Quote Originally Posted by wolfy-hound View Post
Sorry, I've personally seen no-kill shelters I wouldn't give a dead hamster to. They warehouse animals in substandard facilities in packs. Weaker dogs were killed when the pack turned on them. Dogs were fed by throwing in large amounts of food in one or two places, so that the strong ate, and the weak got weaker.
I've also seen a place that bred dogs commercially(mostly dachunds) and they had well over 100 dogs. The kennels were well made, the dogs were clean and healthy. The puppies were fat healthy animals that would make good pets for people.
This is a description of a good breeder, not a puppy mill. (And the description of a severely illegal "shelter". Are you sure it wasn't a pound? I've seen pounds like that--one dog had his tooth hanging from his gums...) I was describing a puppy mill, and that's what you'll see on the Petland investigation. I have no problem with reputable breeders, as you described, no matter how many animals they have, as long as each and every one of them is loved and well cared for.

But by most people's standards, they would STILL be labeled a puppy mill. Never mind that the dogs are healthy. Instead of focusing on labeling breeders, why don't you focus on enforcing laws that already exist for humane care for the dogs? I.E. appropriate shelter, vet care, food and water.
It's sadly true.

The puppies and kittens draw in customers.

IF the shop is taking proper care of the animals, there should be no onus on them for selling puppies and kittens. They should also be making certain that their suppliers are treating their dogs, cats and the puppies and kittens properly as well, i.e. clean, fed, watered, sheltered.
I still condone pet stores that supply breeder's puppies. There are humane society's and shelters that have thousands upon thousands of animals brought in every single year and if a pet store chooses a breeder's puppies over helping the homeless ones, then I just see a money-greedy company that isn't doing any good for the lives of dogs. Dog breeders = breed dogs and sell them. Pet stores = "we care for animals" =/= buy from breeders instead of taking homeless ones off of the shelter's and humane society's. I love pure bred dogs, and I'm not saying they shouldn't exist, and I'm NOT saying it's wrong to choose to buy a pure bred over a humane society or shelter puppy (it's a nice act though!). What I'm saying is dog breeder's should do the pure bred selling while pet stores who want to sell puppies should help out their local shelters. If the pet store doesn't have a local shelter, if it knows who it's buying it's puppies from and it's not a dumpy puppy farm, then okay; have at.

We have a small local pet store right down the street, and it's the epitome of animal love. They have a list that you can put your name on, and how many kittens you have, and as they sell what they currently have in the store, you can bring in the unexpected litter. They also do this for puppies. They don't over-price them--they sell them for about $20--and because of that they aren't neutered or spayed. They are given their first round of shots though and very, very well taken care of.

HSUS only wants to outlaw all animal ownership INCLUDING owning dogs or cats as pets. They've already stated as such in some of their literature, and that's their goal. They'll just do it in a sneaky way so it'll get past all the blind doners who think "Ooo, a picture of a puppy, they must be good!" and hand over their money, and then blindly believe whatever they're told, because the HSUS says "humane" in it.. they must be right.
And just like when we see an adorable puppy in a pet store and do no research, we may be buying from a puppy mill. But it's true, people don't do a lot of thinking when there's a pretty puppy or kitten staring them in the face.