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I didn't see it, but I've seen a Dateline special on it and read up on it in the past. I bought a pupy 9 years ago (my first dog, having no idea about puppy mills) from a pet store and found out she came from one of these awful places. It does make me sick to know that this is allowed. I don't remember the specifics, but there was some sort of political reason why they aren't shut down, and I think a connection to the Waltons (of WalMart) in Arkansas, where most of them are located.
People are ignorant, as I was when I bought my dog, that these dogs genarally have many health issues and cost almost twice as much as if you bought them from a reputable breeder. Not to mention they'll sell any dog to any person, no questions asked, and don't explain the breed to you. Although my Miniature Pinscher has had a lot of health issues over the years, she's still alive and well - with a good health insurance policy!
The special said that 99.9% of dogs from pet stores are from puppy mills...and then it went on to actually SHOW dogs being put down from over crowding at shelters....
If only I had more space, I'd adopt more than my 1 dog and 4 cats ;-)
I knew I couldnt watch it. I would have physically been sick...I encourage everyone I talk to to think about adoption first before going off to a store. My mother in law just bought a "designer dog" from someone who couldnt keep it and paid $400. I look at my dog who I paid $35 for and have no regrets. He's a mutt and I love him just as if he was "designed"! He's perfect to me!
It was disgusting, I agree. I know the SPCA near where I live has shut down several puppy mills. The director told me that she has tried to shut down the one who gave up my weim but every time they check it out, it meets standards. She said the woman who owns the puppy mill yells and kicks the cages of the dogs that is why they are so timid.
There was one I saw on TV where they found deer carcass in the pens. They pulled out over 200 dogs from that one.
I did get a dog many many many years ago from a pet store. I had never heard of puppy mills back then. She was a mixed breed so I don't know if she was from a puppy mill, but she got really sick and had parasites.
All of my dogs/cats have been from the humane society, but I lived really close to a pet store in Chicago where a lot of people who would go to the dog park would get their dogs. I agree with what Keeper said, most people who do buy from pet stores don't realize that they are likely supporting puppy mills with horrible, inhumane circumstances.
We had a puppy mill shut down in our county...Jackson, GA recently. We don't have a humane society in this county and around 300 dogs/puppies were confiscated. The area shelters have been totally swamped by this event. Because the owners are still under investigation very little news is leaking out. I do know that the shelters were asked NOT to advertise for funds until the parties were arested and that left them in even more dire straights.
I still don't know much about what is happening, I hope to find out more. One of the shelters in an adjacent county just reported an outbreak of parvo, so who knows what happened to them.
All the surounding counties are pretty rural and have very few funds for this kind of indundation.
This coming on the heels of the Oprah show I'm sure has made people more aware.
Our county finally got a leash law just 2 years ago. I've had problems with people letting their dogs run loose in a pack...several years ago one pack attacked my dogs (a 20# JRT and a 30# Corgi) while I was walking them on leashes on my property. $1000. in vet bills later, I've taken shooting lessons and I'm now licenced to carry and will use a fire arm to defend me and mine!
The mentality in this county is horrid when it comes to dogs...they think nothing of chainning them out. I drove past one poor dog today in a small chain link kennel with no shelter from our sun. Because this is on the main road to the court house from town, I can't begin to count the number of cops and Deputies who drove past today. I called animal control and left a message...We'll see if anything is done.
As a child, I had a dog that was bought from a pet store (this was over 20 yrs ago--my family had no knowledge of puppy mills back then). She was wonderful with the family,but she never took to any strangers. In fact when company came we had to put her in a separate room.
I wonder now if this was due to poor breeding. Puff was also sold as a purebred pekingese,but I found out years later she probably was a Tibetan Spaniel mix. I still loved her,but I am glad I know now not to buy from a pet store. The puppies ARE adorable when you see them in stores,but it's not worth it to buy them when you consider what the breeder dogs suffer at the hands of unscrupulous people.
Yes, I saw it. It is totally pathetic what humans will do for money. The show totally sickened me, but it is something we should all know about. God help those poor little creatures, and may the humans participating receive their most deserved and unpleasant comeuppence one day very soon.
The special said that 99.9% of dogs from pet stores are from puppy mills...and then it went on to actually SHOW dogs being put down from over crowding at shelters....
If only I had more space, I'd adopt more than my 1 dog and 4 cats ;-)
I so agree with you, if I had more room I would adopt as many dogs as I could handle! Right now, I have three Saint Bernards and one 18 year old cat that I got from the shelter, they didn't want her any more so they dumped her!!!! It makes me sooo MAD!!! I HATE people that could do these things to animals, it makes me sick!
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