The Truth About Pet Stores...

Ninety percent of puppies for sale in most pet stores have been raised in puppy mills: commercial breeding establishments that mass-produce dogs for resale.

 

Two-tier cages with soiled trays at a USDA licensed facility in Iowa

Every year, a half-million puppies, destined for pet shops across the United States and Canada, are born in crowded and usually squalid conditions. Tragically, these puppies are part of a society that routinely destroys up to ten million unwanted dogs and cats a year. As a rule, dogs live year-round in filthy, cramped cages, exposed to the elements, with little or no medical care and insufficient food and water. Bitches are bred incessantly. At the end of their reproductive years, puppy mills dogs often encounter a cruel demise: breeders frequently shoot them to death.

The puppies from these mills are called "purebreds" but often bear little resemblance to their breed standard. Unsound breeding practices predispose puppy mill dogs to hereditary afflictions like hip dysplasia, dislocating kneecaps, seizures, eye lesions, and aggressive behavior. Life-threatening genetic conditions such as liver and heart diseases, autoimmune disorders, and seizures can also result from careless breeding.

Brokers pick up eight-week-old puppies from puppy mills. They then usually place several puppies in small crates and transport them by van, truck or airplane -- some puppies are on the road for more than a week -- to pet shops throughout the United States and Canada.

At pet shops, puppies often stand and sleep on the wire grates of cages. Large breed dogs that do not sell within the first month grow into lanky puppies who have difficulty turning around in their cages. Pet shop puppies lack fresh air, exercise, play, and lots of positive human contact, all of the ingredients necessary for a puppy to become a happy, well-adjusted adult dog.

Pet shop puppies commonly have worms, upper respiratory infections, ear and eye infections, mange, coccidia or giardia. Sick puppies, even those with distemper or parvo, often share cages with well puppies. Pet shops normally place very sick or deformed puppies where the public cannot see them -- in most cases, a depressing back room. Due to improper ventilation, the germs of puppies in the back room are spread throughout the store. Puppies frequently die or require euthanasia.

Pet shops charge exorbitant prices for puppies -- financing is usually available -- and earn huge profits because of substantial markups. Their business depends on impulse buyers -- many pet shops are in malls -- who know very little about dogs. Furthermore, the American Kennel Club (AKC) registration papers that usually come with purebred pet shop puppies often impress buyers and provide a false sense of security. AKC registration, however, does not guarantee proper breeding conditions, health, quality, or claims to lineage. The AKC derives a significant percentage of its revenue from the registration of puppy mill litters. It registers thousands of puppy mill puppies each year without questioning the horrendous conditions in which these puppies are raised.

Pet shops frequently sell sick puppies. While some puppies may seem healthy at the store, disease symptoms sometimes do not appear for several weeks -- a puppy may already be in a new home. A number of genetic defects do not emerge for months or even years. New owners can incur large veterinary bills. Pet shop warranties, though, usually preclude reimbursement for veterinary expenses. The standard recourse for customers who have purchased a sick puppy is to return the puppy for credit towards another dog. Yet, most customers become emotionally attached to their puppies and will not return them.

Gail and Max Sampson of Ft. Myers, Florida spent approximately $3,500 in veterinary expenses for the two chocolate Labrador Retriever puppies they bought at different Docktor Pet Centers. Sadly, four-year-old Basil, who was already being treated for a thyroid disorder and ear infections due to a malformed ear canal, began coughing and developed breathing difficulties in August 1994. The diagnosis was an enlarged heart -- a life-threatening genetic condition caused by inbreeding. Gail had to make the heart-wrenching decision to ask her veterinarian to put down her beloved dog.

The Sampson's other dog, Brandy, nearly died from parvovirus a few days after arriving home from the pet shop. She has undergone two hip operations for dysplasia. The Sampsons are, of course, angry about the veterinary expenses. However, since Basil and Brandy had become as much a part of the family as children, their well-being superseded any monetary hardship. What particularly pains the Sampsons is the suffering and misfortune of their beloved companion animals: Brandy will never be able to run and play like a healthy dog; Basil was cheated out of a long and happy life.

Because of the efforts of the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), Docktor Pet Centers -- the company had nearly 300 franchise locations in 1989 and was down to around 100 stores at the beginning of 1993 -- filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy (complete liquidation) in February 1993.