[reeskujo]

I live in Missouri which is the puppy mill capital of the country...Well one of the neighboring cities near me called Wentzville is going to try and pass a law that in that city pet stores will not be allowed to buy,sell or even give away puppies...They're doing this in hopes of cutting down the available pet stores that the puppy mills have to sell to and in the hopes that the rest of the state will follow suit...

So far they have a lot of support in getting this done and I hope they succeed...If more cities and counties did this we could make it really difficult for these puppy mills to operate...

Oh and it will also make it illegal for any breeder or individual to sell to the pet store..So while this will certainly affect the puppy mills it won't affect any of the reputable breeders..

[cigwyllt]

That's a great start. If they don't have a market for their pups then hopefully they will stop churning them out like so many mass produced consumer goods.

[nattiej1976]

thats awsome news, here is hoping it is the start of a new trend.......i have been a strong advocate of pet stores not selling animals (particuarly puppies or kittens) as I strongly believe it begins removing the point of sale for mills and BYBs. Would love to see these rules adopted very soon all over the world

[Lunareclipse]

I have a big problem with pet stores selling puppies and kittens. Most have health problems and cost around the same as a show quality dog from a reputable breeder. There are, however, pet stores that I like that have dogs for sale from the local shelter. If places like Petland would bring dogs in from the local shelters, maybe we'd have more shelter dogs adopted out rather than having a crapload of puppy mills.

[nattiej1976]

Originally Posted by Lunareclipse

If places like Petland would bring dogs in from the local shelters, maybe we'd have more shelter dogs adopted out rather than having a crapload of puppy mills.

I like that idea lunar

[reeskujo]

From what I heard yesterday this ban will also include cats and kittens and will place a cap of 50 breeding dogs for the responsible breeders...It will also force anyone who breeds to allow prospective buyers to visit the breeders property and see where the puppies were born,their parents and the conditions in which they were born...This should help to weed out the puppy mills as well...Responsible breeders will always allow you to come visit,however most puppy mill owners won't!

My breeder just had a new litter and even though I'm not looking to get another Akita puppy I asked her if in a few weeks I could stop by and take a peek at them and she said sure...Anytime I've gone to her home for paper work reasons she's always allowed me to roam through her kennel an visit her dogs as well as Seigi's parents!

[lange]

That's great news! Hopefully we'll be hearing of more places adopting similar laws soon. Although a cap of 50 breeding dogs sounds like a lot still?..

[reeskujo]

Originally Posted by lange

That's great news! Hopefully we'll be hearing of more places adopting similar laws soon. Although a cap of 50 breeding dogs sounds like a lot still?..

It is still a lot but most reputable breeders don't have that many so I don't see it being an issue for them

[Daisy]

That is such great news! I have never bought any animal from the puppy store and have always been a huge advocate of shelters instead of buying from breeders. That being said, I know that some people want a specific breed and that's their choice. But the pet stores do nothing but help these puppy mills make money.

Here in NC, we have a HUGE problem with people selling pups and kittens right on the side of the road. They are most pit bulls, but we have have one in particular that sells toy breeds as well as some of the "designer" breeds. Unfortunately, this state does nothing to protect the animals. There is even an agreement between some of the shelters and one of the leading animal testing facilities here. It's atrocious. One of my dogs was rescued by the local no-kill shelter here from one of the county run facilities, and she and her sister were days away from being sold to research. The thought keeps me awake at night.

[harley_quinn]

Back yard breeding needs to get regulated,also. I got my dog from a private owner who was re-homing her, but my original intention was to adopt from a Pug Rescue. Unfortunately, the Austin rescue required you be 21 years old. I am in love with the breed and my boyfriend who is clinically depressed confided in me that pugs were one of the things in life that made him truly happy. I would never buy an animal from a pet shop or BYB. That law against puppy mills is a good start, but I personally consider back yard breedign a disgrace to legitimate breeders and the dogs they breed.

In my home city, there are people who breed pit bulls and sell them for up to $800, some who don't even have real papers. Even though some of the dogs aren't living in the most terrible conditions (many many are), the whole practice is still very unethical. They call it a "hobby", but for a lot of them it's just an attempt to make ends meet by exploiting animals. I find it disgusting to know that things like "breeding stands" (look like torture devices) are available to people who seem to have so little respect for such amazing animals. I was riding with my mom in a lower class neighborhood a few weeks ago and saw a female pit bull wandering the streets, she had sagging teats and a frayed rope hanging around her neck. It wasn't a new sight, but it was still terribly sad to know that she was probably a victim of an irresponsible "breeder". It's these kinds of people that contribute to the pit bull stigma and bad reputation.