Why do people continue to buy puppies at pet stores when it only benefits puppy mill owners?

Question

I know there's a compulsion to get puppies because they're cuter... but so many puppies are bought, poorly taken care of for a few months, and end up in adoption shelters on death row. Why don't people adopt dogs instead, and shut disgusting, horrific puppy mills down?

Answer 1

Some people feel "sorry" for them and dont' seem to know that if they buy one, another one will be ordered to take it's place!!!
It is also an "impulse" item, and often a pet store will take CREDIT CARDS....which for many people is the ONLY way they could ever buy one!!!!

Sadly, these dogs DO deserve homes, but buying them creates the DEMAND for them and makes puppy mills breed MORE of them!!!!!! If no one was buying them, the puppy mills would be forced out of business.

Answer 2

We know that pet store puppies are from puppy mills, but a lot still don't. Now, some pet stores advertise that their puppies are from local breeders, but those are from backyard breeders. A lot of potential puppy buyers don't. They go to pet stores and see these cute, adorable puppies. They can't resist the cute looks. Whap happened? They take the puppy home. When they look at shelter dogs, most of them are over that cute look age already. Also, people may think shelter dogs have problems and don't want to deal with problem dogs. They always prefer puppies.

Answer 3

I was guilty of this about 6 years ago. I had just lost my 11 year old Malamute...went to several shelters, but didn't adopt because I wasn't ready yet. A couple of months later I went to the mall and guess what...I walked in the pet store and fell in love with a puppy. She told me he was bred by local breeders and I believed her. At this time I had only heard of puppy mills, but didn't actually know what they were.
This puppy died at the age of 4 from lymphoma. I am not sorry for purchasing him because he became my soulmate and I loved him very much.
As it turns out, I did some investigating about his "roots" and it turns out he came from a puppy mill in Missouri that is still going strong.
We need to spread the word so more people will know about the horror of puppy mills and the pet stores who buy them. Lack of knowledge is the reason why most people purchase these pets.

Answer 4

Ignorance. Nobody WANTS to support puppy mills. I guess that's one good thing about the whole situation - that puppy mills just can't be ethically justified. I think people just don't know any better. They say, I think our family should get a puppy - where do we get puppies? Oh, I remember seeing some in a pet store. That sort of thing.

Answer 5

I guess I should be offended, I bought my dog from a pet store. I couldn't resist her, she was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I knew the pet store owner and he took the litter from a woman whose female had become pregnant by accident. (Yes, she was irresponsible) However, this dog is the smartest dog I have ever had. She is well behaved due to training on my part. Knows loads of tricks and has been a wonderful addition to my household. My husband is gone through the week and she is an amazing companion for me.
She did have many health problems when I bought her, mange, kennel cough, etc. But we persevered with her, had her spayed when it was time and I have been grateful for her everyday. And I truly believe Jessie knows she is loved and treasured. I have a yard full of rescued dogs that I couldn't find homes for and so I kept them. So, I don't think that everyone who buys a pet store puppy is being irresponsible. I know that I'm not and I don't have a purebred, papered dog on the premises. I think that if I hadn't bought Jessie, someone else might have gotten her and given up when they found she had so many problems. Then she would have wound up at a shelter or dog pound and it would have been a horrible waste of an excellent dog.

Answer 6

many people do it because they don't know about puppy mills, or are interested only in the fact that they want a cute puppy rather than a full grown dog. I agre 100% about shutting puppy mills down. (Vick should be put down for what he did to those dogs!!)

Answer 7

i like to think its because people are uneducated and are not aware of puppy mills, however it doesnt take much brain power to do some research on it.

add- OZZY, where the hell did you get that info from? oh wait, i bet you made it up. if no one buys the dogs, they end up going to a rescue group. they are not sold to a broker, nor for animal research, nor are they ground up and turned into food.

every time someone buys that cute puppy in the window, they are creating another spot for another puppy mill puppy to go. you are not only keeping that pet store in business but you are keeping the millers in business. and btw, the brokers are the ones that sell the dogs to the pet store not the other way around.

millers -> broker -> pet store.

add (again)- i recently ordered a sweat shirt from cafe press and on it states:

"stores that sell puppies contribute to animal abuse by doing business with puppy mills.

no reputable breeder sells to pet stores"

again- BIG KISSES, did you not read the above information? google puppy mills and pet stores and then ask what the big deal is.

Answer 8

Most people don't know about puppy mills. And imagine seeing an adorable puppy that wants to come home with you. AWW! How can you resist right?

Answer 9

They need to make it illegal to sell puppies from pet stores. Your more reputable places like Petsmart have done it voluntarily. But as long as you can sell them on display, puppy mills will continue to exist!!

Answer 10

I think it's because people are uneducated on petstores and where they get the puppies. They get the story from the petstore that the puppies are from local breeders, and they believe this. Or they want to believe it so that they feel better about their purchase.
Keep telling people, it helps to educate everyone so that we can stop the horrible puppymills!