Pet Shop Myths?

Question

I have heard alot of rumors about pet shops not being a safe place to purchase a pet. (namely, a dog). I have heard that they abuse the animals, and the constant contact with people makes the animals irritable, snippy and hyperactive or just the opposite.... fearful and timid.
Can anyone shed some light on the subject? Are these only myths, or do cases like these happen frequently?? If I decide to buy a puppy from the pet store in the mall, what would you suggest I do?

Answer 1

These are not just rumors. Not only are pet shop dogs from puppy mills (or home bybs if you're in a small OR ethnic town/neighborhood) but they are missing out on seriously important developmental stages that are critical for their well-being. They go through the stage of learning fear pretty early so that would account for the timidity/fear. They are also in an animal shelter-like environment (without the spacious kennels and vets and volunteers to walk and train them) so the yappiness and snippiness would come from that stressful environment.

The animals (not just dogs) that come into these shops are often too young to be away from their mothers and this can result in the death of the animal. People tell me about their 4 or 5 week old rabbits they bought from the pet shop that died of enteritis 5 days later. They often go back to the same store for another rabbit only to have the exact same thing happen again and their children are distraught.

I have personally witnessed a shop owner make a deal with a man with an unwanted litter of puppies. He paid the man and put the pups in his front window. They were could barely walk but mostly crawled because they were so young. It is illegal to sell animals that young btw.

These dogs come from puppy selling bussinesses and NOT good family homes and especially not from good, reputable breeders. Rabbits at Petsmart and other big chain stores come from one rabbit breeding business that supplies the entire chain with rabbits. Marshall is one such company that breeds for $$$. They do NOT come from reputable ARBA exhibitors/breeders that breed for the love and betterment of the breed.

I know a former Petsmart employee (she was the only one in the store that could always give me the answers to my questions) that told me that they often got sick or injured animals (guinea pigs, etc) and the managers would not get them medical help but just let them sit in the back till they died or until she could convince them to let her take them home and nurse them back to health. Keep in mind they have a vet office right in their store. She also told me that it was policy to hire ONE person who knew a lot about animals and the rest of the employees were told to just repeat what they heard the knowledgeable one say. I could tell that was true since when she was no longer around it seemed everyone else gave me real stupid answers to my questions - "Sure, you can put this gold fish that will grow to five inches in that 3 gallon tank. No problem". I'd say, "But is says right here on the tag that I can't". Their response "Oh, sure you can. Don't worry about that!". URGH. Pet store employees are infamous for giving customers bogus care, housing, and feeding instructions.

Yes, these things happen frequently. What do I suggest you do if you decide to buy a puppy from a pet store?

DON'T!

Buy from a reputable breeder or adopt!

Answer 2

My advice is to buy a puppy from a breeder. It's more expensive, but much better. If you get one at a Pet Store, the animal may have medical problems that they don't tell you about, they may get their dogs from a puppy mill. They may have been taken away from their mother too early. You really do not know what you are getting when buying a puppy from a store. I would ask questions like have they had their shots? I would also ask if they have papers on the dog (showing where the dog came from and so forth). I would ask about their return policy. And I would take the puppy to the vet the same day you purchase the dog to make sure there isn't anything wrong.

What you have heard is not a myth. For the reasons you stae above, and for the reasons here. Do not buy one from a store.

Personally I would either adopt a puppy from a shelter or purchase one from a breeder.

Good Luck

Answer 3

Pet shops purchase their stock from a number of places -- including puppy mills. Puppies born in this environment are NOT socialized, are generally removed (weaned) far too early, and can suffer a number of genetic deficiencies or physical ailments.

A breeder is generally a much more reputable source for a particular breed. Although there are those that are "out to make money", most actually LOSE money on the sale of their litters. A puppy should have all its first shots, a health guarantee, and should be kept with its mother for at least 6 weeks.

If you aren't specific about the breed of dog, please look to pet adoption sites, such as www.petfinder.com to help an animal that may be facing euthanasia.

Good luck, and good question!

Answer 4

Personally, I don't know that pet shops abuse the animals, or even if the constant contact with people would mke them irritable. BUT - for sure I know that they mostly come from puppy farms, and buying an animal from a store, even if you feel you will be "saving" it, just feeds into the puppy mills. Best bet is just don't go into one and you won't be tempted to buy one from there. Check into a local breeder, where you can go see the parents of the dog and stuff, and you're most likely to get a healthier, happier dog. Well worth the extra money you may have to pay, when you consider that vet bills for a sickly dog (from a pet shop) can run into the thousands...

Answer 5

the worst place to get a puppy is probably a pet store. the shop owners most likely get them from puppy mills. so don't support them by buying it. i'm not sure about the animals being abused, but others might. if you want a puppy, get it from a reputable breeder. they may be hard to find but there are loads out there as well. if you decide to look for your puppy online, check out the owner first and get their history and also the history of the dogs they've bred and the puppy's parents. as far as pet store myths, most i've heard are sadly true. but hopefully this doesn't affect ALL pet stores.

Answer 6

It's not so much about pet stores being a poor venue so much as where they obtain their animals.. I doubt too many pet stores abuse their animals as most people who open one open one because they enjoy working with animals..
The problem comes in that no responsible breeder would sell their pets through a pet store because they have no way of knowing where their pets end up.. I didn't know any show breeders of rabbits for instance that sold their rabbits through a pet store.. I did it a couple times, but, realized that there was no way to control who bought them. Many pet store employee's are part time employees who really don't know much other then what they know about their own pets which they may have learned from another pet store employee who doesn't know much about them..
All puppies sold directly buy the pet stores are either BYB'er pups or puppy mill pups.. Some rescues show their dogs and puppies at pet stores, but, you still have to go through their adoption process, not anyone with $100 can just buy the dog to do whatever they want with it..
Why should that matter to you if you aren't going to show? Well, bad genetics will affect you in the long run if you buy a poorly bred dog at risk for expensive health problems.. You also support unethical breeders by buying from them as you allow them to produce and sell more..
Here's how to select a responsible breeder.. A responsible breeder should actively show their dogs to make sure their dogs meet are worthy of breeding..
Here's the ASPCA's view on it..
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pp_breeding

Buying from a pet store means you overpay for a low quality dog that may have a mass of health problems later and you support breeders who keep their dogs under terrible conditions..
Here's a site where you can learn more about puppy mills..
http://stoppuppymills.org/

I do believe there is a place in the world for purebred dogs and responsible breeders. There is no reason for someone to support puppymill establishments..
I would suggest you check your local shelter first for a dog that catches your eye and then on Petfinder.com for a breed specific rescue if there is a certain breed you want..
If you can't find a dog you want that way, then I would search the breed club of the breed you're looking for. Look for a responsible breeder that actively shows. They will normally require that you fill out some kind of application to verify that you understand dog care..
They may not have a pet quality pup available at that time, but, they can either add you to a waiting list, or recommend another breeder that is decent that may have one..
Chances are, you will pay less for a wellbred dog from a responsible breeder then for one from a BYB'er out of the paper or a pet store.. Many responsible breeders don't advertise in the paper either and rely on referrals from others and from their breed club..
Case in point, I saw a horribly bred Italian Greyhound for sale around here for $1400 in our local pet store.. I found a 9 month old italian greyhound from a breeder that already had it neutered and was offering it for $200 because it found out the genetics weren't good enough to breed.. That dog looked a lot more like a real Italian Greyhound then the sickly looking thing at the pet store from a puppymill..

Answer 7

I was lucky enough to find a "good" pet store. But, from other experience, I think you are better off buying a puppy from a reputable breeder. Look online, in the paper and call a couple of vets in your area. We did that for another puppy, the same breed we bought from the pet store, and saved about $280.
Also, we found out from the breeder, that if he didn't sell his puppies before a certain date, he would sell them to a pet store. That's why pet stores are so much more expensive, they have to make a profit from buying the puppy in the first place.

Answer 8

Hey.....what ever you do DO NOT buy from a pet-shop if possible. Besides the obvious fact that the animals are usually oxygen deprived in this small boxes, and forces to sit in their own fecies there are a lot of other issues that can come from "puppy mill" dogs that are what pet stores usually sell. A lot of times the puppies are sick when you get them, and in many cases are not treated well which leads to temperment problems. My suggestion is this........go to a rescue if you want a pure-breed there are hundreds of them nationwide, DON'T BUY PET SHOP PETS.......its just wrong.

Answer 9

DO NOT buy a puppy from a petshop!

Petshop puppies come from puppy mills, which are horrible places! Google puppy mills and you will find lots of information.

Dont let the petshop try to tell you that they come from local breeders... NO reputable breeders sells their pups to a petshop!

The pups often have issues from being poorly bred, and also from living in a cage for the first months of their lives. Many of them are difficult to housebreak, because they have no qualms about peeing and pooping in their crates.

They are also being exposed to plenty of diseases before they go to their new homes.. so often times, these pups are already incubating parvo or some other puppy disease, and the stress of a new home causes them to become sick. I used to work at a petshop that sold puppies, and there were quite a few complaints about puppies coming down with Parvo... the catch is, they have to become sick/die withing 72 hours of being purchased at the petshop for the shop to be liable for anything... parvo can incubate in the body up to 10 days!


I suggest you look at www.petfinder.com and look for a pup to rescue.. or go to akc.org and get a breeder referral from a parent breed club.

Answer 10

not all petstores do that, and i betr most dont.
i think it is just a stupid rumor.
and none of you that aswer no for shure that the dogs are from puppy mills, none of you that answered probably took the time to check every world wide pet store.
lots of pet stores do have quality dogs, but of course you went straight to the breeder for shure.......

and even if some of the dogs were from puppy mills wouldnt you want to save it?
theese answers are just unbelive-able.

if you do decide to buy one in a pet store, ask to see the one you want.
check its eyes to make shure they are clear, eye boogers are no problem, some dogs have eye boogers that are red so dont mix it up with blood, check the activity level wich also dont be worried if the dog isnt active it is probably scared ,
check store background etc.
if you have any wuestions or anything else i didnt mention you can email me at
[e-mail]
or IM me.

good luck chosing. and remember no pet store is alike



edit: most dogs arent agressive from constant contact, they arew usally agressive form not having no contact wich isnt the case if a lot of poeple come to see the dogs.

and another option is a shelter wich is also good if you want to save a life because most dogs only get year or so to be adopted

im agaisnt breeders and when you buy from breeders they want to breed more wich is overpopulating the world with dogs that are already unwanted and im not saying dogs are bad but there areplenty of dogs in shelters ans stores that need love to.