AZ Rules Dogs Sold in Stores Must Come from Shelters

[10muddypaws]

http://www.trueactivist.com/arizona-...from-shelters/

[Nitewalk]

Now we will see a huge increase in retail rescue.

[pugnacious]

Super move! A big pet store in our town has a sign saying our puppies DO Not come from puppy mills. when in FACT they DO! Stop it now!

[Naturally Furry]

Hopefully this will help defund puppy mills. Only time will tell.

[IrishSetterTom]

so pet stores can now charge for "free" pets. Unbelievable. Doesn't anyone get that dogs start out from backyard breeders and mills, then funnel into shelters, then the pet stores. It's like the cops selling drugs to clear the streets of dealers.

[Naturally Furry]

so pet stores can now charge for "free" pets. Unbelievable. Doesn't anyone get that dogs start out from backyard breeders and mills, then funnel into shelters, then the pet stores. It's like the cops selling drugs to clear the streets of dealers.

I don't think it quite works like that as in the pet stores profiting off from "free" pets. At least where I am at no shelter dog is "free". You usually have to pay an "adoption fee". This covers cost for vetting and spay/neutering, and I'm sure a little extra. I know this is what the Petsomethings do is donate space for contracted Non-profit rescues to come in and do adoptions. As far as shelter dogs basically being puppy mill dogs, that's the nature of the beast. All we can do is educate people on pet ownership and try to keep the numbers down as low as we can.

I know I constantly discourage customers that come in talking about breeding their pet dog just because they can. I had one lady asking if I knew someone with a St. poodle to breed her Golden too. I told her anyone I knew would not taint their Dam with sireing her to a different breed. She wasn't to happy with that statement. C'est la vie.

[BDL]

so pet stores can now charge for "free" pets.

Tom, I volunteer one day a week at a local shelter and I am 100% certain the adoptable pets are not free. The adoption fee is very reasonable and pays for a vet exam, vaccinations and mandatory spay or neuter. I adopted a puppy from a local rescue, Mutts & Meows in Sugarland, Texas and she wasn't free either. So if the pet store charges for an animal I would think (hope) it would go to the shelter.

[IrishSetterTom]

I am well aware they are not "free". It's a "donation". Point being, pet stores should not promote shelter dogs that for the most part have been turned in for a reason. Puppies aside, most shelter dogs are turned in due to aggression and may have bit someone. I have a lot of experience with the NSPCA. These dogs are not all peaches and cream. Most had been neglected or abused or are old and ill and the owners do not want to deal with a vet bill.

How can a pet store in good faith sell these problem animals? Leave the shelter dog adoptions to rescue groups, not for profit stores.

[Naturally Furry]

I am well aware they are not "free". It's a "donation". Point being, pet stores should not promote shelter dogs that for the most part have been turned in for a reason. Puppies aside, most shelter dogs are turned in due to aggression and may have bit someone. I have a lot of experience with the NSPCA. These dogs are not all peaches and cream. Most had been neglected or abused or are old and ill and the owners do not want to deal with a vet bill.

How can a pet store in good faith sell these problem animals? Leave the shelter dog adoptions to rescue groups, not for profit stores.

They don't adopt out dogs that have a bite record or do not pass a behavioral test and are approved for adoption. Yes the number one reason dogs are turned in is due to a behavioral issue that usually can be addressed with proper training and obedience. I worked for the SPCA and volunteered for many years. Some dogs unfortunately were deemed unadoptable and euthanized because of it. Others worked in fosters homes to correct behaviors such as food aggression and housebreaking to make them adoptable. Others were just surrendered because families lost their homes and had to move where pets were not allowed. No matter what the case the adoption agency is usually the one running the show in the "pet store" and makes the call. I highly doubt that any agency is just going to give the dogs to a store and say "find them good homes." They most likely will be "hosted" in the store where the agency will make the decision on who gets adopted to whom.

No matter if someone is adopting, purchasing or what have you a pet of any kind it is the due diliquence of the person "selling" and the person "purchasing" to make sure the pet is going to a home where the owner is aware of the lifelong commitment to that pet. I worked for pet stores where I refused the sale of a pet because I did not feel the customers was actually going to take the care serious and was just buying the animal because it was cute. Most of the time it was with Ferrets.

[coldnose]

I see your point Irish. However, if the dog must come from a shelter, a responsible shelter you would think would advise the store that the pet is not suited to such method of sale or adoption. That should solve that problem, IF it were followed.

[BeeJL]

I bought a puppy from a breeder. It took me 3 years (yes, kind of a long time) of going to dog shows and field trials and talking to people to find the breeder. I could have bought a dog from a shelter but I didn't want to support someone who is not breeding for profit. Many shelter dogs originally come from breeders who are breeding for profit. I feel good about supporting someone who was not in it for the money and did not cut corners on health or temperament. However, almost every client who has seen my puppy in the salon has asked if he is a rescue and I get looked down on when I say no. If there are no buyers for dogs who are bred for health and temperament, the people breeding them will not have a litter. The for profit breeders will pick up the slack, even if the dogs are resold through a shelter.

[10muddypaws]

Thanks for comments, I think if they just refine things it could work out well.