Buy Your Dog From a Pet Store

¶ … buy your dog from a pet store 'How much is that doggie in the window?' Passing by a pet store, it's easy to be tempted to buy a puppy or a kitten. However, according to the American Humane Society, it is estimated that approximately 3.7 million animals were euthanized in American shelters in 2008. "56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized," according to the organization. This is despite considerable efforts of the Humane Society not to euthanize animals, unless absolutely necessary.

And while some of these animals may have been unsuitable as pets because they were sickly or violent, many were not and were killed due to simple overcrowding. The most common reason people surrender their pets is that they are simply unable or unwilling to care for them. There are too many dogs for too few owners in the United States.

Buying a puppy from a pet store simply feeds an industry dedicated to breeding more and more animals in a manner that is neither good for the animals nor ultimately good for society. And the owners suffer the heartbreaking work of dealing with a dog with health problems or who are difficult to train. Pet stores sell dogs that were bred in 'puppy mills,' by large, commercial breeders that produce young animals as if they were commodities.

Many dogs within these operations are severely mistreated and the dogs used to breed the dogs are killed after they can no longer produce quality 'stock.' "In order to maximize profits, female dogs are bred at every opportunity with little to no recovery time between litters. When, after a few years, they are physically depleted to the point that they no longer can reproduce, breeding females are often killed" (What is a puppy mill, 2011, ASPCA).

There is a common misconception that purebred dogs are 'better' than mutts, because an owner 'knows what he or she is getting' when he or she buys a purebred. However, dogs bred in puppy mills are bred without any concern for their genetic quality.

"Because puppy mill operators fail to apply proper husbandry practices that would remove sick dogs from their breeding pools, puppies from puppy mills are prone to congenital and hereditary conditions," and because of the unsanitary conditions in which they are kept, they are often prone to diseases such as kennel cough and parasites (What is a puppy mill, 2011, ASPCA).

If a dog has a severe or congenital condition, the owner must often make the decision to either treat the dog for an expensive illness like hip dysplasia or euthanize it if it cannot be saved (Buying dogs in pet stores, 2011, Dog Guide). Dogs in puppy mills and pet stores are often kept in cages which force them to remain in close contact with their own feces.

Not only are these metal cages hurtful to the dog's paws -- they also make housebreaking more difficult because the dogs are in constant contact with their own waste, violating their natural instincts. Instead of using your dollars (often a considerable sum, for a purebred or a 'designer' crossbred like a cockapoo) to fuel an industry based in animal cruelty, it is better to rescue one of the countless animals in shelters that need home.

For families that desire a dog of a specific size and temperament, there are many breed 'rescue' organizations committed to placing dogs of specific breeds that are in desperate need of good homes. If someone feels that he or she 'must' have a purebred dog that is still a puppy, choose.