CT bill may stop sale of pet store puppies

[flyndog]

From: ace [mailto:ace@clas.net]
>Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 3:17 PM
>To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
>Subject: Fw: CT to Ban Sale of Puppies at Pet Shops?
>>
>Connecticut is considering a bill to stop the sale of puppies at pet
>stores thoughout the state. This bill would affect breeders in our
>state of Missouri and elsewhere. It could also be the beginning of a
>wave of states who may also implement such a law in the future.
>
>>Take Action:
><<http://hsus.ga4.org/campaign/CT_2005_pet_stores>http://hsus.ga4.org/campaign/CT_2005_pet_stores>
>Connecticut:
>Stop the Sale of Puppies at Pet Stores
>>
>Please feel free to cross reference and share with your dog friends in rescue and elsewhere.
>>
>Marilyn Olson Neville
>>The Association for Community Education of Animal Behavior
>Charlotte Peltz, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Member: APDT (Assn. of Pet Dog Trainers)#5406P 12/30/04
Member: NADOI (National Assoc. of Dog Obed. Instructors, Inc.) #987-C
Member: ABMA (Animal Behavior Management Alliance)
CABC (Certified Animal Behavior Consultant) IAABC 067 http://www.portalsanmiguel.com/sitstayclick
"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things man will not himself find peace.", Albert Schweitzer




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[GSD]

Not a bad proposal, but I don't think it will get too far. Even if it did, i don't think it would hold up in court. Just because a lot of us don't like the product they sell doesn't mean a state can ban it, especially when there are still people that do occasionally get a good pet from a pet store. I would like to see them pass legislation and enforce it that requires them to keep stats on their animals they sell, keep info on the breeders etc. I had posted this a while back about a friend of mine that was taken for a ride by a pet store. Against all of my advice, it seemed i was crossing the line after a while, so i let up, they purchased a "registered" shia-poo, swore it was a breed and that it was papered, etc. 7months later, it has a liver shunt and will most likely die without surgery. It was infested with fleas and worms when they bought it, but I guess that's all water under the bridge now. I told them to go back to where they got it from, i wasn't aware they didn't get it directly from a so called breeder, but they actually got it from a pet store. The pet store said, too bad so sad. I told them to contact the breeder, not that it would do any good, but they could at least let them know they produced a pup with a genetice defect. They can't do it because they never got any registration papers that this so called rare breed was supposed to have and the store said there is no way for them to find out what breeder/mill this puppy came from. If someone actaully kept tabs on things like this and disclosed it to every customer that came into buy from them i think a lot would turn away or the stores would have to clean up their act a little to keep business.

[Purr]

YAY! I hope they manage to stop it. Puppy mills are soooo digusting! And the fact that pet shops are the number one supporter of puppy mills is not a nice thing either!

[gaddylovesdogs]

*claps*

[bigdoglover]

If they can pull meds from the shelves at the store because they cause problems in humans, why can't they pull pups from the pet store cages because of health problems?

I know the pet store is only out to make a buck, but I think GSD is right, making the stores accountable of their purchases. Where they got the pups, (name, address, phone, etc) would be a start. Also, if they sell a so called "registered rare breed", then they should have the papers in hand/on file. Breeders (good ones) who sell a pup, give the AKC papers upon sale transaction, why can't the store?

If this bill passes, can you imagine the puppy mills that would be out of business (or darn close to it)? **doing happy dance**

[LabLuver22]

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know, some organizations were trying to pass a bill a few years ago called the Puppy Protection Act. It was a great idea; it prevented females from being bred too often and some other stuff, but for some reason the AKC was against it. Anyone know why?

[Mutts4me]

I'm not sure why don't u like puppies sold in pet stores? All the pet stores I've been in the pups r treated nicely. I've never heard this argument either could u please explain it to me.

[LabLuver22]

The majority of pet store puppies come from large commercial breeders. I don't like to use the term "puppy mill" because when people hear, "puppy mill," many of them think of dirty, rundown places where puppies sit in their excrement. They do exist, and pet stores do buy from them, but usually pet stores buy from mass commercial kennels. These kennels are usually clean and well-kept, but the dogs are bred irresponsibly?

What does it mean to breed irresponsibly? Well, it's usually easier to define what it means to breed responsibly. A responsible breeder:

-Screens all potential breeding stock for genetic health problems
-Does something with their dogs besides breeding--conformation, agility, obedience, breed-specific activities
-Evaluates each potential parent's strengths and weaknesses and makes sure they compensate.
-Makes sure the parents have ideal temperaments, and often do temperament testing with them
-Keeps their breeding scale small, so they have more time and attention to devote to each puppy
-Thoroughly screen potential owners

Commercial breeders don't do the things listed above. They are mainly in it for the money, while responsible breeders breed to better their breed. Commercial breeders often don't health test, and they don't spend as much time choosing an ideal breeding "couple" and doing activities with their dogs. But their main "crime" is breeding too many dogs in too many breeds. If a breeder has 5 current litters, 1 due a couple days from now and 2 due next week, how are they going to find the time to socialize 40 or 50 puppies every day? They usually breed 3 or more breeds of dog. How can they possibly know enough about each breed in order to breed responsibly? And as commercial establishments, they are required to sell to anyone who can pay.

Health is also a big issue, because puppies are being exposed to each other at a very young age and, in return, contracting lots of diseases. My neighbors recently bought a puppy from a pet store, and sure enough, right now he has ear infections (in both ears), a yeast infection, kennel cough, and a variety of other ailments. He has not been exposed to very many (if any) dogs since he came to their house 2 weeks ago, and I have no doubt that these health problems were because of his pet store past.

[Barb05]

I live in CT and just read about this the other day. I hope this passes; it has to start somewhere.

[Purr]

Originally Posted by LabLuver22

The majority of pet store puppies come from large commercial breeders. I don't like to use the term "puppy mill" because when people hear, "puppy mill," many of them think of dirty, rundown places where puppies sit in their excrement. They do exist, and pet stores do buy from them, but usually pet stores buy from mass commercial kennels. These kennels are usually clean and well-kept, but the dogs are bred irresponsibly?

Uh, I got that one (Pet stores are the biggest puppymill supporters on earth) from somebody else, on DF.

[sunny98]

This would be cool if it happens. I will keep my fingers crossed. Keep us posted on what happens, PLEASE!

[LabLuver22]

I know. I've heard that before, too. In that, I would consider a puppy mill to be a place where a puppies are mass bred. But a lot of people, when they hear "puppy mill," think of those awful places you see on news shows. Basically, "puppy mill" and "large-scale commercial breeder" are the same thing. I'm not trying to sugar-coat it, because it's an awful thing, but I just didn't want people getting the wrong idea.

[MadMax1099]

I feel optimistic that this can pass. Feel free to hit on the site and voice your opinion whether you are a CT resident or not. Alone, activists can only acheive so much, together we are one great voice --- the voice of the animal who can not speak for itself.

[Purr]

Originally Posted by MadMax1099

Alone, activists can only acheive so much, together we are one great voice --- the voice of the animal who can not speak for itself.

I love that, MM! Did you make that up...?

[Angelina2005]

I would love to see this put into effect. Too many puppymills thrive on the knowledge they can take their puppies to petstores, where they charge insanely high prices, don't properly take care of the dogs, no matter what the teenage employees say. Pet stores are places for unwanted puppies and it is insane that this is allowed. I believe breeding should be up to the breeders, they are so many dogs that can be adopted for those who don't care for a pure bred.

The reason puppies should not be sold in pet stores is because they are not registered, they are not treated properly, no one cares for them there, and it fuels people to bred their dogs do randam strays and you never know what you will end up with when it comes to diseases and problems when someone who doesn't understand breeding tries to do it themselves.

Please do a way with it