reguarding Subject: pet store dogs vs real breed, answered on 4/12/2004

Question
How about a response from a pet store employee that can testify to the good condition in which our puppies arrive. The breeder or her husband drives the puppies to us in minivan. There are 2-3 puppies per plastic crate (the medium-sized ones like this: http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374...). As soon as the puppies get to the store they are put 3, or 4 if they're small, at a time into very large metal crate-style kennels (the ones for giant breed dogs). The kennels are on the sales floor, so all of the dogs are immediately visible to the customers and they would see if any of them looked sickly. The crate trays are covered with a layer of newspaper, with a layer of fluffy shredded newspaper on top. The dogs always have food and fresh water, and we try to keep at least three toys in each cage. There is a veterinarian's office in the lower level of our building, and one of the vets checks out all the puppies before they go up for sale. The vet almost never finds anything beyond an ear that needs some cleaning. The two most common things beyond that are grade 1 luxating patellas and level 1 heart murmurs. At that point, the information is written on the health paperwork and anyone who buys the dog gets information on the condition and is free to talk to the vet about it. A few of the puppies are still nervous after a couple days, but most of them are happily wagging their tails and eager to see us after an hour or so. We have both a one-year genetic health guarantee and a 10-day general health guarantee. If we know an animal has any illnesses, we pull them from the sales floor and set them up in either a large crate or exercise pen with newspaper like the cages on the sales floor. We then treat them according to the vet's orders until they are healthy, however long it takes and however much it costs. The same goes for our rats, hamsters, etc. If they're sick, they get treated until they're better. We also sell all of our animals. There is no time limit. Before we accept puppies from a new breeder, my boss drives to their location to check everything out and make sure that the animals aren't being mistreated. There are a lot of people that complain about our prices, mostly because they say they see the same breeds for 1/2 price or less in the newspaper. I tell them that our prices are high for several reasons, including the cost of getting our dogs from places that take good care of their animals. All the time there are people that come in to the store and tell us that they got their got there "x" years ago, how he/she's been the best dog, etc. We also have many of our puppies go to the homes of people who have bought a dog from us before, or their relatives have, or their friends.
I do believe that it is true that most places several years ago did get their puppies from puppy mills. However, the few places left that still sell dogs are much more likely to be the ones that care where their puppies come from and how the animals are being treated. The ones that didn't care mostly went out of business when the public started finding out about the existence of puppy mills. I wholeheartedly agree that people should ask questions of the employees who work at stores that sell dogs, and if their questions aren't answered satisfactorily they shouldn't buy their puppy from there.
Hopefully I've managed to persuade you that there are pet stores out there that do care and do their best to make sure that the animals are always treated well. I've worked at my job for almost three years now. I love animals; I'm currently in school to be a vet tech. If I didn't love my job or if I believed that there was any cruelty involved I would've left long ago. I hope that in the future you may be willing to admit that not all stores are evil. Thank you, your patience is appreciated.

Answer
I have far too mamny pet store employees writing to me and the other experts about the deplorable condition of the animals they receive.
I stand by what I said then.
NO RESPECTIBLE, RESPONSIBLE BREEDER WILL SELL THEIR DOGS TO A PET STORE.
You can fine backyard breeders that wiil, but just because they maintain a tidy house and kennel does NOY BY ANY MEANS reflect to quality of the puppies.
These people are rank ametuers who have NO business breeding their dogs and passing off bad personality or physical characteristics.
I an a member of the North Texas Humane Society, and we rescue too many dogs to listen to such a ridiculoue statement that puppt mills are few or far between.
We have made several rescues in the past year alone that involved up to 500 dogs in the most deplorable conditions.
Missouri is overrun with puppy mills.
the store you work for is looking at their bottom line.
If they want to be humanitarians and make many happy puppies in happy homes, then it can be done this way, and it will do some good.
They can sponsor pet adoption clinics, as many of the businesses in my area do.
They donate some floor space on weekends for us to bring our dogs and cats ( along with their Veterinarian's exam report) interview families and adopt suitable pets for that family, if we feel that family is responsible enough to take care of an animal and give it a good home.
We don't just give an animal to anyone who walks up.
I find it particularly interesting that although you seem to be extolling the virtues of the store you work for, you don't name that store.
Charlotte