training

The puppies in puppy stores are kept in small cages and never see grass, dirt, tile, carpet or anything other than a wire bottomed cage that they use the bathroom on whenever they feel the need. This makes it very difficult to house train these dogs and many of them have bathroom issues for the rest of their lives.

4.      What Will Your Pet Look Like When He Grows Up?

When you have to buy a pet because of the breed (I HIGHLY recommend adopting a pet through wonderful agencies such as Georgia Humane Society), if you buy from a store, you will not get to meet the parents of the pet. A reputable breeder will introduce you to the mom, siblings and possibly the dad of the pet. This will give you a good idea of size, temperament, and looks of your new pet. If you ask to see the mom of a dog in a puppy store, they will probably laugh at you.

5.      No Socialization at a Critical Age

Puppies in stores are often removed from their mother and siblings at far too young an age.  We’re talking 4 to 5 weeks old. Reputable breeders insist that the puppies stay with the pack until at least 10 weeks old. This is something that true caring breeders care about because this is a critical age for puppies to learn canine manners and basically how to “speak dog”- their own language. Imagine if you weren’t taught what to do and you were just thrown into the world without any knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. You’re just expected to know. This is very cruel and unfair. Also keep in mind that these pups in the store have been very minimally handled by humans and can stay shy and fearful for life.

There are many other reasons not to buy that adorable puppy in the window- one more is that the breed on the paperwork may not be the puppy you end up with. Puppy mills are not careful about who breeds with who, as long as more puppies are coming to be sold. Your beautiful little German Shepherd puppy could have Maltese, Shih Tzu or any other number of breeds mixed in.

Before you go and buy a puppy from a store or a breeder, please consider the fully bred  dog (or mutts) being fostered with rescue groups. There are so many wonderful dogs out there that need homes! In my opinion, mutts are the best “breed.”

I care not much for a man’s religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.  ~Abraham Lincoln

At these puppy stores, the breeder isn’t even present. In fact, most of them will tell you they can’t even give you the address to the breeder’s home. This should be a HUGE red flag. The article below is something that I got from the Humane Society of the United States. I hope that you read this and think about adoption or at least a very reputable breeder before going to these puppy stores. We need to take a stand against this cruelty.

Puppy Mills

Can you imagine forcing your pet dog to live his or her entire life in a small wire cage with no human companionship, toys or comfort, and little hope of ever becoming part of a family? That is what life is like for a puppy mill breeding dog. Help us stop this cycle of cruelty that contributes to pet overpopulation and the suffering of countless dogs.

Puppy mills have been around for decades. They continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for-words puppies in pet store windows and on legitimate-seeming websites. Puppy mills house dogs in shockingly poor conditions. After their fertility wanes, breeding animals are often killed, abandoned or sold cheaply to another mill to try and get “one more litter” out of the dog. The annual result of all this breeding is millions of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.

Buying A Puppy

Questions to ask yourself, and how to prepare for a new pup

The first step on the road to pet ownership is to ask yourself some tough questions: Why do you want a puppy? Can you afford one? Are you prepared to take care of a dog every day for his entire life?

If you’ve decided you’re ready for a dog, follow The HSUS’ top five puppy buying tips and you’ll be far more likely to secure a healthy, well-socialized dog who doesn’t drain your emotions or your pocketbook. One, in other words, who doesn’t come from a puppy mill.

1. Consider adoption. Adopting a dog instead of buying one is one of the surest ways to strike a blow against puppy mills. To find the perfect match, you’ll want to choose the right one for you and your lifestyle. Animal shelters have dozens of dogs, many of them purebreds, just waiting for homes. There are also breed specific rescue groups for every breed of dog, including “designer” or “hybrids” like Labradoodles and Puggles. Mixed-breed dogs also make wonderful pets. Read more about adopting a puppy through a shelter or breed rescue group »

2. Find a responsible breeder and visit their premises. Responsible breeders provide a loving and healthy environment for their canine companions, one that they will be proud to show you. Never buy a puppy without seeing where they and their parents are raised and housed with your own eyes. Read more on how to find a good dog breeder »

3. Don’t be fooled by common claims made by pet stores when pushing their puppies. Despite what they may tell you, pet stores do sell puppy mill puppies. Read more about the false claims commonly made by pet stores at the Pet Store Doublespeak page »

4. Don’t be swayed by a great website or ad. Just because a website says great things about their “home raised” or “family raised” puppies doesn’t make it true. Many puppy millers pose as small family breeders online and in newspaper and magazine ads. For many years The HSUS has aided local authorities in the rescue of puppy mill dogs across the nation. In almost all cases the puppy mills sold puppies via the Internet using legitimate-looking ads or websites that made claims that couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

5. Avoid the temptation to “rescue” a puppy mill puppy by buying him. Even though your intentions may be good, don’t buy a puppy with the idea that you are “rescuing” him or her. Your “rescue” opens up space for another puppy mill puppy and puts money into the pockets of the puppy mill industry. Pet stores won’t leave their cages empty and websites won’t leave their pages blank. The money you spend on your puppy goes right back to the puppy mill operator and ensures they will continue breeding and treating dogs inhumanely. If you see someone keeping puppies in poor conditions, alert your local animal control authorities instead of buying.

What You Can Do to Stop Puppy Mills

Help stop the cycle of cruelty

Check out this list of things you can do to help stop puppy mills:

Get an education

Whether you’re thinking about getting a dog, want to educate others about puppy mills or just want to learn more, check out FAQs about puppy mills and puppy buying tips.

Kids and teens: help stop puppy mills with A Cause for Paws.

Go online

Stop puppy mills by visiting our pages on Facebook and MySpace.

Help make your local pet store “puppy friendly”

The Puppy Friendly Pet Stores initiative asks dog lovers everywhere to work with their local pet stores to encourage them to develop and implement “puppy friendly” policies by refusing to sell puppies in their store and supporting homeless pet adoptions instead. Stores that already do not sell puppies can sign up to show that they are taking a stand against puppy mills and to “make official” their policy of not selling puppies. Learn more here »

Be an advocate

There are many things you can do to help dogs in puppy mills. “An Advocate’s Guide to Stopping Puppy Mills“ is a good place to start with many ideas that can propel you into action. ”A Guide to Using Local Ordinances to Combat Puppy Mills” is designed to help you work for the passage of local laws in your own community that will improve the lives of dogs in puppy mills.

Download “An Advocate’s Guide to Stopping Puppy Mills” »
Download “A Guide to Using Local Ordinances to Combat Puppy Mills” »

Or, you may order the more extensive kit that includes the guide as well as everything you’ll need to start spreading the word about puppy mills in your community, including printed materials, letter templates, tips for developing legislation and activity ideas. The kit is designed to help you discuss the puppy mill issue accurately and intelligently, whether speaking to friends and family or the local media: $3 each. Download the order form »

Lobby for better laws

Contact your federal and state legislators and let them know that you’re concerned about the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills and want the puppy mill issue to be a priority for Congress. Ask them to expand the reach of the Animal Welfare Act to include kennels that sell large numbers of puppies directly to the public.

Get “Stop Puppy Mills” stuff

Spread the word about puppy mills wherever you go with stickers, T-shirts, bookmarks, dog collars, and flyers, or download a banner or badge for your website or blog »

Speak up

Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper is a great way to get the word out about puppy mills in your community. Write your own version—a short, polite letter is most effective—or download a Microsoft Word version of the template that you can alter.

Furnish your vet with flyers

Download and print these flyers and bring them to your veterinarian or groomer’s office: “Getting a Puppy?” and “How to Find a Good Dog Breeder” are designed to help potential pet owners avoid puppy mills.

Donate

Help The HSUS in our ongoing campaign to stop puppy mills. Please make a donation today.

I don`t hold animals superior or even equal to humans. The whole case for behaving decently to animals rests on the fact that we are the superior species. We are the species uniquely capable of imagination, rationality, and moral choice – and that is precisely why we are under an obligation to recognize and respect the rights of animals.
– Brigid Brophy

We’ve all seen the commercials showing these terribly sad, poor dogs and cats in cages with Sarah McLachlan as the spokes person. Most of us, anyway. Our hearts break when we see it and we know that this is happening all over America. What can we do about it? The easiest thing for you to do is do not buy a puppy until extensive research has been done on the breeder. There are a lot of puppy “stores” that will tell you that they do not buy from puppy mills, but ask them for the address of the puppy’s breeder and go there. You need to see the surroundings of the puppy and meet the puppy’s parents. Any breeder that can’t allow this or any puppy “store” that cannot give you an address has something very shady is going on.

There are so many wonderful, adoptable dogs that need a home. My Mom, Vicki Lunceford adopted a Lhasa Apso from Atlanta Pet Rescue, Sassy, and she is a puppy mill rescue. She’s coming around very well, but she has a lot of issues that my Mom has had to find answers to. Before rescued, puppy mill dogs are kept in small cages and never let out, sometimes more than one per cage. This makes it more difficult to teach house training and leash training, among other learned behaviors. Patience and understanding are required to adopt one of these  dogs, but to see the pride on one of these dogs’ little faces when something finally clicks is priceless.

Below is a story that I found on the ASPCA site about a few rescued pups that need a home and some that have been adopted.

The Lucky 34—Meet Our Puppy Mill Survivors

On February 7, 34 dogs who once endured terrible living conditions in a notorious puppy mill operation in Holly Springs, MS, were transported to the Big Apple in search of new forever homes. The dogs, many of whom are small breeds, are not the cute, cuddly pups often displayed in pet shop windows, but mothers and fathers who were used as breeding stock at the puppy mill.

These special pups have spent their entire lives confined to tiny wire cages, which inhibit natural behaviors like running, playing and even stretching. Trading the stark environment of a puppy mill for novel sights, sounds and sensations can be tremendously overwhelming for these sheltered animals. Simple behaviors like potty training, sitting on laps or even walking on a leash are challenging activities. Ample recovery time helps, so too does the dedication of a very special adopter—one who will provide lots of love and unconditional acceptance.

Think you have what it takes to care for one of these special pooches? Here are a few of the extraordinary puppy mill survivors who are just waiting for laps to call their own.

Clementine

Check out teeny Clementine. She’s a bit of a nervous Nelly, but who can blame a girl? Clem needs an experienced adopter—are you that pro? If you can help our little Miss Sunshine come out of her shell and experience the world with freedom and love, you may be the perfect pet parent for her.

Lugini

Lugini is a sweet and shy Chihuahua boy with lots of love to give. He just needs a little time to get comfy—after all, he’s seen a lot in his short life. Like most puppy mill survivors, Lugini is a high flight risk as he startles easily and may bolt. It is wise to always keep him on a leash or enjoy playtime in a fenced-in yard. While a true work in progress, this special munchkin is bound to make you laugh and smile.

For more information about adopting one of these dogs, please visit our Adoption Center online and for expert tips on living with a puppy mill dog, visit ASPCA.org.

JUST ADOPTED!

Buffy

Buffy is a sensitive girl from Mississippi—a true diamond in the rough. A sweet little Rat Terrier, Buffy is healthy physically but fairly damaged emotionally. She lived for years in a mill churning out puppies for money. While she needs a little extra time to warm up to strangers, Buffy’s true colors were recently noticed by a visitor to our Adoption Center. We are happy to report this tiny pup is happily settling in to her new forever home!

Betty and Wilma

These sugary-sweet sisters endured some rough times at the Mississippi puppy mill before landing in the Big Apple—and their lack of experience shows. Both tend to lag a bit behind on walks—like most mill dogs, they have never experienced walking on a leash. And neither of the girls are potty trained—also common with mill dogs who have been forced to relieve themselves in their cages for years. Despite these minor setbacks, these two sisters wowed potential adopters with their sweet-as-pie kisses and have recently been adopted!

We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form.  ~William Ralph Inge, Outspoken Essays, 1922