Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

California has made a law that only rescue dogs may be sold in pet shops .


http://ktla.com/2017/10/13/gov-brown...escue-animals/

AFAIK we don't sell dogs in pet shops here ( I may be wrong I have never seen any )

Our puppy crazy culture means they seek them everywhere else and litters of puppies are often stolen and sold .

Again how I don't know .

What do you think?

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

There used to be a place up north set up with glass cages of all the breeds you could want like a supermarket. It was still there about 5 years ago I haven't heard anything recently about it so not sure it's still there today. But I've not seen dogs in normal pet shops in many years. They concentrate on birds, bunnies and other smaller pets. Personally I'd like to see them not even do that.


Both our countries have a huge problem with unwanted dogs personally having been in rescue for far too many years I've come to the opinion that death isn't the worst option for these animals. Sad as that may sound unless we stop breeding for about ten years we'll never clear the backlog of pets abandoned in both countries.

We either need to do that or lessen the rules around who can have a rescue dog. I've had dogs since I married, but no rescue will let me have a rescue because I live in a flat with no garden. IMO that's made many of our dogs lives better as they get a walk far more often than dogs with gardens tend to. Elsie for instance has five walks a day she loves her life. Neighbour down the roads rather unhappy collie never leaves their garden as they think that's enough, but I'd suggest they are happier and more stimulated if you get them out and about.

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

My little Romanian rescue dog cost me several hundred pounds. First of all I had to pay a £300 fee to the landlord in order to have a dog, then I paid the rescue centre, bought a crate, and then all the things necessary to have a dog. I would estimate that my little mongrel cost about £500. More than I paid for my pedigree dogs previously.

Julie, my daughter too was refused by rescue societies because she works four days a week. Six months ago she rehomed a Border Collie from an elderly couple who could no longer walk her. She takes the dog out for an hour at 6 am, goes home at lunchtime, walks her around the block, and then another proper walk for an hour in the evenings. Her dog gets far more exercise than mine!

As for dogs in pet shops, I haven't seen that for many many years.

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

What rescues don't seem to understand is those of us refused a dog don't just go away and not have one we go and get a puppy, that IMO means they are increasing the problems.

I know so many people wanted a rescue bug ended up supporting a Byb or puppy farm

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

Julie I have been refused a rescue dog despite living in a rural area with a large garden and being retired am home all day.
Reasons given
1 age ( mine not the dogs )
FFS I am not that old don't have one foot in the grave and still active ride horses go for long walks .
I even assured them my son was willing to take it on should I pop my clogs before the dog .
2 one lot said we have looked up your post code and see you live on a housing estate ( I don't i live in a small Cotswold village with a field behind my house )
3 you have no dogs and we don't want the dog to be an 'only dog'
4 you live near a busy road
-What ! live near a small country lane that doesn't even have pavements
5 you garden is not secure enough
Six foot fences and a thick hedge are obviously not sufficient it was a dog I was wanting not a tiger ?
6 I refused to say if where and when I was going on holiday in the next six months .
( why I don't know myself yet )

Unfortunately animal recuses seem attract nut cases ( yes I have worked with many human societies while overseas so may enter into this category) but have experienced nothing like the uk whose people seem to be gatekeepers unwilling to give the dogs up preferring to keep the dogs in sanctuaries .

It's not like they are giving the dogs away . There is always a large donation which I agree with as it shows commitment and pays for any veterinary treatment vaccination etc the dog may have had .

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

@Muddy. I got my dog fron Chiltern Dog Rescue. My age never came into it (mid 70's then). They did want to know about the house and garden etc., but not a great deal more than that. i completed the application form, and then we went to visit the centre, having looked at the dogs online beforehand. They interviewed me and then introduced me to a dog, one did not see all the dogs, but they would bring them in individually. When I made my decision they then asked me to take it for a short walk to see how we both reacted. I then agreed to take the dog.

My son and his wife had accompanied me and whilst there fell for a black Lab, so applied to take him. They went back three days later to collect him.

The centre were absolutely excellent, they phoned a couple of days later to make sure all was OK. I highly recommend them.

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

Muddy, I've heard all this from other sources too, it is not personal to you.
IMO some rescues go way over the top with their requirements, and this contributes to why so many dogs are still there.
What happens to them in the end? They are not all 'no destruction' places, so would they rather put a dog down than let it go to someone like yourself? Crazy people.

Most of them insist you also take out pet insurance as well, and my guess is because they get commission for selling it.

Were all these problems you encountered in just the one rescue place, or did you accumulate all those reasons from several different ones?

I don't know the exact rehoming policies at Dogs Trust, but I believe them to be reputable. You could see if there is one not too far from you perhaps. Also Many Tears have many young dogs/puppies, as you no doubt already know.


On the subject of dogs being sold from pet shops, I remember years ago going into Harrods in London. They used to sell all sorts of animals, not just puppies.
Posh reputation they had, but nevertheless - they were just dealers, but you just paid 10 times the price from Harrrods!

Take a look at this, they only stopped 3 years ago too.
What an utter disgrace.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/harro...pet-department

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

Mups your post about Harrods pet sales reminded me. My friend's daughter was a manager of a top London hotel, where they had lots of Arab visitors. One particular Arab hired an extra suite, then went to Harrods and bought a whole collection of animals, rabbits, dogs etc., set them up in pens in the suite, until he flew them out in his private jet. Not surprisingly, He was charged extra for cleaning up the suite.

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

Total disgrace CeeCee. People who put money before a life disgust me. Old Al Fyed couldn't have had a conscience at all.

Re: Selling rescue dogs in pet shops in the USA

The hideous practice of puppy mills is just now reaching critical mass here in the U.S.. Currently there are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills that provide "merchandise" for pet stores. The treatment of breeding mothers is beyond description.

While public pressure has caused many major pet store chains to self-police, California is the first state to ban the practice of puppy mill puppies being sold in stores. It is likely that other states will follow suit.

The big chains are now adopting out animals from rescue organizations that come into the stores and conduct adoption events. This is done to ensure the animals are spayed/neutered, initially vaccinated, and have some screening done. My understanding is that the rescue groups that come in are vetted to ensure that these are not-for-profit and reputable organizations.

After mass boycotts, the big stores are being forced to rethink their policies to align with with the vast number of their customers who advocate for better treatment of animals. They know that holding adoption events in some measure helps their damaged reputations for having turned a blind eye to selling puppy mill puppies for so long.

Some stores, like Petco, announce loudly and clearly on their websites that they do not sell dogs and cats at all, but instead link people to local shelters and rescue groups.

In other words, we are in a transitional phase. I am hoping that one day it will be illegal to sell any dogs for profit - in stores, by private individuals, and even registered breeders unless they can do so only for the costs spent on the animals themselves.

I completely agree that there is a whole other and very important issue in regards to the operation of "rescue" organizations. It sounds like there are much more stringent requirements there than with many groups here.

While the numbers are down, 1.5 MILLION dogs and cats were euthanized in U.S. shelters last year alone, so this legislation is heading in the right direction.

A thousand blessings to you all for rescuing and adopting .