What happenes to dogs at Pet Stores who don't get bought?

Question

If a puppy is not purchased at a pet store, what happens to them? Where do they go? Does anyone have any sort of documentation on what goes on when the puppy gets too old?

I don't buy from puppy stores. I'm trying to help get info for a rescue group. Even though the dogs are discounted, what does that mean they go so cheap that they can be sold for research? Also, I have NEVER heard of pet stores taking puppies from rescue groups (ever).

Answer 1

To answer this question you have to understand where the puppies come from in the first place. Most puppies in pet stores come from backyard breeders -- people who don't care about breed standards, genetics, the actual health of the breeding dogs and puppies and in general are just out to make money. These people just have 2 somewhat pure bred dogs and mate them. Many of these dogs are kept in cages, or just out running around, receive little if any veterinary care and are usually never vaccinated. They are bred from their first heat cycle until they no longer can produce pups and then are euthanized (they nicest thing that can be done for them) or just abandoned somewhere. They are poorly socialized an usually just a shell of a dog. This is where puppies that go to pet stores come from. The person breeding the animals sells the puppies to the pet store not caring what happened to them afterwards - as long as they got their money. What happens to the puppies after going to the pet store depends on the store. Some will euthanized the puppies that don't get purchased. Some will be taken to animal control, humane societies, etc. Some will go back to the puppy mill they came from to be abused as breeding stock - to never know love, to never play with toys, only to be bred over and over again until it dies. Moral of the message - don't buy a puppy from a pet store. You feel sorry for it, but to pay money or to "rescue" the puppy actually promotes more and more puppy mills and abuse and neglect of the animals. Instead go to your local shelter, humane society or private rescue group and adopt a dog that needs a home. If you are looking for a specific breed, research breeders, make sure they are not in it for the money, make sure they are not selling the puppies to early (most will sell as soon as they are weaned, but then the puppies never recieve proper socialization and social skills necessary for puppies), make sure the puppies are up to date on preventative veterinary care (i.e. they start receiving canine distemper vaccines at the age of 6-8 weeks and every 2-3 weeks thereafter for a set of 3-4 boosters, are dewormed regularly, and if not already spayed or neutered, is stated in the contract to be done). Ask the breeder if the sire and ***** have been OFA or Penn Hip certified, if the eyes (retinas) are certified, elbows, knees, etc. Know what specific diseases are common in the breed and ask about them. Make sure the puppies have a lineage that is traceable and has had mating pairs of good standards (i.e. AKC champions, etc). My one tip for people wanting to purchase a pure bred dog, ask the breeder if they have heard of alles or chromosomes and what they are. If they don't, then they don't know a thing about genetics and shouldn't be breeding animals.

Answer 2

There's a local pet store that frequently gets new batches of pups in weekly. They STILL have a 4 mo. old st. bernard pup and a 5 mo. old lab pup (both are "discounted!" now, which is SO wrong). My feeling is that this particular store lets them sit there in these tiny-*** crates until someone gives in and buys them. It's so wrong and sad, especially since the pups will be so scared and harder to train when they do get a new home. Hope that helps.

Answer 3

the pet stores lower their prices until the puppy sells.. they usually mark up puppies 300% so they have ALOT of room to reduce the price.. sometimes they get litters free or for the cost of vaccination only... and charge hundreds of dollars for these pups... so they can reduce the price so they ALWAYS make a profit..

IF everybody simply refused to buy from pet stores.. they would be forced to lower their prices and ultimately discontinue the sale of pets becuase it wont be profitable.. this will end puppy mills which are the cruel industry supported by idiots who buy from pet stores and think they are "rescuing" the pups - when infact they are condemming the moms to living in horrid conditions breeding back to back until they can no longer carry a litter... its sad

Answer 4

do not know for sure what happens to the poor guys. They probably get sent back to the puppy mills they came from, since pet stores promote animal filth and cruelty by acquiring pups from puppy mills for profit.

Answer 5

Most of the pets up for adoption at the local pet stores are actually placed there by private rescue groups. Talk to the store manager and they can better answer this question. Thanks for asking a great question. It's nice to see that there are people who don't abuse the system for their own selfish use.

Answer 6

They put them to sleep. They don't have room to keep them forever.