Banning sales of puppies/kittens in pet stores.

[britishbandit]

In my city, there has been a proposal recently to ban the sale of puppies and kittens in pet stores. So far, we are the only city in Ontario to try and pass such a law. Nothing has been done as of yet, but the hopes of a law passing are still high.

There was an article in my local paper a couple of weeks ago, where the owner of a 2 store chain in the city is very angered by this proposed ban. I in turn was angered at some of his comments, this one specifically, he said his store purchases animals from reputable home breeders in southern Ontario. And claims that he does not buy from puppymills or BYB's.

Well what kind of reputable breeder would place their puppies in a pet store? Not a single one. What a pathetic attempt to try and save his business. He has stated that if a ban is passed, he will up and move to another city. So really, if this law does pass in Windsor, it really has to start becoming a law everywhere before it will be effective.

I really don't get it either. There are PLENTY of pet store chains that DON'T sell puppies and kittens that are profitable. But I guess some people's greed to maximize profits, no matter how unethical, are much to important to them than to try alternatives to keep a business going strong. The problem with this chain, is seriously overpriced products. Both the animals and supplies they sell have outrageous price tags on them. This is why they cannot be competetive with other pet supply stores. You can only profit with competetive pricing. Even simple things like the Kong products, get them for $20 at Petsmart, why would anyone go to this store and pay $30? Or a crate, one at another store for $100, the same crate at their store $200.

For people like me, even if their pricing was competative, I'd not buy anything there simply because they do sell puppies and kittens, which I don't believe for one second come from reputable breeders. But even those that don't understand and uneducated on puppymills and BYB's don't typically buy supplies from them either due to the high prices. And I can't believe how many people get lured in, paying up to $3000 for a Puggle or other such "designer dog", thinking that it's some rare and exotic "hybrid".

[TinyAlbinoDancer]

I pray they do pass it, and then that other cities follow suit (esp. here in the US). I am so tired of impulse buyers having so many stinkin' opportunities to take on a pet unprepared and with no thought to the trade they're supporting. We need to get rid of them instead of just imposing mandatory spay/nueter laws.

[Punkygirl0101]

Our city desperately needs to do that.

[CdnRottieMom]

Funny you brought this up, a guy a work mentioned this and how he thought it was wrong to ban the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores. His reason was because those puppies in that particular pet store come from reputable breeders. In front of a bunch of workers, I laughed at him and said "No reputable breeder would ever sell their puppies to a pet store. They want to know the homes their puppies are going to and stay in touch with those who purchased one of their puppies throughout the puppy's life time". There is another co-worker of mine who breeds and shows Chesepeak Bay Retrievers (sp?) and she is extremely strict with who adopts her puppies. I told my co-workers, if you want to know what a reputable breeder is, go and ask her. Apparently to my co-workers I must be lunatic because in their minds there are reputable breeders who sell their dogs to pet stores and crazy ones like the co-worker of mine who breeds healthy, working and within conformation Chesepeak Bay Retrievers (sp?).

From time to time I run into the manager at that pet store and he asks why I never go in there anymore. I'm thinking for one, I can't afford your prices (PetSmart, Pet Value, and Walmart are cheaper than them. Plus I feed my dog Innova which can only be purchased at one store in the city. I like to spend my money supporting the little ma and pa type stores like that to ensure they stay in business and I never run out of high premium dog food.

[love_my_mastiff]

well in a way i think its good but in a way i think its bad...the bad part is the pets in the store but say a byb thay give hte puppys to store if thay dont do that thay could end up any were and i do also no soome breeder that do sell ther pups to pet store....but for me i do say its wrong to see a pet in a store as some thine the store have such small cagers....

[TheKochster]

It does seem like the day of the pet store is done.

I remember loving pet stores as a kid, but looking back I now realize how cruel and basically useless they are.

[dogs4life]

What happened with the proposed ban?

I used to frequent a dog show supply store for dog food, toys and stuff. Their prices were cheaper than the chains and normal pet stores without the animals for sale.

I since moved and the only store I can get quality kibble from is a puppy store It's a mom and pop store but all mom and pops in my area sell kittens and puppies.

I once thought of opening a pet store without animals for sale. The only feasible idea I came up with was a private dog club with a supply store. It would be a private facility where you can rent the equipment, dog runs and have private training help, very similar to a health club model with private trainers, practitioners and a store.

[britishbandit]

Well the initial article I read in the paper was just a proposal for the banning of puppy/kitten sales in pet stores. So far I've heard nothing more about it, but I expected that, and don't think there'll be a plan drawn up and a decision made for a while yet.

But thanks for bringing up this thread again, I too am curious and will contact the city and humane society to get an update (if there is one) on what's going on with this now.

[calgal]

It's a start, and one that I do hope and pray will catch on everywhere. It just has to! As far back as 1972, when I was outraged over pet store pets and ask all the owners/managers I came in contact with where they got the dogs and cats and they always said from local breeders. When I ask for their names and numbers they refused to say. I told them if the breeders sold dogs and cats then why couldn't I call them to see what they had that I would be interested in and still they refused. I told them a good breeder wouldn't sell their pets in stores and they would always walk away. I started writing everyone with pull and the ones able to get new laws passed. I did this for many years. I can now see a ray of hope here and there, but it should never be this slow!!!!

[britishbandit]

Well I think it was last week I heard on the news that this ban isn't going to be passed. The city council's reason for not banning the sale of puppies and kittens in pets stores was that "The pet stores aren't the problem, it's the puppymills and byb's that are".....
Ok well that's just a bunch of BS, since that's exactly where the animals come from that they sell. The council stated that they'd "rather" target the puppymills, and obviously can't comprehend that by banning the sale of puppies and kittens in the pet stores, these "breeders" wouldn't be able to rid themselves of so many animals, therefore the numbers would decline.
I'm seriously upset with the council's decision, and I hope the ban is proposed again and again until something is done. I've started a letter to the council about it, but I'm nowhere near done adding all the reasons why their decision was such a bad one. I want it to be simple and to the point, but not leave out the important details at the same time. I want it to actually get read, not quickly scanned though or dismissed because it's "too long". It's a difficult task when you have so much to say.

[dogs4life]

Darn it. I was hoping it would have passed.

I know the Humane Society of the US has been investigating and cracking down on pet stores recently. Stopping the sales in store locations is a step in the right direction, but the council is right that there should be strict limits on the breeding of animals for general sales, too.

Personally I think limiting breeding and limiting sales needs to happen, along with consumer education. People are just too in love with puppies for 1 method to work on it's own.

Good luck with your letter, let us know if you need help digging info up for support.

[DogLover8]

That is crazy! I was hoping the law would pass.

I have noticed less and less pet stores in New Hampshire sell puppies. There still is no law regarding it though.

[Doglover1988]

It stinks that it wasn't passed. There is a pet store near me that just opened (they moved from another place) they have a sign on the door that says "Christmas puppies are here!" Then they have a list of the different breeds and designer mixes. It just makes my blood boil.

[britishbandit]

Originally Posted by dogs4life

Stopping the sales in store locations is a step in the right direction, but the council is right that there should be strict limits on the breeding of animals for general sales, too.

Oh don't get me wrong, it isn't JUST the pet stores that concerns me, but I think it would make a great start. It'd be a lot easier to ban the sale of puppies and kittens in pet stores than it would to enforce restrictions on BYB's and puppymills that keep a VERY low profile. Puppymills don't typically broadcast themselves, and I think with the ban in pet stores, they'd lose a LOT of "business".

Although I met the owner of this pet store chain years ago, he's a very strange character, and I wouldn't put it past him to sell puppies and kittens illegally if the ban is ever put in place. He also "set up" a robbery at his store, at least I think that's what he did. Not sure if it was last year or the year before, but all the puppies were "stolen" just before Christmas. Yet when police investigated, the door had been left unlocked, and the alarm hadn't been set. When the insurance company wouldn't cover them because of the unlocked door/alarm not set, all of a sudden, the pups were "returned". Errrr.........

[dogs4life]

Originally Posted by britishbandit

Oh don't get me wrong, it isn't JUST the pet stores that concerns me, but I think it would make a great start. It'd be a lot easier to ban the sale of puppies and kittens in pet stores than it would to enforce restrictions on BYB's and puppymills that keep a VERY low profile. Puppymills don't typically broadcast themselves, and I think with the ban in pet stores, they'd lose a LOT of "business".

Agree 100%.

Although I met the owner of this pet store chain years ago, he's a very strange character, and I wouldn't put it past him to sell puppies and kittens illegally if the ban is ever put in place. He also "set up" a robbery at his store, at least I think that's what he did. Not sure if it was last year or the year before, but all the puppies were "stolen" just before Christmas. Yet when police investigated, the door had been left unlocked, and the alarm hadn't been set. When the insurance company wouldn't cover them because of the unlocked door/alarm not set, all of a sudden, the pups were "returned". Errrr.........

Wow, what a strange person. I think I saw a similar story on the news last year, maybe it was him

I can see puppy mills doing fine without pet stores, there are so many ways to sell puppies it's baffling. 1 great thing I see about banning pet store sales is that impulse buying will decrease.