Pet Stores…good or bad?
Pet Stores are often misleading….this will help.
Happy Monday everyone! I hope whoever is reading had a wonderful weekend filled with laughter, fall cuddles, and lots of puppy kisses! The content I have for you today is very knowledgeable and very important when caring for not only your dog, but any of your pets. We are talking about Pet Stores!!
Pet Stores can often times be misleading. In fact, there are HUNDREDS of pet stores claiming to have the best interest for their animals, when in reality all they focus on is making money. But, there are hundreds of other trustworthy pet stores AND shelters who have respect for animals.
Knowing which pet stores are good and which ones are bad, is so important when caring for animals! Animal lovers everywhere should be educated on what pet stores to shop at in order to continue their love for them.
First, a quick shout-out to the ASPCA.
ASPCA, otherwise known as The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®, is a well-known organization that was founded to ensure that animals everywhere are treated with respect, love, and are protected under the law. In fact, the ASPCA was the first humane society to be established in North America, and is now considered to be the largest humane society in the world. They provide a variety of programs and efforts to promote their mission of “providing effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.” The ASPCA is a credible and honest source of information regarding the well-being of animals, meaning everyone who is an animal lover should be aware of ASPCA and their efforts.
The information below is not directly copied from their website, but if you are interested in reading more about shady pet stores, feel free to visit https://www.aspca.org/news/3-shady-things-pet-stores-dont-want-you-know
Fast facts about Pet Stores
- Most pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills. According to ASPCA, a puppy mill is “a large-scale commercial dog breeding facility where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs.” I will talk more in depth about the scale of puppy mills and the damage they cause in another blog post.
- Pet Stores often have meaningless and absurd sales tactics. Most Pet Stores will tell you that their breeders are “USDA-licensed,” meaning that they have reputable breeders. This is an one of the BIGGEST lies that a pet store can tell you, because this does not guarantee that those breeders take good care of their animals.
- Payment Plans are unethical. Unlike a house or a car, a dog is a living animal, meaning there is no lease that ends. Having a dog means you care for them until the day they die, not just when it is convenient for you. When pet stores “lease” their animals, the family or stupid college student is allowed to walk out of the store without knowing that they have to pay other costs like food and veterinarian visits. Not only are the owners clueless of what it is like to own a dog, but the dog itself is now in trouble because once their owners realize they cannot take care or afford them, they get sent to either a pound or to get euthanized.
- THEY ARE EXPENSIVE. Pet stores are one of the MOST uncharged places you will ever visit. For example, if you went to a pet store and wanted to “buy” a 2 month black lab puppy, you would likely be paying close to over $500 just for the dog. This does not include vaccinations, microchipping, and all the other necessities a dog owner needs. In fact, adoption places and humane societies are almost 100% cheaper, including the price of their puppies.
So where can you find a good pet store?
STOP GOING TO PETLAND AND BUYING DOGS.
- The only pet store that is somewhat reputable would be PetSmart. PetSmart is constantly promoting the adoption of animals, rather than buying them which makes them a good option when looking to purchase animal related things.
- IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW DOG OR ANIMAL DO NOT GO TO A PET STORE. GO TO AN ADOPTION SHELTER, A HUMANE SOCIETY, OR EVEN ONLINE.
Hopefully this blog post gave a lot of insight on the truth about pet stores! On my next post, I will have more content on what exactly a puppy mill is, and what we can do to help stop them. Thank you for reading. Paws out.