Is it really not a good idea to buy a puppy for a pet store?

[desamnik]

My DH and I have decided we want a puppy. We have an almost 12 year old Yorkie that we got from a "breeder". Since we have decided on doing this I am kind of wanting him "yesterday". So I got to wondering what people think of pet store puppies? Is it really as bad an idea as I feel I have heard?

 

[kimblebee]

Here, it's pretty well known that pet stores get their animals from mills.

Isn't there a pet store in, I want to say Seattle (?) where all dogs come from rescues? I personally don't understand paying hundreds or thousands for an animal but I'm not a pet person so..

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

Please read this: http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/facts-pet-stores-puppy-mills.pdf

I would never, ever, EVER purchase a puppy from a puppy store. Reputable breeders do not sell their puppies to stores. A puppy from a store is from a puppy mill, where dogs are almost always in unsanitary conditions and kept to pump out puppies and make money. These puppies can be born with birth defects, illnesses, etc. If you are set on a yorkie, I'd look at reputable breeders and rescue groups.

 

[KathyTX]

Yes, it's REALLY a bad idea to buy from a pet store. These dogs come from puppy mills, where the dogs are treated very inhumanely. Buying these puppies supports this horrible practice.

Just Google "puppy mills." Heartbreaking.

Adopt from a shelter or rescue instead.

#AdoptDontShop

 

[Magpie]

Well, first off puppies are essentially infants. Living in a shop window is not an ideal way to learn good manners, proper social skills, or any other quality you might want in your new pet.

Also, in places where the selling of puppies is unregulated, many pet stores get their puppies from unregulated commercial breeders (ie puppy mills). They're poorly bred, prone to genetic issues, and born into crowded, unsanitary conditions.

Even the pet stores that claim to purchase puppies from regulated and certified breeders, are not going to be selling you a top quality dog. Their puppies are often unhealthy and unsocialized, because the breeder is breeding for quantity, not quality.

And think about that, is this really what you want to encourage? Breeding dogs for profit? Factory farming puppies? Just imagine what kind of life your puppy's mother is leading! (I recommend you don't Google it.)

These days, most reputable pet stores will partner with local animal shelters. The puppies in their windows stay for only a couple days, and are rotated frequently, returning to the shelter if they're not adopted. It's the most ethical choice, short of going directly to a shelter.

If you must purchase from a breeder, do your research, and go visit the breeder's home to see with your own eyes see how the dogs are being cared for.

 

[sonnyjane]

Ay yi yi yi yi. The only exceptions are the areas (San Fran, LA, San Diego, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Austin for examples) where the law has deemed that the only animals that can be available at pet stores are rescues. Other than that, do NOT get a pet from a pet store.

 

[mjkacmom]

Never. These dogs come from horrible places that, at best, don't care about the health and wellness of these puppies. At worst, you are supporting animal cruelty financially. You CAN wait, do your homework. As you know, dogs are a big commitment, take your time. I love my rescue dog (got her at 6 months, housebroken and crate trained). The puppy mill dog I had before her (puppy store, AKC papers) was never quite right in the head.

 

[Hikergirl]

What happens to the dogs at the stores when nobody buys them? Do they get sent to shelters?

 

[MamaBelle4]

I won't even take my kids in a pet store. Why spend hundreds to thousands on an animal when there are so many that need families? Spend the $60 shelter fee, adopt a mutt, donate the rest you would've spent to the SPCA.

Plus, you can take your older dog in to meet the new one to make sure they get along. My SIL bought a puppy from a breeder and she is a sweet dog, but very aggressive to their older dog, who they've kept penned up for the last 4 years now. It breaks my heart every time I go over.

 

[KathyTX]

These two rescues are wrestling and climbing on me as I try to type this now.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

Echoing no to pet store puppies! If you buy a dog please do so from a reputable breeder. I wanted a very specific type of dog and a puppy for my first pet.

The breeder I got her from put me through a quite rigorous interview! She asked me about my home, lifestyle, plan for the puppy while I was at work, etc. Reputable breeders not only care for the mothers and young puppies, but they also care about where their dogs are homed.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

Yes, they are horrible, awful places.

I foster dogs. Yorkie rescues are not hard to come by. If you are open to a Yorkie mix, it should be quite easy to find a rescue puppy.

 

[KathyTX]

What happens to the dogs at the stores when nobody buys them? Do they get sent to shelters?

No. The pet stores generally treat them as "inventory", not as sweet puppies to be loved and nurtured. They usually keep marking them down, while the poor dog lives its life in a cage, until someone eventually buys it.

 

[Hikergirl]

No. The pet stores generally treat them as "inventory", not as sweet puppies to be loved and nurtured. They usually keep marking them down, while the poor dog lives its life in a cage, until someone eventually buys it.

But what happens when nobody does? Do they get sent back to the puppy mills?

We have a store in our mall and there was a dog in there for a long time. My dd works there and would go on her break to see them. He was eventually gone, but from what my dd said she didn't think anyone bought him

 

[desamnik]

Ok, I knew this was the answer. Thanks for the reminder. I know it is a bad idea, but think of the poor puppies that suffer by people NOT buying them. Why aren't the pet stores monitored better so that this obvious mistreatment isn't allowed. SAD. Thank you again for the reminder.

 

[OneOftheB's]

My MIL bought a "Miniature Pinscher" from a local pet store. The dog was very obviously a puppy mill dog. It was not socialized and never trustworthy around strangers (partly from lack of socialization as a puppy, partly from how my in-laws treated the dog--"it's scared that's why is is growling/biting/barking, poor baby"). The dog had a stage 4 heart murmur, severe allergies to anything & everything you could imagine and as it grew it became obvious that she wasn't a purebred. My in-laws tried to return the dog within the 72 hour grace period (upon discovering the heart murmur) and were told by the pet store that they would "just kill the dog if it was returned because it couldn't be resold." The in-laws kept the dog, at a small discounted price. After that they realized that the records they were given were really, really messed up; the vaccinations that were supposed to be 2-3 weeks apart were given days apart before shipping the dog, no rabies vaccination was given even though the dog was nearly 3 months old (a vet has to administer that and the dog had never been to a vet) and the registration papers were from some odd ball registry and the information couldn't be verified. So, my in-laws spend $500 for a dog with major issues, no vet work. And that was the discounted price.

So, no. Don't buy from a pet store.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I would look first at shelters or rescues near you before even considering pet stores.

Also don't confuse places where you see a storefront and think they are automatically a pet store. Plenty of shelters are in strip malls, malls, etc. Just do the research to see if that place is a store or a shelter/rescue.

My cat was bought from a cats only rescue/shelter in a mall. When that mall closed down they moved to another mall. However that mall closed down and somehow they ended up in the very well-known mall. I say somehow because rent isn't cheap at that mall. We paid $130 for him as he was a kitten but he came with all his shots, neutered, and a free follow up vet visit from a list of approved vets (which would have cost us over $55 by itself). Many shelters around me do specials especially for older cats or black cats or during certain times of the year.

 

[KathyTX]

But what happens when nobody does? Do they get sent back to the puppy mills?

We have a store in our mall and there was a dog in there for a long time. My dd works there and would go on her break to see them. He was eventually gone, but from what my dd said she didn't think anyone bought him

The puppy mills would have no use for a dog that's being returned- it would have no value to them. You can hope that pet store dog found a home somehow, but the only way to know would be to ask that pet store. But pet store to local shelter is not a normal pathway for finding homes for these dogs.

 

[KathyTX]

Ok, I knew this was the answer. Thanks for the reminder. I know it is a bad idea, but think of the poor puppies that suffer by people NOT buying them. Why aren't the pet stores monitored better so that this obvious mistreatment isn't allowed. SAD. Thank you again for the reminder.

Our federal laws to oversee this are very weak and getting weaker. Can't say more without getting political.

 

[wilkeliza]

But what happens when nobody does? Do they get sent back to the puppy mills?

We have a store in our mall and there was a dog in there for a long time. My dd works there and would go on her break to see them. He was eventually gone, but from what my dd said she didn't think anyone bought him

When nobody buys it they either put it down, release it into the streets, or dump it in the river. It is a terrible thing to say but that is the reality.

OP please be very very very cautious of buying a puppy form a store. If you want a specific breed puppy find a breeder. Do the research, visit their home, meet the pups. IF they tell you that you aren't allowed somewhere, won't let you see their backyard, etc run far away. We got pup from a breeder and she was fantastic. We went to her home, met the mom dog, saw the whole litter, saw the whelping box, and even met her other 5 show dogs. We got to see where they run around outside and be sure there were no mysterious barns or rooms in back (which is usually the case with mills) and we even followed her puppy listings for several years and knew she only had 2 to 3 litters per a mom over their life and then adopted the mom's out after that, and then only had 1 or 2 litters per a year between all her dogs. As she put it how could she properly care for that many puppies. She did so few litters that we had to be put on a waiting list for our little guy and the 9 month wait was so worth it.

Our other pup is from a shelter. We love her to death and I'll probably get a shelter/rescue pup again but we had our heart set on a doxie puppy and wanted the from birth on experience.

The horror story of puppy store dogs is so sad. Our neighbor spent over 10K trying to save her puppy store pup because it had parvo and the dog stores stance was give it back and we will "exchange" it or sign a waiver saying you won't sue us if the dog dies or for the vet bills.