Everybody tune into Oprah on Friday

[sundance]

we have had dogs most of our lives,and also cats, but most of our dogs have come from the shelters, and our cats are drop off since we live in the woods. My personal opinion, if you want to breed dogs, you should have to be licensed by the state and county, if found selling dogs without a breeding license should be a felony,WITH JAIL TIME.Every time I see someone at wal-mart or somewhere with a sign FREE PUPPIES, I want to stop and almost pull their hair out,Sorry for my rant bur dogs need love and most are just thrown away.

 

[Wooden_Pony]

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Ha I know of one of "those" places. We happened to be a victim of one....

 

[hollyclyff]

Over 20 years ago, when I graduated from college and couldn't find a job, I took a job in a pet store. My poor naive self had no idea. I lasted three months before I just had to quit and move back in with my parents because I couldn't stand it anymore. If people only knew, they would never buy a pet store puppy. And that's just from what goes on in a nice clean, shiny store where most of the employees actually care about the puppies. Puppies died on a fairly regular basis from diseases that puppies from reputable breeders almost never get. When customers who had seen those puppies previously, asked about them, they were told that the puppies were sold - never that they were dead. Anyone with cash in hand could buy a puppy. Once a lady came in and wanted a silver poodle to match her silver Corvette. She wouldn't even touch the puppy. She just handed over the money and someone had to carry the puppy to her car for her. Imagine the kind of home that puppy had. One puppy had a small spot of ringworm - perfectly curable, but the district manager said to put it down because it couldn't be sold until it was cleared up. I could go on and on. And on top of all that, the prices are often actually higher than reputable breeders prices.

My personal opinion, if you want to breed dogs, you should have to be licensed by the state and county, if found selling dogs without a breeding license should be a felony,WITH JAIL TIME.

There are all sorts of problems with that though. When the government licenses breeders they usually impose all sorts of regulations that are impossible to meet in a regular home. Impervious surfaces, separate ventilation systems, etc. With those kinds of requirements, about the only way to breed dogs is to do it commercially. Plus the cost of the license can make it impossible to breed dogs unless you *are* breeding for profit or are independently wealthy. So what you end up with there are really "nice" puppy factories still churning out poorly bred, albeit clean puppies, and people breeding illegally in substandard conditions. The visible reputable breeders who have been breeding a few litters of health tested, well socialized, home raised puppies and who often just dream about even breaking even on each litter, have no place.​

 

[s6bee]

I have show dogs, did rescue, and my Dad was a small animal vet. I have faith that the show today will focus on the real story. But in all honesty, if I were a breeder ( I don't breed my show dogs ), I wouldn't worry that shedding some light on the subject would hurt me as a good breeder. My dogs should say it all, (testing, results, temperment, etc.). Usually a good breeder has a waiting list anyway.
So let's say there will be a bit of fallout to the good breeders, isn't it worth helping the dogs who suffer in these situations.
I've been out of rescue for a couple years now but "Woof and Company" based out in the mid-west was a huge supplier.

 

[ilovemychickies]

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I sure hope they do! Puppy mills are horrible and need to be stopped.

 

[silkiechicken]

I've never seen puppy's sold in pet stores here that weren't from the animal shelters. They almost always have a packet of papers on their kennels about why they were there. Wonder if it is some rule out here about it.

 

[Alleyoops25]

I will watch it this afternoon. IN the next town away from us a lady got busted for running one of these. I guess she had dead puppies strung out everywhere, and a small female dog that was blind becuas her eye got damaged somehow, and the lady didnt take her to the vet. So they had to remove her eye. SAd thing is in this State they arent to harsh on punishing people for this. She was allowed to start it up again after she cleaned it up and had one inspection to make sure that the kennels were clean. They even gave her the poor one eyd dog back.

Stupid legal system

 

[Frozen Feathers]

This is funny (and a bit hypocritical) that she is doing this show. When she bought her labs a few years ago, they taped it. She was at someones house in the middle of no where and there were at least five litters, in several different rooms, of puppies and the lady let her take three of the pups home. Sorry but that's a bad backyard breeder, near puppy mill. IMO Good breeders have a litter maybe once a year and have owners lined up before they even breed and certianly don't let people just come in and buy a puppy, let alone 3. Then on a later show she was complaining about how one of them "wasn't working out" for her and some guy could have her. Mmmm you got three puppies at once and wonder why you have issues?

I avoid pet stores that sell puppies and kittens. They have one pet store that sells glorified mutts for crazy prices and there is always at least one that has kennel cough or some other issue, poor things.
I might pay more for my pet supplies, but I'd rather give my business to someone who believes in adoption or responsible breeding.

 

[Lunachick]

If you don't care about breeds, go to the local animal shelter, they have lots of pups and kittens looking for a forever home.

Actually, they have certain breeds there too, alot get dumped off when the "novelty" of owning a trendy dog wares off.

 

[Frizzledhen]

One might try the local rescue group too. I know, they make you jump through hoops to get one of their dogs. But try fostering one of those dogs for months, fall in love with it and then hand it over to someone else. Yes, YOU are going to make sure it is going to it's last forever home where it will never experience negelect and or torture and abandonment again.
Opra says she did not know about puppymills. Be it so or not, she is at least trying to rectify that now. We tried to get her to do a show on puppymills a few years back. Glad to see someone succeeded.