Street Cents

Ethical pet buying

Street Cents explains how you can help stop puppy mills and gives viewers tips on how to purchase a puppy or adult dog in an ethical manner.

Puppy mills

A puppy mill is a breeding operation in which female dogs are repeatedly bred, starting with their first heat cycle at six to 12 months of age. They're bred continuously, without breaks between litters of puppies. Dogs bred in this way often 'wear out' in four to six years, and are commonly destroyed.

The dogs (both the breeding mothers and puppies) are often housed in unhygienic conditions. This, and a non-scientific approach to breeding, often leads to chronic health and behavioural problems in the puppies. These problems can result in high vet bills and emotional stress for the dogs' owners - ie. you.

Most puppy mills are run strictly to make money for their owners, not for the love of a breed of dog.

Backyard breeders may be humane pet owners but they often do not know enough about breeding to ensure that their puppies are healthy and will grow into good dogs. Backyard bred dogs often don't come with proper paperwork or any health guarantees, even though they can cost as much as a pedigreed purebred.

Being a smart pet shopper

First of all, avoid impulse buying. Try to do as much research as possible before you actually see or interact with a puppy. Otherwise, it can be heartbreakingly difficult to walk away even if the situation appears questionable.

Good breeders have nothing to hide.

So ask to see their references.
A good source for a puppy or dog should always let you see their kennels and housing for their dogs. Be suspicious if the dogs' areas are dirty, smelly, outside or poorly lit and aired.

Puppies shouldn’t be put up for adoption too young. They need time to be weaned and physically mature. Be suspicious if you’re offered a puppy younger than 7 or 8 weeks old.

If you go to a breeder, make sure the mother dog is on the premises for you to see. That way you can see if she looks sickly or as if she has been badly treated. Check the puppies for obvious signs of illness as well.

Experts Street Cents talked to recommend taking a new puppy for a vet check up within 24 hours of purchasing it. They also say you should ask breeders for documentation of vet visits. Call that vet and verify the breeder's name and reputation.

It's risky to buy a puppy from anyone who doesn't have policies to assist you if there's a problem with the dog or who cannot provide you with records and information about the puppy's breeder and vet history.

Pet store purchase

No one really knows how many puppy mill dogs end up in pet stores. SPCAs (Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and representatives of the pet store industry have differing estimates.

Several major Canadian pet store chains, such as PETsMART and Petcetera, have started dog adoption programs with local humane shelters to avoid contributing to the profits of puppy mills. Most pet stores surveyed by Street Cents claimed they do some form of checking to ensure the puppies they sell are healthy and were bred under good conditions.

But most experts Street Cents talked to say since puppy mills still successfully operate - someone must be buying - whether through word of mouth, ads in papers, at fairs and, likely, in pet stores.

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original air date: December 9, 2002

Page 1: Puppy mills and Pet store purchase

Page 2: Pedigree problem

Back: to Episode 08