Why Do People Still Buy Puppies from Puppy Mills?
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
November 20, 2008 9:11pm CST
With the issue having been all over the news for years, in protests on the streets, online, etc. it seems that it should be impossible that someone hasn't heard of it. Yet people still buy puppies from puppy mills. Why is this?
Did you buy a puppy from a puppy mill? If so, why? Did you know the dog came from such a place or did you just try not to think about it? If you've ever bought a puppy from a pet store you probably bought it from a puppy mill.
The other thing a lot of people don't realize is that actually the other animals in pet stores mostly come from mills too. For example, Petco and PetsMart both use pet mills to get their supply of small animals and birds. And many of these animals can easily be found in rescues and shelters. I think in this case a lot of people genuinely don't know this (but now that you read this thread, you have no excuse!). In the case of puppies, I think people must push it to the back of their mind or they just don't care. In both cases, I think such an industry is just wrong and shouldn't be supported (and if you bought an animal from the industry, you supported it).
3 responses
@luvandpower (2048)
• United States
21 Nov 08
interesting...what is a puppy mill, is that like a breeding house?
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
21 Nov 08
A puppy mill is basically a place where puppies are mass bred for sale in pet shops. The conditions are generally very substandard and no concern is given to the health of the parents or even the health of the puppies really. As long as they live to be sold, they make money for the puppy farm.
A pet mill is basically the same but can be for any type of animal, not just puppies. I've spoken to several people who worked at small animal pet mills and the conditions are also very overcrowded and unsanitary.
@luvandpower (2048)
• United States
21 Nov 08
the employees should make an annoymonous call to the state about it, and yea i fully agree now that i know what your talking about:)
thats like murder, but worse.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
21 Nov 08
The employees do often turn these places in, and some organizations send in undercover employees too that will take videos and such. But a lot of times nothing is done because state regulations might be very low or not enough people care. And if people keep buying these animals and giving money to these people, they keep on doing business.
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
21 Nov 08
I can't swear that one of my cats, Frankie, didn't come from a kitten mill, he's a Siamese, claimed to be full blood, but I kindda doubt it.
We had his sister last year, so I doubt they were obtained at a pet store, but who knows where their parents came from.
Most of my cats are not purebred, in fact, most of my cats are rescues, yes, I have a few other pointed cats, but those 2 are both ferals, so they are not by ANY streach of the imagination that they were kitten mill babies.
And, as a final blow, I have not PAID for any of them... In fact, I worked with a rescue group last year and placed 16 cats in new homes.
I wouldn't buy a kitten, or puppy at a pet store when there are so many that need homes that are out on the streets being neglected now!
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
21 Nov 08
That is excellent news to hear! I've helped place a few feral kittens that had points similar to the siamese type cats, but obviously they weren't purebred and plus I could even spot several flaws. But they were no less cute. :)
A lot of pets from the pet mills aren't even purebred either. But definitely better to adopt from a rescue or rescue them on your own!
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
21 Nov 08
The 2 cats in my avatar are Rygel and Oliver.
Rygel I got when I follewed his mother back to her apartment and asked about her. They told me she had kittens and they were tired of her.
I said I'd take them. Which one? they asked as they held a kitten in both hands. There were 4 of the babies and mom.
I'll take all of them. I found homes for mom and 3 of the kittens, in fact, I still talk to the 2 people that adopted Rygel's brothers. They both think they got the best of the lot. But I assure you, we kept the best one!
Oliver is our bottle baby, we got him at a week old and when he was 4 weeks old, Rygel crawled into his bed and proceeded to teach him how to be a cat!
Those are just 2 of our rescue stories.
@Shar1979 (2722)
• United States
21 Nov 08
I can honestly say that I have no ideas about puppy mills. Anyways, if ever we decide to have a puppy. It will certainly not be from pet shops as they are expensive. We were looking for a cat and we went straight to animal shelter. I think if anyone who really wants to have a pet. They should just go to animal shelters or on craigslist.
