Comments on: Giving Pet Shops and Puppy Mills the Boot

By: MaryHaight

MaryHaight — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:24:11 +0000

Well, I don't know if you are referring to SPCA San Fran or Best Friends, which are actually famous, or the shelter I'm with (Lake Shore) which is not, but *my* shelter to me means Lake Shore and yes, we do have trainers we hire, and yes they do go to foster's and adopter's homes to help the animals and the people when needed. While I agree foster homes are the ideal setting, the keyword is ideal. There are not enough really serious foster homes. There are people who have the occasional space in time where they can take in a furry visitor and make him or her feel at home until the kinks are worked out, whatever they are. And that is wonderful too. Serious fosters are rare birds in my limited experience – it would be quite a gift to find a conduit in to such folks.

By: MaryHaight

MaryHaight — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 06:52:37 +0000

Hi Thomas, and welcome! Interesting note about that Examiner deleting the unfavorable comments – well…guess she's not interested in conversation.

Re open communal housing for groups of dogs – I've only seen this in sanctuaries where a number of dogs are matched for temperament in the same very large outdoor enclosure. Don't know how that would be replicated in cities, but yes, available space and the difficulty of containing disease are good reasons. Managing packs of dogs is another. Doesn't mean it's not possible. A viable system that would accommodate the tens of thousands of animals that are moved through big cities shelters would have to be designed.

By: MaryHaight

MaryHaight — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:19:04 +0000

Thanks so much, Lorie! I checked out your post – which was great BTW, especially in giving the people who don't know what the fuss is all about the background on puppy mills and the state of the pets they produce for pet shops – and appreciate your added expertise and experience as a Vet as well as in your role as a National Examiner on pet health. Glad you picked this post for your weekly Spotlight – you're so right this issue needs more discussion and work, not the least reason being so shelters don't feel it's a program that won't work for them.

By: Lorie Huston

Lorie Huston — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 22:47:11 +0000

Hi, Mary. Great post here. I totally agree with you on all points. I have continued the conversation on my blog at http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/2010/07/17... and have featured your article there. Thanks for taking the time to address this very important issue.

By: MaryHaight

MaryHaight — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 09:27:50 +0000

491 breeding pairs???? OMG! Agree, obviously:), that pet stores are a problem in more ways than one – psychologically reframes pets as commodities – but half a million puppies sold in shops in the US every year and what's the avg pricepoint? 1000-1350? But it's the lives that are important here. And that whole thing about puppy mills dumping pets in Puerto Rico. Ugh! Thanks for adding to the conversation here, Mel:)

By: MaryHaight

MaryHaight — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 09:18:30 +0000

Hi Mel! On having to educate a radio station re what constitutes a puppy mill, I was commenting somewhere that I had engaged in a discussion with a guy who was a puppy mill and who didn't think he was here on the blog (I should go back and find that just to refresh my memory – more than a year ago I think.). He was honestly trying to understand why I would slap such a nasty moniker on his family business. I had to say that just because he kept things clean and the dogs were fed and had clean water did not disqualify him from the title.

It must be perplexing to some of the commercial puppy farms that they are lumped with the horrors of the filthy backroad places where you can nearly smell disease and death from ten feet away. They don't get that keeping dogs penned is a bad practice, no walks is a bad practice, constantly pregnant is a bad practice.

By: MaryHaight

MaryHaight — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:25:32 +0000

Just one more note on this point – I understand the power of the internet to sell millions, but I have to say that with 500,000 dog sales per year in the US out of pet shops, I don't think it's an issue to be swept aside in favor of the bullseye, which is going to be a very long political battle. I believe we have to work on many fronts at once, effectively putting a noose around the neck of the puppy mill industry, and I think the pet shops are the low hanging fruit that we can pick off now, town by town, and build toward majority consensus on State legislation, while we as individuals and groups work on the internet problem.

And Best Friends are working with rescues and volunteers giving them tools, ideas and a how-to. how not to approach the pet shop owner. They are the leaders in this field and have begun a multi-city offensive, so check out the links in the post (way up there somewhere:), see what you think.