I visited a pet store.. don't kill me!

[JadeRyanKelly526]

I went to a pet store out of curiousity that sold puppies... I know what you're thinking and NO I didn't get one of them, but I thought about it. It was not a pretty sight. I actually want to go back there and take photos of the dogs. What can I do about it?

I mean they were selling lab/chow mix puppies-they were absolutely adorable and they were staring at me with these sad little eyes. I asked the girl where they came from and she said "A breeder". I was almost like "Are you serious? Nobody breeds lab/chows!! Backyard breeding!! Ugh!

I mean they were selling mixes a plenty and there was this one springer spaniel mix who was just way too large for the cage it was in. It was awful! I just felt really bad. They were sitting in their own poo and pee- I mean how would you feel if you had to sit in your own crap and pee? Not very good.. I wonder if they walk them or they just stay there all day...

On some of the "purebreds" I saw "UKC" on them.. what is that? I wanted to find out more about the dogs there, but I didn't really know how to ask in a polite manner. I really was trying to hide my anger and disgust-it was really hard though!

Anyone got any good advice? This pet store has been around for a long time.. McKees.. a local Idaho store..

So horrible. I wish I could get them out of that mess, but like you said if you purchase one you're supporting what you hate.. My sister tried to reason with me saying to not blame the dogs that are already there and save them. Is that enough of a reason? I don't really think it is..

So..discuss..
-Jade

 

[Julie]

Any money you would give that pet store is supporting the sale of puppies thru that pet store.... In turn, will be an incentive for their "breeders" to breed more to keep up with demand.

There are many sites that have "flyers".....you can print them off and circulate them. I have put them on cars in front of a disgusting pet store in my area more than once.

 

[JadeRyanKelly526]

I know! It's just crappy for the poor animals.. It's like what did they do to deserve it though? SUcky place to be in. I talked to my sister about it and she was going to get a dog from a pet store, but I told her all the bad stuff about them and she reconsidered..

I wanted to walk out of the store with the lab/chow, but my mind told me it was wrong-I don't blame the poor animals though- I blame the horrible people breeding them.. Ugh..

*sighs*

 

[misticaleclipse]

Any money you would give that pet store is supporting the sale of puppies thru that pet store.... In turn, will be an incentive for their "breeders" to breed more to keep up with demand.

There are many sites that have "flyers".....you can print them off and circulate them. I have put them on cars in front of a disgusting pet store in my area more than once.

Thats a great idea about the flyers, though I have not found at pet stores here that sell dogs yet though, I am sure it will happen at some point.

I agree that any money you give them is supporting puppy mills. I have seen a web site posted either here or on petfinder before where you fill out a form and they get back to you with informatin on where the pet store is getting the puppies. Sorry I cannot find the link, maybe someone else?

I agree you cannot support them, you buy a puppy, they replace it with another one, it just repeats the cycle and does not fix the root cause.

 

[Bobsk8]

It's a shame that they don't have a local organization that can carry protest signs in front of the store once a month. That would make people aware of what is going on....

 

[JadeRyanKelly526]

It's just a sad situation all around.. I won't buy from them.. I can't support that!

 

[2BlackDogs]

The Flyers Sound like a good idea. We don't have any pet stores close to me that sell pets. Petsmart does adoptions but they don't sell them.

If there was one that sold them close to me i'd be sending out some flyers. If you can educate someone, that's one less person supporting the puppy mills and BYB.

 

[neapolitanpitbull]

UKC = United Kennel Club and if they were mixes they obviously aren't registered with a kennel club .
Thats horrible!
I usually wouldn't say to go back and adopt dogs because that supports it but I say go back, buy the springer spaniel mix that was walking in her own poop, and then tell them what your problem is with their GROSS pet store!!!

 

[Miakoda]

UKC = United Kennel Club and if they were mixes they obviously aren't registered with a kennel club .
Thats horrible!
I usually wouldn't say to go back and adopt dogs because that supports it but I say go back, buy the springer spaniel mix that was walking in her own poop, and then tell them what your problem is with their GROSS pet store!!!

The CKC (Continental Kennel Club) is notorious for registering mixed breed dogs. In fact, that is their specialty.

As for the flyer idea, that's a great one. I've been banned from PetLand by "preaching" to people about the truths behind the poor pups they are viewing.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

UKC is also the universal kennel club, which does register mixes, caters to skeazy breeders, and has the same initials as the true UKC to confuse people. Same as the cont. KC riding on the Canadian Kennel Club's coat tails if people know the abbreviation but not what it stands for.

 

[em&ollie]

To me australia sounds very bad! This is a VERY common situation I've been in Gosh I went to a petshop with 20+ puppies! It's horrible!

 

[~Jessie~]

I can't go into petstores... they are way too sad.

 

[showpug]

We have Scamps in our neck of the woods and it's terrible. The puppies stay in tiny cages with wire bottoms. They don't get any time out and they are behind a plastic slider so they don't get any fresh air either.

When I was working at the vet clinic we had quite a few patients come in that were pet store pups. The ones that did not die from parvo usually grew up to have a weird circling dissorder. When they would get nervous or anxious they were turn circles in place like mad. When they were caged pups in the pet stores and got excited they only had room to turn circles so this behavior stuck with them the rest of their lives. It was very sad to see...

 

[krisykris]

When I go to pet stores I always remind myself that the puppies will most likely find good homes and they'll get out of the pet store. It's just temporary for them. I remember the videos I've seen of puppy mills and think about that adorable little pet shop puppy's mother and father that will most likely never escape her small cage.

The puppies are nothing but dollar signs to the pet shop owners, so if you "save" one, you'll just be guaranteeing that they'll replace it with another one and you won't be able to save them all.

I know how tempting it is. Before I knew about puppy mills I bought Bentley from a pet shop. Luckily health wise he is in great shape, but I've heard horror stories of people that are sold incredibly sick dogs.

The pet store I bought Bentley from offered a free visit with THEIR vet, but I declined and got him checked out at my own vet. I don't trust that system what so ever.

 

[~Jessie~]

My fiancee used to work in a vet clinic, and they would get puppies WEEKLY from the local puppy store who would come in and die from parvo. It is awful, and the best thing that you can do to stop puppy stores is to not support them.

 

[JadeRyanKelly526]

bump.....

 

[Vivien]

I would tell them that if they don't clean the cages out there that you would personally go to the SPcA and report them. Over here in our pet stores it's good because the Humane society and does weekly surprise visit so they never know and if something is not properly done or treated the Society will stop them from getting the animals(restriction)untill conditions are improved in the animals enviroment..