| Publication: The Frederick News-Post; |
Date: Jul 26, 2009; |
Section: Pets; |
Page: C-6 |
|
 |
PETS AND PEOPLE
PUPPY MILLS AND PUREBREDS
By DIDI CLEMENT Special to the News-Post
Most people have heard of puppy mills and would say, “I
would never buy from a puppy mill.” However, just this year, the Humane Society
of the United States has assisted local governments and animal control agencies
all over the nation, by responding to farms around the country including one in
Pennsylvania and one in West Virginia, collecting more than 1,000 puppies and
dogs this year. In all of the cases, HSUS rescuers report animal neglect and
cruelty to be common. Puppy mills continue to exist because people love puppies.
Obviously you would not purchase a puppy from a farm at which numerous dogs were
kept in cramped, unsanitary cages. But since reputable breeders do not sell
their litters to third parties, if you are not talking to the mother’s owner,
you should be concerned about where your puppy actually comes from. Reputable
dog breeders do not sell puppies in stores or at flea markets or through brokers.
What are
some of the signs of a puppy mill sale? No waiting list, no qualifications, no
interview before you buy a puppy, the puppy is shipped to you from someone you
have never met, the seller does not introduce you to the mother dog and has no
photos of the father, there is more than one
breed of dog available from the seller, you found the breeder from an ad in the
paper or on Craig’s List. “Well, I know it’s not a puppy mill puppy because it
has ‘papers.’” Puppy mill puppies do have papers. The business of mass producing
purebred or designer puppies is based on the ability to provide those papers
because puppy owners will pay more for a puppy with papers. These papers simply
certify that the owner of the mother says he knows who the father was. That is
all. If the mother and father were registered with the American Kennel Club,
then the puppy can be registered there, too. The AKC does suspend the ability to
register puppies to anyone who has been proven to falsify these papers. But they
do not suspend that right to spouses, children or business associates unless
they have also been proven to be involved. If you buy a puppy with papers you
can register any puppies that you produce or you could enter your dog in some
dog shows. That’s what the papers are for ... to compete in dog shows or so that
you can produce your own puppies with papers. If what you are looking for is a
nice dog, papers will not really help you. Luckily, if what you are looking for is a nice dog,
Frederick County Animal Control can help. Many people who buy purebred puppies,
even from reputable breeders, decide for various reasons that they cannot or
will not keep the dog. There are record numbers of relinquished dogs during
economic hard times so chances are good that you can find the dog of your dreams
through an animal shelter. About a quarter of all shelter dogs are purebred
dogs. At Frederick County Animal Control, dogs undergo evaluation so adopters
can find out what the dog already knows, what kind of care he will need, and in
some cases dogs come with a resume of experience. Good with kids, cats, horses —
if you have special needs, an adoption counselor can speak with you about your
family and the type of dog you hope to find. If you want to be sure not to
support puppy mills, adopt. If you need advice finding the right purebred dog
and one that suits your needs is not available at your local shelter, get a
referral to a rescue group for advice.