pawlaw
Doggie in the Window It pays to do your research. by Karen Ankerstar
The True Cost of That
Buying a puppy from a pet store takes minutes, but the long-term consequences can involve years of financial out- lays, heartache, and headache. Animals sold in pet stores and online are churned out by irresponsible, industrial breeders. The puppies and kittens commonly suffer costly lifelong health and behavioral problems as a result. Fortunately with just a little research and planning, pet
owners can avoid the nightmare and get a happy, healthy pet for life. Local pet shelters, online rescues, and in-store adoptions in stores like Petsmart and PetCo (but not Petland) are all much better alternatives to buying an ani- mal that was bred for profit. Adoption isn’t just the kinder choice, it’s financially smarter. If you’ve never heard of puppy mills, pour yourself a
stiff drink and Google it. The simple fact is that 99% of puppies (and kittens) for sale in pet stores come from these inhumane, dirty breeding farms - no matter what the sales- people tell you. These issues are thoroughly documented, and litigat-
ed. Reports on these USDA-licensed facilities (factory farms) are publicly available - complete with graphic pic- tures. The standards are laughable, and poorly enforced. For example, a dog’s cage only needs to be six inches longer than the dog. There are no consequences for violations, just warning after warning. When a breeder gets too much neg- ative publicity, such as making the Humane Society’s “Horrible 100” list (Google it), the owners just reincorpo- rate under a new name at the same address. The connection between pet stores and puppy mills is
DON’T BE A PUPPY MILL’S NEXT CUSTOMER. lThe USDA’s standards for puppy breeders are outrageously weak. For instance, it’s legal to keep a dog for her entire life in a tiny, wire-floored cage. Dogs can be bred at every opportunity, churning out litter after litter of puppies with no time to rest and recover. These dogs aren’t pets. They aren’t seen by veterinarians when they are sick or hurt.
lUSDA regulations allow animals to go without adequate food, water, shelter, and vet
care.This federal agency is failing vulner- able animals.
lIn 2020, the USDA claimed that 99% of licensed facilities were in compliance, yet provided no evidence. The USDA over- sees more than 12,000 commercial breeding facilities, but opened only 17 enforcement cases in 2019.
lLicensed facilities with sick, neglected or injured animals can stay in business year after year, even though they are breaking the law. The USDA rarely takes any action to stop them.
For more information:
HumaneSociety.org/puppy-mill-research
so well established that nearly 400 cities and several states have banned such sales, and now only allow adoptions. Once voters and legislators understand what puppy mills are, they want nothing to do with it. In the ensuing law- suits, retail pet sellers such as Petland did not dispute the ghastly conditions, because the conditions are common industry knowledge. Instead, their cases were all based on arguments over business regulations. The pet stores have never won a case. The cruelty is so objectively harmful that it’s a legal
consumer protection issue. Once you understand where pet store puppies come from, it’s easy to understand the impli- cations. Sellers are trying to get you to make a high-value, emotional purchase on the spot. Florida even has a “puppy lemon law” (Florida Statutes 828.29(5)). Florida’s only “lemon laws” are for cars, appliances, and pets sold in stores. Sellers understand that buyers are being misled, but
puppies are hugely profitable. According to the Humane Society of the United States, approximately 2 million pup- pies from puppy mills are sold annually. The average retail price for a puppy is around $3,000. Of course puppy mills don’t care if all their dogs require $6,000 surgery for hip dysplasia at age three. Legally, that’s no longer their prob- lem. The incentives are clear. The financials are bad, but everything else pales in
comparison to the suffering of the helpless animals at these factory farms. The stories would be hard to believe, but they come from official USDA reports.
70 THE NEW BARKER
www.TheNewBarker.com
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