Stop The Puppy Mills By Not Patronizing Puppy Pet Stores.

Today at work at Just Dogs! Gourmet, a family came in with a really pretty Yorkie. As I started to make conversation and hold the puppy, I was really impressed by this puppy's thick coat. I was shocked to find out that it came from a pet store chain. But, as I talked further, and found out the supposed age of this pup, I knew they had been taken advantage of. They said the pup was 12 wks. old. I have groomed dogs for many, many years, and have never, never seen a 12 wk. old pup with this type of coat. Then, I looked at the mouth and teeth. Low and behold, the pup is roughly 6 to 8 mo. old.

Here is another case of a pet store lying to sell a dog. The pup looked healthy, and for this family's sake, I hope so. They have to get her to the vet in 4 days from purchase, which was yesterday, Sat. Of course, I told them that any breeder that uses pet stores to sell their pups is not reputable. And, they wanted to know why. So, being me, I told them. I said, "did you see the parents of this pup?" "Did you talk to the breeder?" Each question I asked, they replied with "no."

No matter what, pet stores sell puppy mill pups. And, people pay these huge prices for dogs that usually end up with health or behavioral issues. Not in every case, I know of some that are O.K., but more often than not, there are problems. In LA, they are striving to have a puppy-store free LA, CA. The store that prompted this is called Puppy Love in Beverly Hills, CA. This store was selling really sick puppies from puppy mills. I think they sold to some major movie stars, and that is the reason it was brought into the limelight. The movies stars jumped on the bandwagon to stop pet stores from selling puppies and supporting puppy mills.

A puppy mill is a large, commercial breeding facility that is nothing more than an assembly line breeding place where the dogs are not cared for and are just a "cash" crop. The Amish are some of the worst for puppy mills. Stop the mills! Protest against places like this or any place that sells puppies. Remember, no reputable breeder uses a pet store or the Internet. Always research the breed you want and research the breeder you pick. Personally, I am an advocate of breed specific rescue groups, , or a shelter dog.

Pet Store Activism.

source: Humane Society of the United States

We have pet stores in the Tri-State area that are selling puppies. Most likely, they are from a puppy mill. Here are some ways to identify if they are selling dogs from a puppy mill.

Try to identify the breeders. In most states, pet stores are not required to give out information identifying their breeders. When approaching a pet store to get information on the puppies they sell, be calm and polite. Being rude and demanding will get you absolutely nowhere. Go to the store at a calm, quiet time of the day. Look around for awhile and then discretely inquire about the cute puppies and where they come from. Most likely, you will be told they come from a private breeder, or USDA licensed breeders.

Find a specific puppy or two, and ask, again, politely, to see the paperwork so you can learn more about the puppy. Ask the name, and general location of the breeder. Write down the name, city and state of the breeder(s) you have identified.

Start you research with the info you have gathered. Find out if the breeder(s) are licensed with the United States Dept. of Agriculture's Animal Care Division. You can actually call the USDA/APHIS headquarters for assistance at 301-734-7833. You can also contact the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) for further help if needed at http://www.hsus.org/ and look for the contact tag. You can also acquire inspection reports on the breeders. The USDA publishes some inspection reports on their website, but only a few. Also, you can submit a Freedom of Information Act request to find out more. You can fax your requests to USDA/APHIS at 301-734-5941.

If the breeder(s) is not licensed by the USDA, see if they are licensed and inspected by your state. Some states, the USDA inspects kennels or breeders. In states such as PA and MO that have such programs, you may be able to request copies of the state inspection reports in addition to the USDA's. Also, do an internet search on the breeder(s) or pet store. Also, you can contact the Better Business Bureau to see if they have had any complaints about the store or the puppies. Your local shelter or Humane Society can tell you, too.

And, last but not least, gather information from individuals who may have purchased sick puppies at the store you are getting information about. If you happen to represent an organization, you may want to talk with your local shelter and see if they are willing to refer complainants to you. Then ask the complainants to fill out the Breeder Complaint Form on www.humanesociety.org/puppymills. You can also print out copies of the forms and give them to the complainants.

I am sure I will have some people say this is under-handed and sneaky. It might seem that way, but it is perfectly legal and you may save lives. Share your results with your local investigative reporter and pitch the story to them. But, contact only one reporter at a time. Reporters will not respond to an inquiry if it has been copied and sent to multiple outlets.

Cruelty Caught In Hollywood Glare.

Just because a pet shop is in a high class area does not mean they are on the up and up. The HSUS (Humane Society of the United States), released the findings of an undercover investigation of Pets of Bel Air in CA. What they found was shocking. Many of the puppies they sell came from puppy mills in the Midwest.


At least 28 commercial breeders in AK, IA, KS, MO, AND OK, supplied puppies to Pets of Bel Air. Each of these locations are mass breeding operations that house 100 to 300 dogs in horrific living conditions. Some of these dealers have been cited for failure to comply with the Animal Welfare Act. Two of the breeders did not have the proper license from the USDA required for commercial breeders to sell to pet stores.


Never buy a puppy from a pet store, it is a bad idea. Employees will lie, just to sell a puppy. When one is sold, it makes room for another one. We have stores in our area that sell puppies and say they are from local breeders. No reputable breeder sells their puppies in a pet shop, flea market, internet or in a newspaper. Talk to a vet or kennel owner, if you are thinking about a puppy.