Friend got a dog from Petland....

[LK03]

My friend is very adament about adopting pets. She has two dogs already that she has adopted from the pound over the last couple of years. Her HOA has a limit of two dogs only as well as her city says you may only register two dogs.

She's repeatedly over and over said one shouldn't get a dog from a breeder let alone a pet store.

She also has two sugar gliders, a fish, and a hedgehod. Like me, her husband is deployed. They like to take lots of vacation, and who gets to watch the zoo? Me.

Just this last week I watched one of her dogs and had to go to tend to the zoo every couple of days.

She IMs me today while her husband is on emergency leave just one more day (leaves tomorrow in the afternoon) that they got a puppy. She bought a Boston Terrier (which she's been wanting) from Petland.

She claims that Petland doesn't support puppy mills and backyard breeders. Two of my pets came from breeders and you better believe I was screened and had to sign paperwork and told if ever I want to get the animal up, I give it back to the breeder.

She said the guy at Petland builds a relationship with you and will ask you about the puppy later on if you go in there. Wow. He didn't BREED the dog!! It's not his puppy. A reputable breeder will not go to Petland and dump their genetically tested, healthy pups to them!!

I called her and didn't say congrats or anything. I said that she went against everything she preaches. She went against her HOA and her city ordinances and now all I'm thinking about is oh joy, another animal to watch when block leave comes up.

Seriously. What would you say?!

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

Nothing, they are her pets.

If you don't want to check on her pets for her that's another issue, make it clear that you're not comfortable doing that anymore and leave it at that.

 

[Sherri]

I have such mixed feelings on this topic being the animal lover that I am.
Part of me feels like it is absolutly totally 110% wrong to buy an animal from a pet store. On the other hand I know that most of those poor animals have lived a life of lonliness and horror from being bred most likely in a puppy mill and though I absolutly HATE that thought and HATE the fact that anyone could make money on something so horrific, I also feel like it is in a way rescueing the dog from the bad start in life they had.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

She's most likey hurting and surrounding herself with things that will unconditionally love her.

Please be there and support her.


Wow I can't believe to get this all out without one laughing smily but hey really she may just need them.

 

[java]

Well add me to the buying from a store. We have bought our 2 priors through breeders. We were waiting and hoping with breeders. Kept missing the boat. Wasn't getting puppies. Then we went looking- just to look and little miss thing had just arrived. And we scooped her up. Didn't want her to spend one day there. So yes I probably opened myself up to problems, but those eyes that puppy face. Just as lovable as one from a breeder(isn't the breeder making money too?) I'm just happy to have my dog.
We also had tried the rescue route but it wasn't happening. They would not allow us to adopt an older dog because of my children. And they were not getting puppies. So we were shut out at the rescue. Not as easy to rescue as you would think. You need a fenced yard with many of them too- which we don't have but need to get anyway.
Now I have 2 dogs and that is PLENTY of animals for us! Good luck to them.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I would congratulate her. This falls into religion and politics. Be happy for your friend and her new "baby".

 

[Allison]

I wouldn't say anything. Why do you need to? It's her life and her decision.

If you don't like watching the animals, which is a separate issue, say no the next time you are asked.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I don't know why in the world you felt it was your place to chastise her.....

All animals need good loving homes. I have two persians that I bought from breeders and one gorgeous shih tzu that came from a pet store. It is no one's business where I acquired my pets and if a "friend" decided to give me down the country for how I obtained my dog.....I would tell them bugger off and go volunteer some of their time and energy to the animal shelters.

 

[MelanieC]

I agree with everyone else. It's nobody's business where she gets her dog but hers. The puppy can't help it where he was at and I'm sure the puppy needs love like any other puppy. What if that puppy ended up in a rescue and they got it that way, what's the difference? Look at it like she rescued it from the pet store. A puppy loves you the same no matter where you get them from.

 

[Piecey]

My puppy, Rink, is from Petland.
I walked in Petland that day a firm believer in getting animals from the humane society.
However, I looked at his face he looked at me and that was all there was to it.

I see nothing wrong this. I have battled depression for most of my life and can honestly promise you he has changed my life for the better. I'd go as far to say that he kept me from starting anti-depressants again. Coming home to a lick and an excited tail wag always made my day better, I really love him.

He made my world better and I made his world better-- if I hadn't bought him, someone else would.
IF you have a problem with puppy mill pet store puppies-- don't get one.
But don't belittle her for adding someone to her world.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

IMHO it sounds like you actually have other issues with her. I have a hard time believing all this emotion is about a puppy.

As far as the pet store issue goes this was posted a few weeks ago and it became nasty.....

 

[lulugirl]

Are her pets well cared for? If so then I fail to see how this is any of your business
If you don't want to pet-sit then say no.

 

[poohandwendy]

I wouldn't have said anything but 'congratulations'

If someone asked me beforehand what my opinion is of pet stores and puppy mills, I would give my opinion. After the fact, what is the point? And I agree that all animals need loving homes.

 

[TinkInPink]

around where i live the rescues and humane societies want you to jump through so many hoops, i know why people aren't adopting. they want 5 non family references, and a vet, fenced yard, they do a home visit, they wont tell you if anyone else is interested in the dog, they wont preapprove you, and they wont hold a dog( like if you go in in the morning and see one you like but you have to get the family to come see it, someone can come and adopt it while your deciding) and its about 150-200 dollars to adopt a dog.

I wouldn't say anything to your friend, i agree with the poster who said she is hurting and lonely and this is a coping mechanism.

 

[Planogirl]

My mother was against pet shops too and got her dogs from reputable breeders. However she passed a pet shop once and saw a puppy face that she said she couldn't resist. She had to go look at the puppy and then she ended up coming home with it.

Maybe it was wrong but this was a wonderful dog who lived to be quite old and was a joy to my parents. I would personally keep my comments to myself unless she makes a habit of bringing home new pets.

 

[daisax]

The puppy can't help it where he was at and I'm sure the puppy needs love like any other puppy. What if that puppy ended up in a rescue and they got it that way, what's the difference? Look at it like she rescued it from the pet store.

The difference is that the moment this one was purchased, it increased the market for more puppies from the puppy mill to replace it.

When you're tempted to "rescue" the pup in the pet store window, know that by doing so, you're condemning its parents and other dogs like them to more breeding. The conditions under which the parents are kept are deplorable, and the conditions under which that adorable puppy (and its fellows) were kept until the day they arrived at the store and were hosed off were deplorable. They ship hundreds of them at a time in a truck, layers of cages separated only with wire. The lucky dogs are on the top layer - the unlucky ones lower down, if you know what I mean. A good number of them don't make it to the store, or are too sickly when they get to the store for the store to sign for them. And if the store won't sign for them, don't kid yourself that they get a round trip back to the puppy mill.

The way the pet store "supply chain" works is:

Puppy miller sells puppies for $20-$30 bucks each to a broker. The broker sells the pups for $100 each to the pet store chain. The chain sells them to the public for $1000. There is NO FINANCIAL INCENTIVE for the first two links in that chain, the miller and the broker, to treat the pups as anything but cheap merchandise, and make their money in VOLUME. That's thousands of dogs at a time, knowing that a certain percentage will die, but what the heck, there are more at $30/apiece to make up for it.

By buying a pet from the pet store, you're encouraging that industry. If you can shrug that off, go ahead. If you don't want to shrug it off, and you can't locate the pup you want from a breeder, shelter or rescue, even getting a pup from a local newspaper ad is a better bet, because at least you won't be supporting an entire industry based on the disposability of the pups you claim to love.

 

[louey]

The difference is that the moment this one was purchased, it increased the market for more puppies from the puppy mill to replace it.

When you're tempted to "rescue" the pup in the pet store window, know that by doing so, you're condemning its parents and other dogs like them to more breeding. The conditions under which the parents are kept are deplorable, and the conditions under which that adorable puppy (and its fellows) were kept until the day they arrived at the store and were hosed off were deplorable. They ship hundreds of them at a time in a truck, layers of cages separated only with wire. The lucky dogs are on the top layer - the unlucky ones lower down, if you know what I mean. A good number of them don't make it to the store, or are too sickly when they get to the store for the store to sign for them. And if the store won't sign for them, don't kid yourself that they get a round trip back to the puppy mill.

The way the pet store "supply chain" works is:

Puppy miller sells puppies for $20-$30 bucks each to a broker. The broker sells the pups for $100 each to the pet store chain. The chain sells them to the public for $1000. There is NO FINANCIAL INCENTIVE for the first two links in that chain, the miller and the broker, to treat the pups as anything but cheap merchandise, and make their money in VOLUME. That's thousands of dogs at a time, knowing that a certain percentage will die, but what the heck, there are more at $30/apiece to make up for it.

By buying a pet from the pet store, you're encouraging that industry. If you can shrug that off, go ahead. If you don't want to shrug it off, and you can't locate the pup you want from a breeder, shelter or rescue, even getting a pup from a local newspaper ad is a better bet, because at least you won't be supporting an entire industry based on the disposability of the pups you claim to love.

Well said daisax!!! I have a rescue puppy mill dog. Thankfully I got her when she was only two years old, she lived in a cage her entire 2 years on a commercial breeding farm in Arkansas. No one stayed there they would just come feed the dogs and squirt their cages out while all the dogs were in them. I don't want to get this thread locked but all I can say is do your homework and try not to even walk into pet stores that sell dogs/cats. Try petfinder.com I use to be the same way until I started educating myself about rescue dogs, it is the best feeling to know that you saved them.

 

[Snow_White]

The difference is that the moment this one was purchased, it increased the market for more puppies from the puppy mill to replace it.

When you're tempted to "rescue" the pup in the pet store window, know that by doing so, you're condemning its parents and other dogs like them to more breeding. The conditions under which the parents are kept are deplorable, and the conditions under which that adorable puppy (and its fellows) were kept until the day they arrived at the store and were hosed off were deplorable. They ship hundreds of them at a time in a truck, layers of cages separated only with wire. The lucky dogs are on the top layer - the unlucky ones lower down, if you know what I mean. A good number of them don't make it to the store, or are too sickly when they get to the store for the store to sign for them. And if the store won't sign for them, don't kid yourself that they get a round trip back to the puppy mill.

The way the pet store "supply chain" works is:

Puppy miller sells puppies for $20-$30 bucks each to a broker. The broker sells the pups for $100 each to the pet store chain. The chain sells them to the public for $1000. There is NO FINANCIAL INCENTIVE for the first two links in that chain, the miller and the broker, to treat the pups as anything but cheap merchandise, and make their money in VOLUME. That's thousands of dogs at a time, knowing that a certain percentage will die, but what the heck, there are more at $30/apiece to make up for it.

By buying a pet from the pet store, you're encouraging that industry. If you can shrug that off, go ahead. If you don't want to shrug it off, and you can't locate the pup you want from a breeder, shelter or rescue, even getting a pup from a local newspaper ad is a better bet, because at least you won't be supporting an entire industry based on the disposability of the pups you claim to love.

Thank you for posting that. It was very well said and echoes my feelings exactly. (Yes, I feel it is important enough to quote in its entirety yet again)

 

[Cool-Beans]

Pretend that your friend is a dog and treat her with the amount of compassion and kindness you feel a dog deserves.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

what do you say? The deed is done, your opinion and your input were not solicited. You SAY absolutely nothing.

I mean -- I personally feel that anybody that would pay $1500 for something called a "Puggle" is a blooming idiot that deserves to be parted from their money and that a solid purse should cost $120 max, but I don't run around hunting down people who have made such purchases to offer my opinion to them, especially not if it is a relationship I'm interested in continuing.

If you want to remain her friend, you say absolutely nothing -- keeping in mind that moralistic decisions are personal and other people are not required to adhere to your standards to deserve their spot in this world.

You of course have every right to decline pet sitting the dog if you feel overburdened.