Pups in pet store

[imported_Matty]

I was at the pet store the other day. Believe me since they started selling puppies there I stopped going but this day I was desperate and didn't feel like driving an hour to get to my usual pet store. My dogs love those knucle (smoked) bones, and since I was going out for Xmas dinner I thought Id get them all one to keep them occupied while I was gone, and of course as their Xmas present :lol:
any how, they had these pups in and being sold for $999.00 plus tax for JRT pups. A lady was in the middle of buying one of them, the employees were FINANCING the purchase of the pups with monthly payments :o
Any way, I was a little ticked off, and maybe I shouldn't have opened my mouth and started some thing, but, I did :oops: I shouldn't do this because I really don't know what Im talking about and I ended up looking like a fool.
I said to the women buying the JRT pup. "you know, you could get a purebred JRT for a lot cheaper from a REPUTABLE breeder"
She just looked at me.
I said "you know, those pups come from puppy mills, they are not very nice places"
she said "well then I saved the pup"
I said "No, you are promoting puppy mills, the more you buy the more they breed"
She said "listen, the puppy was in a small cage, I saved him and I don't care what you say" she abruptly walked away while they were financing her for the purchase.
I was in the line up and I said to the other clerk "its horrible that you people are selling pups at Christmas, you know they are impulse purchases"
He said "yeah, well impulse purchases are our best form of sale and from my knowledge and our experience the pups get good homes and are well looked after, what you hear about not selling at Christmas is not true"
Then I said "I just hate seeing puppy mill pups being sold and promoted"
The manager was listening and said "These pups are not from puppy mills they are from reputable breeders"
I was a little taken aback and didn't answer properly. I said "who is the breeder" the manager said "believe me they come from reputable breeders" I said " are they regestered? Manager "yes"
I asked by which kennel club..manager replied that it was a reputable kennel club. I asked if they were health checked and guaranteed the manager said "yes, of course" then she got irrate and asked me to leave the store, then she turned to the customer and said how rude I was and it takes all kinds. :o
Any way, I know that these pups are from puppy mills. I have a friend who bought a so called purebred from this pet store. It turned out to be just a mixed breed confirmed by her Vet. Supposed to be a Yorkie looked like an Austrian terrier mix and its big at least 12 inches at the should, kinda big for a Yorkie . They don't state any where on the paper work that the pups are purebred so you can't get them for false advertising. The pup is not healthy and its socially backwards. I think they get fearful from being behind the glass and only limited social interactions and from being away from mom.

I wish know that I could have done the conversation different. I would have answered to the these pups come from a reputable breeder. I would have asked, "what kind of a reputable breeder would send there pups to a pet store to be sold by kids"
Oh yea the manager also told me that I didn't have a clue as to what a puppy mill was and what a reputable breeder is. I wish I could have answered that by saying a reputable breeder has a waiting list, has references before selling a pup to a person. Asks questions, and makes sure the new potential owner KNOWS what they are buying and what to expect from the breed. A reputable breeder [i][b]WOULD NEVER LET A KID AT A PET STORE SELL THEIR PUPS![/b][/i] :evil: They don't just breed puppies for money, and they are kinda trying to improve the breed as a whole. They know their breed inside out and all the quirks good and bad. They don't just sell to the first person who can get credit. A reputable breeder makes sure a person can afford the pup and handle any emergency, not just some one who is living on credit. I was kinda worried about that girl buying the JRT, I never owned one before, but, I heard they can be high maintenance as far as exercise and predatory drives. I don't imagine the pet store employees even cared if she knew any of this :evil:

I feel kiinda like an idiot now for starting some thing with the pet store manager :oops: I read a lot about puppy mills and stuff, but, when push comes to shove and I put myself into a corner my mind went blank. Then after I left then I started thinking about the things I wanted to say. It burns me up, maybe I shouldn't have opened my mouth, but, I was hoping to at least open 1 persons eyes and it upset me to see some one buying a pup on Christmas eve :-? I shouldn't set myself up to look like an idiot. Oh well, its over now.
Should I go back with a cheat sheet and talk to the manager :lol: :wink:

[AllAmericanPUP]

Don't worry about it.
More people need to speak out against pet stores.

That lady will realize you were right in a couple of weeks or months when she has a terrified and maybe nasty tempered dog, and a dog with lots of health problems.

i don't know how the people who work at pet stores sleep at night knowing where these pups come from and that the people who buy them will most likely dump them.
oh wait, yea i do, they sleep in their nice big houses with nice cars and nice furniture cause all they care about is money :agrue:

[Guest Anonymous]

I too have done the same thing. I too have been kicked out of a petstore.

Myself and another volunteer got into it with yet another volunteer around Halloween when she insisted that we support the petstores costume contest because they were giving a "portion" of the money to us (I never heard how much they got). We could NOT make her understand why them selling puppies is such a bad thing. She was of the same mindset the woman you met was "At least they are getting homes". I ended up just shaking my head and walking off....she is a lost cause.

The kitten fostering program I am with has a policy of sending kittens to a petstore that sells puppy mill dogs if they aren't adopted by 12 weeks so that they can be adopted. I have told them that there is NO way in the world they are going to get me to turn my kittens over to a group of teens who have no problem lying to the public about where their dogs come from and that even sell dogs to begin with. I have NO faith in these teens to properly screen the adopters either.

Good luck and keep up the good work.

[imported_Matty]

Yep, your right Allamericanpup. She did seem more concerned about the sale than the pups well being. They try to act like they care all fussing over the puppy. But, I know that maybe they do care about the pup, maybe they don't know where the pups come from, maybe they think they do come from reputable breeders, maybe they thought I was a crazy nut just being an irrate customer. Most of the employees are just kids in high school or in University, so maybe they just don't know where the pups come from and think Im a looney toon.

[courtnek]

I dont believe they really know whats going on, nor do they care. They are in the business of selling pet supplies and pets. What might help, although no guarantees, is bringing up and printing things like Wizard of Claws, puppy millers, and shelter info on what happens to these pups when they dont turn out the way the owners expected, and mailing them to the runners of the pet stores. Maybe nothing will come of it, maybe something will. it cant hurt to try...

[imported_Matty]

Thanks Courtnek, what a great idea.
So, tammy youve been kicked out from a petstore to. Maybe we could start a support group :lol:

[imported_Debbie]

Good for you Matty !!!!! Sometimes when we're in the heat of the moment we forget everything we want to say....... :agrue:
But at least YOU said Something !!!! :wink:

And you're right JRT pups for $1000 !!!!!! HOLY SH*T !!!!! :o
Mine don't have papers and only cost me $250, but even pups with papers don't cost anywhere near that !!!!! WOW !!!!! :roll:
I sincerely hope for the poor pups sake they get good homes, but boy oh boy are Pet Stores a rip-off !!!!! :x

And I believe that all Pet stores should be banned from selling puppies. :wink:

[CincoandDahlilasgirl]

If I wind up (keywords being wind up) working at a pet store it'll only be to work withe animals and show em love (i've heard most never see forever homes) I'll probably just work at a clothing store though

[CincoandDahlilasgirl]

my mom and I stopped in petland once to buy dahlila a dog food (didn't feel like driving out to petco) and they had yorkies going for get ready 110,050[[/quote]

[Kerislc]

Good for you for standing up for those puppies! You can be that if that lady didn't know $1000 was over the top fot a JRT, she has not done any research about the breed.

[Guest roo]

well. :cry: :cry: :cry:
tis such a sad thing,(hopefully i is logged in this time :-? )
The general public really think they are SAVING these poor babies
but it its a viscious circle as we all know, where do they go?
what happens to them? are they fed correctly? are they loved, wormed,
vaccicnated?
But what can we do?
What happens to the pups?
Is buying them wrong?
They are being saved :angel: somehow :roll: :-?
Please dont get me wrong all you new members :lol: , i show, i BREED, i judge dogs, i hate puppy milling/farming.
Untill selling of dogs, cats etc is stopped
in petshops what can we do???????????????????????????????
The breed rescues, and all other rescues dont have as hope in hell against these ones, WHY???
Because the people that buy these dogs and cant cope with them just


[size=7][i][b]Pass them on again and again :cry: [/b][/i][/size][/i][/b]

[mouseatthebusstop]

be proud of your-self - you tried it takes time to change peoples minds
the manager would like to think the puppies came from a good breeder
but you are right a good breeder whats to met the new puppy buyer to make sure they are buying for the right reasons

[BuddysMom]

You did good speaking your mind!

This is the one case where I hope the "big box" stores (Petsmart and PetCo) put the little independent ones out of business in my town. All the little ones sell puppies and of course the big 2 don't.

[imported_Matty]

I think what makes me most mad is that this pet store used to sell and display pups from the local shelter. It was really nice when they did that. They had kittens and pups and adult dogs and cats (the adults roamed the store). Then new mangement took over and they brought in these purebred pups from puppy mills. I know the puppy mill they come from, the local animal control can't shut them down cause they just keep an inch above the animal housing laws. They do give their old dogs that can't breed any more to the local animal control when they can't use them any more. Kinda an unspoken agreement between them.

And Roo, I know there is really nothing we can do. Its just so maddening to see a once wonderful pet store go commerical and sell the purebreds instead of helping local shelter animals. That another thing I wished I would have said.
Its a vicous cycle that an ordinary person like me can't stop. But, heck I can protest in the meanwhile :lol:

[quote]The general public really think they are SAVING these poor babies
but it its a viscious circle as we all know, where do they go?
what happens to them? are they fed correctly? are they loved, wormed,
vaccicnated?
But what can we do?
What happens to the pups?
Is buying them wrong?[/quote]
And Roo that makes total sense. What does happen to the pups if they don't sell them? are they put to sleep, taken back to the puppy mill for breeding? are these people actually saving the pups from death?

I didnt have enoug information before getting on my soapbox. Im so embarressed, I know Im probably not allowed in there again.

Any way, thanks every one for supporting me in my standing on the soapbox in the pet store. I just wish there was really some thing I could do.

[Phez718]

[quote name='Tammy']The kitten fostering program I am with has a policy of sending kittens to a petstore that sells puppy mill dogs if they aren't adopted by 12 weeks so that they can be adopted. I have told them that there is NO way in the world they are going to get me to turn my kittens over to a group of teens who have no problem lying to the public about where their dogs come from and that even sell dogs to begin with. I have NO faith in these teens to properly screen the adopters either.[/quote]

There is no hope for my generation :( It's going to be a nightmare when they get out on their own and don't have mommies and daddies to make responsible decisions for them :roll: I have trouble making friends with people my age because they just don't get it and I end up frustrated every time I talk to them(says the APBT owning, rescue volunteering, 15 year old :wink: )

[CincoandDahlilasgirl]

I think sometimes they lie about the breeds just to sell them. Like I said b4 we stopped at petland and they had what they call "Beagle" puppies there and idk maybe it was just me but they didn't look like beagles they didn't have the beagle ears(looked to be already a few months old)

[nadooshkinz]

reputable breeder. PFFFFT! thats backhand slang for evil puppy mill... and i agree with the others, you definitely did well speaking your mind, even if they didn't take it seriously, at least you spoke up.
ignorant people irk me... :evil:
perhaps you should go back for a "refreshing" little chat.. bring a "reputable" breeder with you, let him tell 'em off..

[Rowie-the-Pooh]

Stuff like this always upsets me, even though we (and by we I mean me and nadooshkinz) get it a LOT here. :( Every day there are advertisments for "chiwawa puppies" (spelled like that, yes) with cute little fluffly chi pics. I remember once my mother and I went, and the lady who bred them lived in a small 2 room apartment with her husband, bred Pekingnese and Chis and had around 20 dogs. :o She was German or something and leaving the country and selling ALL her dogs. *Sigh*

Maybe you could start a petition to stop buying from that puppy mill? There were two pet stores in my area that sold puppies but stopped when people started complaining to the managers...etc. Or maybe you could work there and secretly warn people about Petstore Puppies. :evilbat: