Reality of Pet Store Puppies and Puppy Mills

[WBL]

Read this article today, it's a good one

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22670940/

Check out this site, good site about pet store pups and puppy mills. The photos are eye opening

http://www.petshoppuppies.org/index.htm

[Ninabeana26]

Oh my gosh….those videos literally had me crying It is so sad to see those dogs in the puppy mills or being sold at auctions I cannot believe that as far as we have come in animal rights that this still goes on. I know I will NEVER buy from a petstore because these people deserve to be out of business...they also deserve to lose everything they have gained by treating animals like money-making machines. It makes me sick

[Barklessdog]

Pets are considered live stock, they are not people with rights, or else what would happen with our food industry, medical research animals?

How much comfort & dignity is enough for a living animal is the question, from chicken to dogs?

It all goes down the hole, think about that as you eat that big juicy burger.

I'm not supporting it, that is the reality of it. How can we choose which living creatures get rights and others dont, because we eat them?

What about the poor animals used for cosmetic reaserch?

They have to be tested as human safe.

[lvoss]

It is true pets are currently considered livestock by the USDA and therefore fall under the same regulations as feedstock. That does not mean that USDA could not alter their guidelines to create a new classification for companion animals and new a set a standards for their care. It is also important to understand that they are only considered livestock by USDA for the purpose of regulating the commercial puppy breeding industry.

[nala121498]

@lvoss:

It is true pets are currently considered livestock by the USDA and therefore fall under the same regulations as feedstock. That does not mean that USDA could not alter their guidelines to create a new classification for companion animals and new a set a standards for their care. It is also important to understand that they are only considered livestock by USDA for the purpose of regulating the commercial puppy breeding industry.

I agree. My sister agrees with this line of thinking as well, not because she is a dog breeder, but she is a horse breeder. She works with a local humane organization and it is so difficult to get neglected or abused animals removed from homes. I don't see why the USDA cannot alter the laws. I know it is complex issue…it is so sad to see these videos, etc. My heart breaks each time.

[Barklessdog]

A local pet store near me that sold puppies is closing. We are so happy. They sold a lot of puppies.

It's a legal issue when pets become family members- I know a lot of horse owners that certainly feel the same.

It's sad fate for all the animals on the other side of the "pet" fence.

It's easy to look the other way when we enjoy our meat & meat bye products (leather). I know I do. I just look the other way. It's easy to do when you don't have to do the actual killing. We used to be vegetarians, but after the kids , it just kind of slipped away, although my wife is, but still enjoys her leather goods.

I saw a special on raising Kobe Beef (expensive beef). The Japanese feel that if the cow has a really good life it will have the best beef. They do everything to give the cattle a very comfortable "good" life. The cattle are delicately raised, free roam grazing, they get massages, baths, get special food and even a little wine and are played comforting music. When the cow must be killed there is a ceremony thanking the cow for its life, a prayer said and are killed quickly. A much more humane and understanding life.

[tanza]

And add on top of that all the states now pushing mandatory spay/neuter laws at 4 months and restrictions on "hobby breeders" which covers 99.9% of all responsible breeders to one litter from one bitch/dog and then have to be neutered along with a heffy yearly fee? Does this stop the puppy mills? No, in fact they are exempt from these requirements so will still be selling over the internet and shipping these pups in.. only to be dumped by the irresponsible people that buy them when they are too much to handle or they are caught and fined for having a unspayed/neutered pet. These people honestly believe that this will resolve the shelter problems. They tried in Califoria to use Santa Cruz mandatory spay/neuter law as an example, execpt their numbers for shelter dogs has gone up since the law passed while state wide it has gone down… And the biggest shelter problem is cats... along with that the feral cats....

[lvoss]

Asking that USDA regulations for companion animals be different from feedstock is not asking that pets be considered family member in the eyes of the law. It is recognizing that any animal that is expected to socialize closely with humans needs to be raised in a different environment then an animal whose primary purpose is food.

[Barklessdog]

The problem there is no right answer or line. I personally wanted Michael Vick to hang for what he did. You can't because animals are considered possessions, but do have some rights. Same with puppy mills, those people should go to prision for life.

I have a hard time not wanting a better life for all animals, the ones that sleep with us and the ones we eat. I have trouble making that distinction, but agree any ground gained is good.

[Ninabeana26]

Hm…does THIS look like a good breeder to you?!? THESE ARE NOT BASENJIS!!!

http://www.pupcity.com/puppies-for-sale/view.asp?adid=22997

I swear websites like this just increase the chances of puppy mills & BYBs.

[lvoss]

@Ninabeana26:

I swear websites like this just increase the chances of puppy mills & BYBs.

That is so true. This is why it is so important that it is not only responsible breeders that have websites directing people on how to find a responsibly bred puppy but also that responsible owners have websites. Every person can help battle puppy mills by helping other people find a responsible breeder. The more websites are out there directing people to websites like

http://www.basenji.org/learn
http://kineticbasenjis.tripod.com/Information/Buying_a_Basenji.html
http://basenji.org/?q=node/30
http://www.basenjiclubofcanada.com/BCOC-BreedersDirectory.html

Any links to the National Club's Breeder Directory and educational websites help to increase the chances that buyers will not go to a BYB or puppymill.