Does sale of puppies at a pet store turn you off?

[jub_jub_bird]

Do Puppies in pet stores realy reach these prices?!?!?! OMG! :eek1:

Sorry, its just we dont really have the huge scale puppy farms over here, or if we do they are a well kept secret. I have just looked into puppy mills in America and they seem, well, common for want of a better word...This just seems so insane to me, it realy does. I also Couldnt imagine why a breeder would want to sell a pet store their puppies on a smaller scale so i would summise that the majority of the livestock will come from these mills.

I just wonderd how common it is for pet stores to sell puppies and kittens and do you have any chainstores which often sell them?

(sorry for the questions but i want to do something about my ignorance lol!)

Thanks, Kat

 

[Mrs InsaneOne]

There are many factors it depends on, though the care provided to ALL of the animals in the store factors in greatly.

I see no problem with selling puppies or kittens in a pet store - especially if they are well cared for. The same goes for any reptiles or birds the store sells. Even the fish, for the fish deserve fresh clean water just as much as the puppy/kitten does.

I also don't agree with the statement that some pet stores don't care whether you buy supplies from them or not, because they sell high priced animals. This is not true. The majority of all sales that a pet store generates comes from the supplies they sell. Sure, it's a bonus to sell the high-priced animals, but if they didn't move the shelf products then they would be hard pressed to maintain the number of sell-able animals they have in the store.

Think about it, not in terms of what your business does or does not do for them, but for what the entire city/county/town does for them. How many OTHER people go in to buy dog food, cat litter, leashes, collars, or other pet care product? So long as those products are moving - they are making money. So, say you have 100 people who don't like the fact that the store sells puppies/kittens, but will go there for supplies. Even if those 100 people don't buy more then $15.00 worth of merchandise a month, that's $1,500 per month, $18,000 per year that the store is earning - even though you are not purchasing their $800-$2000 puppy.

For chain stores, such as PetCo and Petland, you could probably multiply that by the thousands - because it's not just one city/county/town that is contributing.

I've seen many small time pet stores come and go in the 8-9 years we've lived up here in the High Desert. The ones that went, they all focused on the animals - bringing in the expensive, rare pets thinking to generate $$ by selling a few animals and raking in the costs. The ones that have stuck around - even the terrible ones that have poor husbandry, stay because enough people are purchasing the supplies they sell.

That's not to say that some of the worst stores are not shut down as a result of the poor care their animals receive - we've seen that too - but for the most part, until authorities step in, the store prospers because there is always someone buying something at the store and not always an animal.

Jenn

 

[snakewispera snr]

I'm amazed that dogs worth that much are for sale in pet shops.
In the U.K. people who spend that sort of cash wouldn't consider a pet shop for the purchase. It would be a breeder that they have visited.
Although puppy farms are getting a bit more popular here. But you can always spot them, they're the ones who offer to meet you somewhere with a couple of puppies to look at.

 

[toyah]

I don't agree with live mammals being sold in pet shops at all, I have to admit, and I'm not sure on live reptiles being sold in them either. Pet shop buying in small animals results in those animals ending up in rescues. I can't see why it would be any different for dogs since they're even more demanding to own.

I bred rats for pet and show for eight years, and every single baby I bred was homed by me to a good pre-vetted pet home on contract, and I followed them up every few months to make sure that the home was working out and to ensure the health and temperament of the rat was fine (so I could plan further breeding decisions using that data). Any other breeders I know and respect in rats, cats, and dogs do exactly the same.

Even ignoring the rescue situation, and impulse buys, I feel that the breeder is losing the opportunity to speak to the buyers of their animals - which is an important thing. Keeping in touch is the only way you'll know that the kittens you're selling aren't all dying of something weird at four years old, or that every repeat breeding of your two dogs gives a litter that all have poor hips by the time they're eighteen months.

If a breeder isn't keeping in touch then they're blocking what is potentially valuable information, and personally I would like my animals to come from people who explore every avenue in ensuring the health of the animals they breed is excellent. Not just for me as the owner not wanting an unhealthy pet, but I feel we owe it to the animals we breed to do our best.

 

[GillyMonster]

I personally think you should buy animals like dogs etc from breeders.
In the U.K. you rarely see puppy/Kittens in pet shops because of the laws in our country..but then your country still allows Rattle snake round ups doesn't it ( sorry if I'm wrong about that)

Yes we do in Texas We round them up and then eat them up. :cheers:

 

[tom e]

Do Puppies in pet stores realy reach these prices?!?!?! OMG! :eek1:

Sorry, its just we dont really have the huge scale puppy farms over here, or if we do they are a well kept secret. I have just looked into puppy mills in America and they seem, well, common for want of a better word...This just seems so insane to me, it realy does. I also Couldnt imagine why a breeder would want to sell a pet store their puppies on a smaller scale so i would summise that the majority of the livestock will come from these mills.

I just wonderd how common it is for pet stores to sell puppies and kittens and do you have any chainstores which often sell them?

(sorry for the questions but i want to do something about my ignorance lol!)

Thanks, Kat

From my experience most chain stores do NOT sell puppies or kittens anymore. That may just be in California, but I have a feeling PetCo and Petsmart keep that policy throughout all their locations. (Petsmart even has adoption days that they'll advertise when shelters will be in with their more adoptable animals- very cool and smart. You adopt your dag and you buy the brush bowl lead and collar dog water dog food dog house god knows what else lol.)The only pet stores I ever see them in anymore are the independant shops. Usually the independant shops in the mall. :shrugs:

 

[Plissken]

I see no real problem buying mammals from pet shops as long as they're properly looked after whilst there. I fail to see why reptiles in shops is okay and mammals in shops is not.

I bought a bunny from a pet shop once. He lived for ten years and was the healthiest and happiest little thing. He gave me a tremendous amount of pleasure. Pet shop critters are just as deserving of a good home as pets in shelters.

I'm not of a very strong opinion either way. I just think it's important not to criminalise ALL shops because SOME shops act in a certain way.

 

[texastailfeathers]

I'm not of a very strong opinion either way. I just think it's important not to criminalise ALL shops because SOME shops act in a certain way.

I totally agree. It's a shame that the few bad ones ruin it for everybody.

 

[Jimmy Johnson]

yep

From my experience most chain stores do NOT sell puppies or kittens anymore. That may just be in California, but I have a feeling PetCo and Petsmart keep that policy throughout all their locations. (Petsmart even has adoption days that they'll advertise when shelters will be in with their more adoptable animals- very cool and smart. You adopt your dag and you buy the brush bowl lead and collar dog water dog food dog house god knows what else lol.)The only pet stores I ever see them in anymore are the independant shops. Usually the independant shops in the mall.

yep same here
I can't go into PetCo or PetSmart on Saturdays.
That's when they have the dogs and cats, from the shelter, up for adoption.
I want to take them all home.

 

[tom e]

:-offtopic
I'd also like to add, I think Petsmart is a good stock right now. :grin01:

 

[Cflaguy]

I haven't read this post and I....

don't need to. Having worked in the pet biz I know where these puppies come from. I won't say never though. If you can get a good puppy who has just arrived in a store, I would consider buying it.

 

[alysha101]

I know I am only 15 years old. But my parents have gotten dogs from Petland before. My dad used to work at Petland, that was until he figured out their ways. He didn't like how they treated the animals and how they were bred. My mom is an Italian Greyhound lover and baught one from Petland. We found out the papers was indeed from a puppy mill. That puppy had serious problems and had to have surgery on her hip bones at 5 months old. My moms dog(midget) never came out of surgery. She died on the surgery table. About a year later they decided to try one more time. After receiving a dog that looked just like the last, they named her gidget and only had her for a couple of months. We had to find a home for her because she had serious seizures and the medicine would cost us $160 a month. At the time, we couldn't afford it. Luckily, ten years later she is still alive, but still has seizures.

We have gotten about 3 other dogs besides the two, with not as bad problems. Most or all come from puppy mills and you end up spending entirely too much money on the things.

We will NEVER buy any type of dogs from a pet store. Why can't they just stop ruining these puppies?

Maybe you're looking at it the wrong way. Do you really think the manager of that store is going to care that I won't shop there because he sells puppies? How much does a puppy sell for? $1000-$2000. How much do they pay for these puppies from puppy mills? A few hundred bucks. So, after food, they probably make $1000 pure profit at least. Someone that is going to boycott them for selling puppies is not a puppy buyer. They know this. So what is the boycotter buying? Probably pet food. Which doesn't make them much money at all.

I'm not going to buy a dog from them. Ever. I've been shopping there since it opened, because again, it's a mile away whereas the stores in jacksonville are 40 minutes away. I've never even thought about buying one of their dogs. I've also told them as soon as Petco opens I won't be doing business with them anymore because Petco has animal adoptions with dogs and cats from the pound and local rescue organizations. You know what? They don't care. They don't want to keep my business if I'm not buying their over priced animals.

Petland REFUSED the offers of the humane society, cats angels, and stars when they first opened. You want to know why they refused free animals to adopt out in their store for the spaying/neutering fee? Even though it would have brought business to their pet supplies they make crap loads of profit off puppy mill puppies, they don't make their living off cat nip and dog bones. Nothing I say is going to affect them or any other petland across the country. There have been mass protests and boycotts at other petlands all over the place. Did they change their puppy policies, where they get their dogs, or stop selling them? No.

 

[cornspot]

I don't think any reputable dog breeder would sell their puppies through a pet store unless the petstore owner was also the breeder of the dogs. A RB wants to know where his or her puppies are going, will have a contract for the buyer to sign & will be willing to take back (or maybe even require it in the contract) any puppy that cannot be kept by the buyer at anytime in the future.

I won't support stores that sell puppies; I have bought supplies from a place that sells exotic kittens because I can get my dogs food from there if I forget to order in time from elsewhere.

I do a fair amount of rescue work and just can't stand the idea that dogs and cats are allowed to be sold in pet shops. I also work at a vet office & we see a lot of puppies from the mall; many are fine but many come to us because they are sick.

 

[Tyger9791]

I work at an animal shelter and it just boggles my mind how many people won't adopt a dog from us because of the "hassle" we give them (contract, home check in some cases, required spay/neuter, rabies vax, landlord's permission) but then go to Petland and buy a $2000 puppy only to dump it off with us a few months later because it is sickly or the landlord found out and won't allow them to have pets.
I get the biggest kick out of those who wouldn't adopt from us because they think that shelter dogs are sickly or they want a pedigreed...but then they return a while later with a pup to give up that they bought from a pet store that sells puppy mill puppies.

i've had to deny many applicants because their landlord does not allow pets. so of course they head to the pet store and buy a dog on credit! yes, petland offers a credit or payment plan...I've had people surrender dogs to me that they are still making payments on!!!! ludicrous.
on one hand i wish we could force them to return the puppy to the store they bought it from, force them to take it back. but on the other hand, i wonder if they are better off with us. though sometimes they do not make it back out the front door again. if they have health issues we usually humanely euthanize them rather than adopting them out to another family and make that family take on the medical burden.
now there are good people out there, responsible breeders and responsible pet store owners who sell puppies and kittens. i try to send people there if we don't have the kitten or puppy they are looking for. we rarely get in small breed dogs. but i plead with them not to go to petland and to research breeders before they impulsively buy.

 

[Tom Tuttle]

I voted a combination of above. I don't go in pet stores ( don't need to), and every dog We've ever bought was directly from the breeder.

 

[CaptBogart]

I don't mind at all, and it's great having such a large selection of Designer Squeaky Toys available for our huge dogs.... Damn, did I say that out loud? "Roxy, Sierra, Zutsa, fetch the Maltipoo...(Maltese X Poodle).."

Squeaky
Squeaky
Squeaky
Squeaky
Squeaky
:grin01:

 

[DaGiant]

I have worked for and owned Pet Stores, there are laws that protect
the animals (when enforced) At my store I called and had regular
inspections done to protect myself. I would order from reputable breeders
and have puppies shipped in, I would visit the breeders to see the
conditions the animals are kept in. My Dogs would cost more than
some stores due to the quality of the breeding (and what I had to pay).
I would give a FREE vet visit for all new purchases and had a warranty
on them also.. I was so sure of my dogs I gave a 2 YEAR warranty on
German Shepherds for "Hip Displaysia"..
On the other side, I worked for a Pet Center in a mall that would get
weekly deliveries, many of which got coughs/colds often. The "Vet" bill
was high for this store. I'm sure some of the "Suppliers" were mills..
When my concerns were expressed I was let go, but the store closed
the next month..
Most store now work with agency's for adoptions instead of "New Puppies"

Anyway, my point is not ALL stores that sell animals are bad! I think they
need a grading system like restaurants have..

 

[batwrangler]

What really gets my goat though, are the number of people buying puppies from pet stores. There are zillions of awesome dogs at the pound!

I wouldn't buy a puppy from a pet store, but it's not necesarily easy to get a dog from a pound/humane society either: When I tried to adopt my dog Gwyn, I owned a car, had personally guaranteed a car loan and student loans, was employed full time, was of legal drinking age, and had voted in a presidential election, but I was not allowed to sign her adoption papers because I was only 20, not 21!

I've also known people who resorted to buying petstore or backyard puppies or kittens after being refused by pet adoption agencies.

 

[MrsCornSnake]

They can't sell puppies at petstores in my state. But if I saw them on sale... yeah, that'd turn me off.

 

[tyflier]

I haven't read the topic and...

...don't really need to to express my opinion of the situation.

I chose "Other" in the poll, simply because the other options didn't fully cover my opinion. I couldn't choose "Never" because, unfortunately...I have, in the past, made purchases from these shops, and...again, unfortunately...I take my daughter in to play with the puppies, though we would never buy one. I know it supports the shop in a small way but...it puts perma-grin on my daughter's face, so I sacrifice my beliefs the tiniest bit for her happiness.

But as for my true opinion:

I work in a shop, and we flat out refuse to sell puppies or kittens, simply because we will not contribute to the over abundance of puppies and kittens being bought and dropped off at shelters around the country. It is not responsible, in our collective opinion(and yes...the question is asked regularly by the owner, as she ALWAYS wants our input, as employees), it isn't fair to the animals to continue selling young dogs and cats, when there are so many fantastic animals available in local shelters.

Conversely...puppies and kittens DO attract customers. So we compromise...

We have a "Pet Adoption Day" once a month at the shop where we host the local animal shelter, who brings down a selection of available dogs and cats for adoption. People come by, some adopt animals, most buy supplies from the shop, and everyone enjoys the day. The shop employees volunteer time handling and walking the dogs, the shelter volunteers LOVE the exposure and the opportunity to get these animals out into public view, and the customers enjoy the opportunity to see and enjoy the animals.

In the past 2 months we have helped adopt out 15 dogs and 6 cats...that's only 2 days...one day per month. We have another one scheduled for December 8...just in time for Christmans!!

In my ever so humble opinion...this is the best scenario both as a business for the shop, and for the animals in terms of getting GOOD animals into GOOD homes...without contributing to the over-abundance of milled puppies and "soon-to-be-abaondoned" animals...