Why you should avoid buying pet store puppies
Why you should avoid buying pet store puppies
In 2011 the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) launched their “No Pet Store Puppies” campaign after research found that 78% of consumers in the US are unaware that most puppies sold in pet stores come from large-scale commercial breeding operations – also known as puppy mills.
Every year in July the ASPCA reminds dog lovers that pet stores are not a good place to purchase a puppy, and they suggest that consumers don’t shop at stores selling dogs.
We were the first to take a stand against selling cats and dogs when we opened our first Pet’s Delight store in 2005, and since then others have followed. We have campaigned for and supported local rescue groups, we have fed the pups at K9 Friends for free for many years, and now we want to be more open about the reasons why we are against pet shops selling dogs.
The list is endless, but here are some of the main reasons why we ask dog lovers to turn away from pet shop puppies and instead choose to adopt or foster.
Getting a puppy from a pet store can make YOU sick
It’s not uncommon for pet store puppies to carry infections and diseases that can be serious if you catch it yourself. Some of the most common diseases associated with dogs that can cause human illness are:
- • Campylobacteriosis
- • Dog tapeworm
- • Hookworm
- • Rabies
- • Roundworm
It’s really important that you get your new pup from a reliable place, we work with important animal welfare groups such as K9 Friends, who have many years of experience looking after stray dogs and have regular vet checkups to make sure their doggies are fighting fit. We always recommend that customers turn to one of these groups if they are looking to bring a dog into their family.
You can’t be sure where the dog has come from
It is not unheard of for puppy mills to supply pet stores in the UAE with their dogs. The condition that puppies and their mothers can be kept in some of these places is very well known – many have the sole aim of keeping a puppy alive long enough to be sold or to breed, and that’s all.
The bottom line is that unless you do your own investigation you can’t be certain where the puppy has been bred, this could not only be unethical but could mean you end up with a very sick puppy – this is not good for the puppy and it’s not good for you either.
Plus, buying puppies from pet stores who source them from puppy mills is keeping these kinds of establishments alive.
You could be missing out on a wonderful doggie
Rescuers will tell you that adopting or fostering a homeless dog is one of the most rewarding things that a person can do. Not only do you change the dog’s life, but you change yours.
We launched our Pet Stories campaign in our Pet’s Delight Magazine last year, where we speak to our customers about their journey to become pet parents. One thing that all of these stories have in common is that they have made a rescue dog part of their family, and they can’t imagine life without them.
A lot of rescue dogs have had a tough time in an unsuitable household or on the streets. Dogs are incredibly loyal animals by nature, and more often than not if you show them love they will love you unconditionally for the rest of their life.
We are taking a stand against pet shop puppies and fully support the ASPCA’s campaign, and we hope you will too.
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