A complaint against internet puppy mill bundler Purebred Breeders was filed in Florida by defrauded puppy buyers (complaint here) and it makes for eye-opening reading.
Although a judge dismissed the complaint, it was dismised without prejudice, which means it may be resubmitted and was clearly not a frivolous complaint.
Purebred Breeders are said to sell between 1,200 and 1,400 puppies a month, none of which they actually see or take possession of.
Operating from an unmarked building in a Florida strip mall, they simply bank the credit card cash, tell the puppy mill operators where to send the dogs (sight unseen by either buyer or Purebred Breeders) by airfreight, and try to squelch all complaints from their poorly informed but cash-rich customers.
If you know someone that is ordering puppies off the Internet this holiday season, this is probably where they are coming from or some other shady operation just as bad.
By the way the "Purebred" monicker is complete nonsense. This company will sell anything, including dogs like "Malta-Poos" which are as common as ditch water in the puppy mill world.
If you want a puppy, be advised that you will not be getting a puppy ever; you will be getting a dog, and if you really want a dog the test of that desire is whether you will go to Petfinder or yout local pounds and honest breed rescues and take an adult dog. Most of these dogs are terrific animals whose only crime is that they are no longer a puppy.
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4 comments:
Here's a better link for the NBC piece:
http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/45580711#45580711
Seahorse
I'm not sure what is more infuriating: the concept of puppy mills or these willingly ignorant consumers. These decrepit dog factories have been regularly exposed as cruel yet people still give them business. I do not get it. How can you be a dog lover and do this? I guess you are more of a "breed lover"? And 2k for a poodle mix? Wow, just wow.
It is interesting that the piece also highlights an... expectation in the minds of many that dogs be able to be purchased in the same way as vegetables, perishable, but always available.
Without that expectation -- were dogs things you bought when you had at least seen animal and breeder, even if only from the next door neighbour -- Purebred simply couldn't be in business.
You may have noticed in my sic line that we recently got a 3rd Jack. I was called by our local Russell Rescue to go pick up an abandoned on the street little Jack girl approx 3 years old at the San Antonio pound. The paperwork had been done, I just had to go and pick her up. She was drugged from spaying and was in worse shape because she had recently given birth and was suckling a litter that was not with her. She was so traumatised she refused to come out of her crate. Day two I realized that the cone they had put on her was so big she couldn't eat or drink. I immediately replaced it with one I had. Once she gained strenght and emerged from her box, I saw she was a small shorty, 8 inches tall with a long tail, not the best candidate for adoption. Not so perfect.
We kept her for 2 weeks as some shifting was taking place in the foster homes. But as I was packing her up and went to pick her up from my husbands lap he asked 'can we keep her'. I called my contact and told her we'd failed fostering 101 could we keep her. I was met with laughter and a yes. 2 months later Little Jessis is now over 10 lbs. She has big brown eyes and a waggeldy tail and loves to snuggls. Jessie is bottom of the pack but spends her evenings in the lap that saved her. She does snap when scared & prefers to sleep in the crate that she woke up in. Her milk's long gone & she's stopped looking for her puppies. I think she's enjoying being a pup for the first time herself. Bridget has taught her to chase squirrels and Abbott almost has her trained to sit up. She's also learning to walk on a leash with Abbott. (Bridget is a bit too wild for her yet)They are a pack of three neutered pampered happy dogs.
If RR hadn't tagged her she'd be another statistic for your blog. Now, she's a loving bundle of Jack Russell joy. She's no show dog, but she's our dog.
Yes, please adopt from a shelter or pound. They're not perfect but they want to love you perfectly and, by God, this dog will hunt.
Debi and the 3 TX JRTs.
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