The ASPCA has declared July 21st to be No Pet Store Puppies Day. If ever there was a holiday that should be celebrated every day, this is surely the one.
Image from nopetstorepuppies.com
I am fairly certain that I am preaching to the choir among my readers. They know that puppies that are sold in pet stores more likely than not come from "puppy mills". While it is true there is no official definition of a puppy mill, we all know what one is. Most FDA commercial breeding facilities are technically 'puppy mills' where there are dogs who are stuck in cages, that no sane pet owner would expect a dog to live in, and forced to have litter after litter of puppies until they are no longer viable breeders. If they are lucky they will be surrendered to a local shelter or rescued by one. If not they are put down.
No sane responsible breeder of dogs turns their dogs over to a store to be sold as if they are a toaster.
But do you know that buying pet supplies at stores that sell puppies is actually feeding the system? By giving the store your business you are giving them profit to stay in business while they wait for people who buy the story about the dogs coming from 'reputable' commercial breeding facilities that are FDA inspected. So many people don't want to understand what their dogs went through to get to them, they prefer to keep their heads down and their eyes averted because they want a cute little puppy of the breed they want when they want it and they don't want to have to do research to find a breeder or wait until a litter is born and is raised to an age when they can take them home. Puppy mills crank out puppy after puppy so you can decide you want one and then have one - much like a toaster. It is just sad.
So, other than not buying a puppy, or shopping at a store that sells them, what else can you do to help? According to the ASPCA website:
- Watch and share their video
- Join the Twitter chat
Have questions about puppy mills? Speak with our experts on July 21 at 1:00 P.M. ET during our No Pet Store Puppies Day Twitter chat (hashtag #NPSP). We’ll answer all your questions about puppy mills, plus we'll be asking our fans trivia questions about this important issue for the chance to win a puppy mill message tee. - Sign the pledge
Puppy mills put profit ahead of the welfare of the dogs who live in them, many of whom never get to leave. By shopping at pet stores or websites that sell puppies—even when you’re not actually buying a puppy—you could indirectly support the cruel puppy mill industry. Sign and share our pledge that when you shop for pet supplies, including food and toys, you’ll give your business to stores that do not sell puppies.
