Pet Stop puppies and illnesses

[wolflady]

Hi everyone! I wanted to get some ideas/opinions from you all about a situation here in Gilroy, CA. I have started working as a vet tech at my local vet hospital, which has been a really interesting experience so far. I'm learning a lot and seeing a lot of gross things too
Anyway, the short period of time I have been working there, we have had scores of Pet Stop puppies(a local pet store) coming in practically on death's door. Pet Stop gets its puppies from puppy mills in Missouri and Arizona. Our vet knows where the puppy supply comes from as, obviously, does the Pet Stop store owner. My question is, is there anything at all that anyone can do about this really terrible and annoying situation? It's rediculous that pet stores get puppy mill dogs in the first place, but even moreso is that they are all sickly. Uneducated or unknowing people come in and buy (rather than adopt) a unhealthy and not necessarily quality dog for a price that is way too much. We had a parvo pup die today, and there are several others that have come through our hospital with severe kennel cough. The vet was telling all of us vet techs today that many puppy mill dogs like that have built up resistance to our medications and it's a lot tougher to treat the puppies and they tend to suffer longer because of it. It's so sad
One woman had adopted a yellow lab (her name is Maggie) that was in the worst shape I have seen for a kennel cough dog, and she was in our hospital for a few weeks. At first they thought it could be parvo, but luckily it wasn't. This woman has spoken to the Pet Stop store owner about it, and he did offer to pay all of her hospital bills. But what about the others? I just wish more pet stores partnered with rescues and shelters to place dogs that need homes rather than support the horrible puppy mill industry.
I was talking to my vet the other day and he was even interested to know if there was anything we could do. I know there are puppy lemon laws for every state, but I don't know if it would really do anything for the puppies coming from out of state?? Any advice, opinions??

**hugs**

[anna_66]

I just wanted to say, thank you for trying to do something about it.
I just can't understand why pet stores buy from these horrible places (well...yes I do, $$$ ).

[Sudilar]

There just HAS to be something that can be done!!! If I remember correctly (maybe not) that there was a "puppy lemon law" going up for a vote, but it lost???

It would be wonderful if these pet shops would feature pound puppies instead of puppy mill puppies. The public has to be reached to spread the word about puppy mills. They have to know that the high price they pay at the store, will only cost them even more when the diseases and bad genetics show up!!!!

[wolflady]

This is such a sad situation. It's just sad that this pet store still deals with these companies that send unhealthy dogs. Why can't more pet stores team up with rescues?

This is what I found for the California puppy lemon law:
California Law

This Law is the most hard on sellers of unhealthy dogs, but hobby breeders do not fall under its provisions except for the extremely active ones. As with the Florida Law, it is important to note that costs of testing to certify a dog unhealthy could double what a seller is obligated to refund to the purchaser. It is also important to note that this Law obligates the seller to cover 1½ times the purchase price of the dog in veterinary expenses should the purchaser elect to have the dog treated.

Pros: long period in which to find congenital or hereditary conditions

Update 4-6-2001 Pertains to anyone who sold, transferred, or given away two or more litters during the preceding calendar year.
See: AB 161

Cons: obligation to cover veterinary expenses above the purchase price of the dog may be considered punitive.

Applies to: any one who sells more than 50 dogs per year.
Contagious or Infectious Disease: 15 days
Congenital or Hereditary Defects: 1 year
Failure to Produced Advertised Registration Papers: yes, within 120 days, otherwise return dog for full refund or receive refund of 75% of purchase price if you keep the dog.
Replacement: yes, plus reimbursement for veterinary expenses related to certifying the dogs illness up to the price of the dog including sales tax.
Refund: yes, plus reimbursement for veterinary expenses related to certifying the dogs illness up to the price of the dog including sales tax.
Reimbursement of Veterinary Expenses to Treat Dog: yes, up to 150% of the purchase price of the dog plus sales tax.

*******
So I wonder where we should even start here, if there is an opportunity to do anything. I know that most people who adopt from the pet store just can't bring themselves to trade it in for another one (which would be sick anyway also), because they've already fallen in love. If we got all the Pet Stop puppy owners to bring this puppy lemon law to the attention of the shop owner, do you think that would help? Also, I work in only 1 of the many vet offices in the area. Who knows how many Pet Stop puppies other hospitals in the area are getting!

[stacwase]

People like to pay a lot of money for puppies. I was at work one day after Max broke my finger, and I was joking about how I payed only $35 for Max but he had cost me $1100 in hospital and vet bills.

This Dr. came up to me and said "You know, I always say that you get what you pay for when you buy a dog. I only buy purebred dogs".

Many people truly feel that something that costs more is better!

I think some animal shelters should try marking up the prices on random dogs to the same price pet stores charge, putting ribbons and bows and perfume on them and giving them a special name. Then they should take them to the mall and sell them!

They'd probably all end up back in the shelter anyway (what kind of people buy a dog at the mall?), but at least they'd be taking some business away from the puppy mills.

[Powerlounger]

Stacwase, that doctor sounds like an elitist imbecile to me. And there are SO many people out there who call themselves animal lovers & feel the exact same way. I have no time for that ilk.

[stacwase]

Powerlounger, I think if you looked up the definition of Dr., it would say "elitist imbecile"! So you hit the nail right on the head.