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

Will you buy from stores that sell puppies?

  • No, never!

    Votes: 32 34.8%

  • Depends on how the puppies are kept... and where they come from.

    Votes: 40 43.5%

  • Depends on how bad I need a given supply at that moment!

    Votes: 4 4.3%

  • Sure, why not? There's nothing wrong with puppies in stores.

    Votes: 6 6.5%

  • A combination of the above (explain in post)

    Votes: 3 3.3%

  • Other (explain in post)

    Votes: 7 7.6%
  • Total voters
    92
VERY FEW pet stores get their puppies from small breeders. Most get them from breeding facilities aka puppy mills.

In all truth, hamsters, mice, rats, gerbils, bunnies, etc....most come from breeding facilities.

I always refuse to shop at stores with puppies. Buying a puppy is a HUGE responsibility. Bigger than any other pet there (save for parrots). And selling them so people could easily impulse buy a cute one is the worst thing they can do for a dog.

I work in a pet shop. A small mom/pop place. They refuse to sell dogs and cats. However we do have the local humane society and cat rescues come down to adopt out animals. And when someone comes into the pet shop and says "Do you sell puppies?"
Every manager, owner, and employee says the same thing. "No, but the humane society is right up this road, take a right onto us1 and then your first right and its there."

When people tell me they want a purebred baby one, I tell them how I adopted a SPHYNX KITTEN, a $2500 cat there 2 years ago! And how they get young purebred animals there all the time. So I usually shut people up with that and hopefully get them thinking to check the shelter.
 
Well I can't really offer an opinion, since it doesn't really happen here in the UK. People who buy puppies and kittens here get them from sanctuaries, or from private breeders. I'm not sure if the commercial sale of puppies and kittens is illegal, but I've never seen any evidence of it happening, so it might be.

However, if it did happen, I would take the following things into account:

1. How were the puppies obtained?
2. Is it a clean, well-looked after store?
3. Do the staff know what they're talking about and do they have the records and/or pedigree documents.
4. Does the puppy appear alert and healthy?

All the best

David
 
A big problem is, pet stores can lie. No pet store will give you the name and number of the "breeder" for fear you will buy direct. You can ask them where they come from and they'll say "a local breeder", when they really come from a puppy mill. There is NO telling.

In the USA, the dog or cat must be 8 weeks of age and have a health certificate. All that certificate says is the animal is healthy at the time sold. It does not deal with genetic defects and diseases. Which can show up early or later in life and cost an owner $1000s.

Personally, I always recommend a shelter/rescue first. And if the person is specific about a young purebred puppy, I suggest to always go to a private breeder where they can meet the puppy's parents in the home they live at. And if they have a bad gut feeling about a place, don't buy it.
 
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