Saturday, June 15, 2013

ASPCA Names Potential Puppy Mills In Your Area


Forrest Gump: Saint Bernard, Pet City (Pet store) Danville PA
 Puppy mill dog, Cost 450.00 many health problems

Maxie: Chow- Lab Mix
Brookhaven pet Store, Long Island NY
Not a purebred or designer dog. no health problems
Cost 75.00


Before I go on I need to explain the caption of the picture above. Maxie my Chow /Lab mix did come from a pet store, but there was a sign clearly stating  that this is a mix, being sold for a friend of the owner, and the dog had vet checks and a spay program all for only 75.00!  So I can't exactly lump all dogs that come from a pet store into one, but I will say that I have never seen such a purchase in a pet store since Maxie unless it was an adopt -o- thon going on at a pet/ farm store.  Maxie seems to be the exception to the rule, but wouldn't it be nice if more pet stores did this on a regualar basis and took back the customers who boycott them for selling pure bred dogs from puppy mills?   
                                                    
                                            <><><><><><><><><><><><>

Well good news! There is a way to check if your dog came from a puppy mill although by now many of you know that any dog (purebred and registered)  from a pet store is from a puppy mill but that does not stop back yard breeders who breed only for money in deplorable conditions and who are USDA licensed, or puppy brokers who sell the pups for puppy mills, or added into the mix are online puppy sites with great pictures of a lovely field where puppies play all day ,  as well as one of the newest scams they are creating which is to call themselves a “Sanctuary” or  non profit rescue.

Greed keeps people doing dishonest things and as long as there are people there is greed and dishonesty especially in the puppy market business which can rake in thousands of dollars many times over in one year for one unscrupulous breeder.

Think about dogs that are popular in movie premiers such as 101 Dalmatians or Beethoven. When such movies come out the breed in the movie becomes vastly bred and overbred by everyone!  Each pup can bring in 600.00 and up. Put that to an average litter of 7 pups and that’s over four thousand dollars in one breeding. Then times that by a variety of breeds all of which are giving birth in one month, so 5 different breeds having 7 puppies one litter one month, 21,000.00!    Can anyone say mortgage payment, expensive car, in- ground pool?    

These puppies are usually given a first round of shots but rarely are  seen by a vet after a first check up and some are never seen by a vet as anyone can buy shots online for a dog and administer them so cost is minimal. Most dogs will come with a set of worms that you will need to take care of and since the breeder dogs are not well kept there is little overhead.  Buy some lumber, some wire,  stack the cages to use less of the precious lawn and make the  cages overcrowded with several dogs sharing one space, toss some food on the floor maybe fill a water dish once in the AM and you’re good to go!   .
 If you have ever seen the show hoarders, times that scene by 10 and put dogs in place of cats or garbage, yeah, it’s that bad!

The ASPCA has a site where you can type in the USDA  License #, or you can type in the place  or person from where you purchased your pup and see if they came from a puppy mill.  While there are many things the ASPCA does that I disagree with, and I am sure you have heard me rant about that before,  this is one thing they are doing right.  The public has a right to know where their pups come from.

On the site although the ASPCA says to make adoption your first option I would surmise  like anything else, many purebred dogs put into shelters are actually puppy mill dogs whose health has declined and the owner can’t afford the cost anymore or they are of poor temperament and untrustworthy. So I don’t actually agree with adoption meaning you are getting a breed of good standing.  No owner turning in a purebred dog is going to tell the shelter that the dog is unhealthy or has bad temperament.        




This site also helps consumers to recognize online scams which are running rampant right now. You can find many web sites of  out of state listings that will ship you a pup or will meet you at a half way point in the state so you don’t see how the pups are really kept.

The ASPCA site also offers you the privilege to look up stores in your area which offer adoptions and stores that sell puppies and they tell you not to buy from that store.

I typed in the Danville Zip code and got the list below and yes I have heard of a store or two which have sold puppies that were of ill health right from the get go!  The list had pages and pages of listings, to numerous for me to post here  so if you live in PA  check out the direct link   to surrounding pet stores and pet supply stores by  Clicking here




 If the store you are searching for is not in the ASPCA data base then they direct you to the  USDA site for the data on inspection reports and upon that page comes the below message which can seem intimidating because recently the government admitted to gathering access to our  Verizon phone records, so of course the warning below  was something to think about. But hey, if you use the internet they are already following you!   

Taken directly from the site:

 You are accessing a U.S. Government information system, which includes (1) this computer, (2) this computer network, (3) all computers connected to this network, and (4) all devices and storage media attached to this network or to a computer on this network. This information system is provided for U.S. Government-authorized use only.
  • Unauthorized or improper use of this system may result in disciplinary action, as well as civil and criminal penalties.
  • By using this information system, you understand and consent to the following:
    • You have no reasonable expectation of privacy regarding any communications or data transiting or stored on this information system. At any time, the government may for any lawful government purpose monitor, intercept, search and seize any communication or data transiting or stored on this information system.
    • Any communications or data transiting or stored on this information system may be disclosed or used for any lawful government purpose.
    • Your consent is final and irrevocable. You may not rely on any statements or informal policies purporting to provide you with any expectation of privacy regarding communications on this system, whether oral or written, by your supervisor or any other official, except USDA’s Chief Information Officer.
  •  

To visit the ASPCA Site click here



For more on Puppy Brokers and feedback from the general public warning you against certain breeders read my article here http://2ndchance-caninecapers.blogspot.com/2011/02/pupy-brokers-new-stock-market.html 



Until next time, Happy Training!