Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Puppy mills

I don't understand why people in the Lansdale area don't seem to get the concept of puppy mills and don't understand why people brave the elements to protest at a pet store in the borough.
No, the puppies being sold there haven't done anything wrong. And yes, they do deserve homes.
BUT if you keep buying at places that get their puppies from these crank-em-out, inhumane sites, many in Lancaster County, you just keep creating a DEMAND for the poor pups. And the heartless breeders continue their nasty ways and the poor mothers of these pups are nothing but breeders.
No love, no real care, no half-decent housing.
It's terrible that Pennsylvania is known as a puppy mill state and still no adequate regulations and inspections have been put into place. It gives reputable breeders a bad name as well.
Some people just don't get it.
The protesters obviously do.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

In a way, your comment seems to be somewhat contradictory; North Penn Puppy Mill Watch continues to raise awareness about "puppy mills" because some people still don't "get it."

Additionally, NPPMWatch strives to encourage consumers to consider seeking out animals currently available in private rescues and/or in shelters. Many rescues and shelters not only have healthy puppies for a fraction of the pet shop priced pup but also have a high number of pure bred dogs as well.

Why should consumers feel sorry for the puppies residing in cages at pet shops? Certainly it's NOT the fault of the puppies however, pet shops have the option of increasing or reducing their inventory to accommodate the current demand in their store; shelters and rescues do not have that same luxury and each year in excess of 5 million companion animals are euthanized, primarily due to homelessness, and usually through no fault of their own.

Indeed, pet shops depend on people to feel sorry for the puppies in the cages... that's called a "sympathy purchase" and all too often people make these impulse buys when they are not necessarily in a position to take on a companion animal.

Sadly, when that pet proves to be too much of a challenge a surrender to a rescue or shelter is made.

The public is CONSTANTLY cleaning up the mess and assuming responsibility for irresponsible breeding. And that's what pet shops represent: a breed for greed mentality with no thought or regard for what happens to the puppies they bring into their stores. Their goal is to make sales - not care about puppies.

And what of the consumer who purchases a sick puppy? What remedies are available to them? In Pennsylvania, even the new beefed up version of the Puppy Lemon Law currently pending a vote in the Senate (SB-536) is still woefully inadequate. At best, the price of the puppy is refunded (minus the state sales tax) regardless of whether veterinary bills far exceed that amount! And is there any amount that fully compensates for the heartache any family feels when a new puppy dies?

Information about puppy mills abounds on the Internet. Even Oprah has featured a segment that revealed the deplorable conditions found in so many LICENSED PENNSYLVANIA KENNELS, yet people still don't "get it."

Is our society so self-centered and selfish that many no longer realize or comprehend that companion animals are not disposable? That they deserve better treatment than livestock? That no female dog should be bred heat cycle after heat cycle until she is bred to death just so the pet shop can offer puppies for sale? Or that life in a small cage, without ever touching God's green earth, is no life at all?

For centuries dogs have been a faithful companion to the human. They give sight to the blind. They guard our borders and protect us from harm. They are our friends and in return they ask so very little.

Isn't it time we protect them and stop supporting an industry that abuses the very animals we profess to love?

It's high time the public "gets it" .... except too many don't.