One more reason never to buy a pup from a store

This is a story from Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue Web site
http://www.ygrr.org

In March of 2004, YGRR received a call from the owner of a 6-month-old Golden puppy named Summer. Summer was limping and her owners had taken her to their veterinarian. Unfortunately, Summer was an orthopedic nightmare. Not only did she have severe bilateral hip dyaplasia, but she also had a premature closure of her ulna, the large bone in her front right leg. Because they had purchased her as a puppy at a pet store, their options were limited. The family could not afford the extensive surgery and rehabilitation that Summer would need so they called YGRR. Summer was evaluated by an orthopedic specialist at Angell Memorial in Boston. The surgeon decided to do an an osteotomy of Summer's elbow first and then wait to see how the growth plates fused in her leg.
The YGRR staff followed the doctor's instructions carefully and, luckily, the surgery was a success. In August, Summer had a femoral head osteotomy performed on her right hip. The staff decided that after her rehabilitation from this surgery, Summer should go to her new adoptive home over the winter before coming back in the spring for her final surgery on her left hip.
Repeat adopters had applied for a young Golden and the match seemed ideal. They had two small children and a 10-year-old Golden named Bailey. Summer would spend very little time alone and her adopters understood their role in providing an optimumm, low key environment for Summer to ensure the success of her surgeries. Summer happily went to her new home and her family reports that she has quickly fournd her way into their hearts--it's as if she's been their girl from day one! The entire family adores her. The children sing her songs, lie on the floor next to her to "snuggle up" while watching TV, and they even cover her little body up with a portion of their own blankets to keep her warm with them. Bailey even gives Summer the privilege of playing with his "baby doll" on occasion! They say it feels really good to give extra help to a pup who needs it and that the experience has taught their children a valuable lesson. They are very proud of themselves when their parents point out how much Summer has flourished in their home because of the love they've given to her."

Summer was lucky enough to be turned to YGRR, where dogs are helped no matter how serious the issues are. But how many store bought pups end up in shelters, or worse, because of people who fall in love with a cute puppy without knowing where it came from or what health problems he/she may have

I agree with what you say... Puppies in pet stores are from puppy mills and wherever, but I disagree with saying not to buy them. If you plan to buy a dog no matter where you should have the finances to care for it. Now I know under some circumstances you just can't, but you should have it in your mind at all times. The thing about petstores with puppies is I don't think they will ever phase out so someone is going to buy them no matter what. The thing is a lot of puppies in pet stores are being sold to irrisponsible owners just because they see a cute dog. How many irrisponsible owners do you see doing research, finding a breeder, looking into health, temperment,paying tons of money for a good dog etc... Not alot right?? So they buy from the pet store and then the dog ends up at the humane society where you don't know where the dog originally came from right?? its a vicious cycle that will never end :( Someone will keep buying these dogs no matter what. I in my lifetime will probably be guilty of this as well, if I'm looking for a dog and see one I absolutley love in a pet shop then I WILL buy it. If I don't someone else will anyways. My true heart dog came from a petshop no one will ever measure up to her and if I was completly against buying from a pet shop I would have never had the honour of meeting her.

Poor little retriever glad she has a good home now.

that's so sad, but i agree. i work at a petstore and most of the pups come in sick or pretty much dead. i try as hard as i can to help these dogs and i even tell people that want to buy them about local breeders that could give them a healthier puppy.(i have a list of breeders i got out of mags, websites, friends, etc. so i can give the customer phone#,websites, and info about the breeder from my little list. of course i don't let my co-workiers or manager know about this. after all i'm loosing them money.

I know buying from pet stores "supports" puppy mills but what if this puppy had never been bought? She wouldn't have gotten help from YGRR and been placed in a loving forever home with a wonderful family. It's not the dog's fault that they were unfortunate enough to have been born into such circumstances.

There have got to be other ways to fight back against puppy mills. I just don't think that taking it out on the innocent puppies is it.

~Pet Store Puppy~

I'm a little puppy, so cuddly, sweet and small
I live inside a cage, you see at a Pet Store in the mall.
I'm not an only puppy, my sisters are all here.
My brothers, too, except for Ralph who died coz he was scared.


It's lonely here at nighttime when all the lights go dark,
We tremble in our cages and we whimper and we bark.
But no one comes to hold us or pet our fears away.
We sit all night in terror til the store opens next day.

We don't remember mama, left so far behind.
she did the best she could for us til Man said "It is time."
He crammed us all in cages too small for us you see.
We rode for hours; we could not help but lay in poop and pee.

And now we sit in a Pet Store where kids come taunt and squeeze.
They do not hear our whimpers or understand our pleas.
We're miserable and it's scary here we all would rather die.
But since we don't we do our best to run away and hide.

I know you think my story too sad to leave me be.
You want to take me home with you, a happy little puppy.
But please, though it is fearful to live here against our will.
If you take me that leaves a spot another pup will fill.

You can stop our suffering but not by taking us home.
You must be strong and leave us here, unsold and all alone.
For if you do not take me, then another pup won't come.
And maybe he will not be shipped so far away from home.

Tho some of us may not survive the cycle 'ere it falls.
If we don't sell they will not need more puppies in these halls.
And if they need no puppies then the Man will not bring more.
Eventually it can all stop! You CAN close the door.

So when you see a puppy face so sad and sweet and small.
In a cage at a Pet Store at your neighborhood shopping mall.
The best thing you can do for him is leave him sitting there.
That is the best way you can tell all dogs how much you care.

Quote:

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The best thing you can do for him is leave him sitting there.

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and then what would happen to them??? They'd end up in a humane society anyways. Not just one dog would be killed millions would!

A difficult issue... that poem was touching, but I'm not sure I agree, there must be better ways to stop puppy mills. than by leaving these dogs in terrible conditions. This is not an issue I have alot of experience with, but wouldn't it be better to do it through pressure on the pet store owners to supply valid certification about the puppies? Shouldn't they be the ones responsible to end puppy mills? After all, they are the ones doing the initial buying. If they stopped buying from puppy mills, the mills would go out of business.