Not sure what to do - story a bit long

[in2adventure]

Not sure if I can actually do anything about this or not. I'm staying in Auburn, NY for a bit and the only place to get Innova dog food is Pet Depot. They are a seady little pet store with a herd of little puppies. Since it's getting close to xmas, they are getting in larger breed dogs now too. I've had Lucia in there a couple of times to pick out toys. Last week the girl at the counter asked if she was husky When I said she a BC, she looked surprised and said she didn't look anything like one they had in the back! I asked a bunch of questions....it's a boy, B/W, not sure the age or why it's not out front yet. I asked if they screened prospective owners and she said no, They only advise what type of care a dog will need...IE: food, water, yard, toys. etc. I told her BC's don't belong in pet stores and she just shrugged her shoulders.

 

I went in there again last night to get food. The same girl waited on me. She once again asked me about my dog like she had never seen her before (by the way, a customer that I met my last trip in ran up to us to say because he remembered us) She once again told me about the BC in the back, yes, he's still there. I acted like it was our first visit to ask more questions. She seemed "so sad" that I couldn't register my dog because she's a rescue and I didn't know her background, questioned why I wouldn't get one registered, why a pretty dog was fixed, etc. She couldn't tell me much about the BC except it was there. The whole experience made me nausious I wish I could get my food somehwhere else

 

I know this pet store sells at stupid prices. I've heard rumor of 1500-2000 for mix breed "designer" puppies. They recently had a $500 off sale, so I know they must be pricey. They are convinced that price is what regulates good breeding My question is, how do I get the pup out of there and into a rescue somewhere before he becomes a Christmas present? Is it possable to get him with out paying full price? I'm afraid this is why he's being held in the back, maybe until Thanksgiving and then they throw him to the public. They obviously know nothing about this breed (they mostly deal with puggles and other lap type dogs) and I'm sure he'll end up someplace with a bow around his neck with some poor unsuspecting family.

 

Any suggestions welcome. By the way, the place is very clean and all the pups look healthy, so a call the SPCA wouldn't help.

[Liz P]

I tried to get a pet shop like that shut down for years. Eventually it did close, though I don't know how much impact I had. I just tried to educate people about puppy mills and the risk they were taking by buying a pup who could potentially have serious emotional and physical problems. I also educated current dog owners with the hopes that they would educate their friends.

 

Do NOT buy that pup, it only makes the store think that BCs sell so they should get some more. Leave your number and tell them if they can't sell the pup to call you, but don't give them any money. Also, I know this is tough, but I am sure with some research on the internet you can do it, don't buy anything from that store. Find another source for Evo and dog supplies. A big part of what I did was convincing people to boycott our local pet store.

[in2adventure]

Good advice. Thanks. I'll leave my # this week. It's a small town and I've mentioned the puppy mill thing to a ton of people. It doesn't seam to help since it's the only pet store in town.

[sandyleew]

I ran into something similar last weekend. The pet store I have bought my fish supplies at for years, I believe must have been sold. They have never sold dogs in the past, but when I went in last weekend, they had 2 BC puppies there. I asked her if she knew the requirements of border collies. She said she did and proceeded to tell me that they are very smart. I tried to educate her and asked her to please make sure anyone who bought them was told all these things. I explained to her that BCs do not belong in pet stores, but I am sure I was talking to deaf ears. I will not shop there any more. I do not want to support a place that supports puppy mills or BYB.

[Guest SweetJordan]

Reminds me of a commerical that runs on TV every year around the Holidays. Pet store advertising to come in and buy a puppy from the family as "they make great Christmas presents." Everytime I see the commerical I get so mad. My fav. is how puppy mills take two different breeds create a mixed breed and call it "designer." Whereas if these people really wanted a mixed breed puppy they could go to the shelter and pay a lot less w/o supporting puppy mills. I love mixed breeds, I usually have one in my life but would never support such a thing.

A friend of mine has a puggle and she is already his third owner and he's barely over a year old.

[ahoops]

There is a franchise here in Australia that obviuosly uses puppymills to get their pups from .I often stop there and look at the cute little guys (who btw cost a fortune) and if anyone will listen I explain the evils of the industry .I even have my kids saying things out loud in the shop .The people that own them dont bat an eyelid and the guy that owns it is a very nice Scottish man .However thy dont care who buys their puppies as long as they get their money( you also have to buy their food to get the health garuantee ).They had bc x shitz zus again last week ,now that makes me nauseous at the thought .They sell alot of puppies just in my local store let alone all the other shops Again it is a very clean shop and very popular,so no point in getting RSPCA in.I never buy anything there either,and nor do any friends I feel its at least something I can do

[vickim]

I am always reminded of the commercial I saw when I was in high school. All it was was a dog--of indeterminate breed, but a good med-large sized dog with long coat. Not BC, but BC-like looking. This dog was chained outside, background was a winter wind blowing, the dog was whining, staring fixedly at some point off screen. Further in the background, you could hear the dog's peopleinthe house talking, laughing, and then they mention the puppy they got for Christmas, and the "man of the house" said the puppy is a dog now, it stays outside. It was a PSA to encourage people NOT to get a dog or any other pet as a Christmas present. I hated that commercial. I still want that dog, though. I would bring it inside out of the cold and feed it and love it.

[BustopherJones]

Before we got Annie, we saw a pup in a pet store where we used to shop for dog food. It was an Australian Shepherd, but the coloring was like that of a liver-colored English Springer Spaniel. We had just lost our Springer to cancer, so we took a close look. We noticed that the price had been dropped significantly, so we asked about the situation. We were told that the dog had kennel cough, and thus had been discounted; if the dog was not sold within the next couple of weeks, it would be "returned to the breeder" (more likely, put down). We couldn't allow that to happen; we checked with our vet (who had said previosuly that she would disown us if we bought a dog from a pet store); when she understood the situation, she said she would take care of the dog for us. We told the pet store that if no one bought the dog before it was to be "returned to the breeder", we would buy the dog the day before it was to be dispositioned. A week later, someone else did buy the dog, and the pet store let us know. (I wonder if the new owners understood what was involved with a dog with kennel cough.) So, we wound up with Annie; but I still wonder to this day how that dog made out, and if it wound up in a home that cared for her the way we care for our dogs...

[Tranquilis]

It was a PSA to encourage people NOT to get a dog or any other pet as a Christmas present. I hated that commercial. I still want that dog, though. I would bring it inside out of the cold and feed it and love it.

Along related lines, there was a series of PSAs local here, that pointed out how much love and fun can be found in ratty-looking old mutts from the pound. Something along the line of "old dogs can learn new tricks / old dogs are pretty darn cool."

 

Situation sounds dire, though. I don't suppose you can make a guess where the poor dog came from? If you can find the breeder, someone might be able to arrange a rescue should the poor thing be 'returned' to the breeder?

[in2adventure]

We just started getting TV commercially advertising xmas puppies from a neighboring city store Tis' the season! It makes me ill to think about it. Puppies on an impulse buy.......aaaaaarrrrrrggggg!

 

I haven't talked to the pet store yet. I was going to do it tonight. I'm guessing, since the puppy isn't out front yet, That he might be sick. I didn't think about kennel cough until you guys mentioned it. They may not want the other pups getting it. If I can get him out, I'll need help from a rescue to place him. I'm not affiliated with anyone in NY yet.

 

I'll let you guys know what happens.

[SoloRiver]

I'm afraid there's probably nothing you can do. They have no incentive to just give him to you, and if you buy him you're part of the problem, not the solution.

 

I wish I could tell you what happens to the ones that don't sell. I worked in a pet store when I was in college (and before I knew better) and we never had puppies that didn't sell. Some took a while to sell, but eventually they all sold, except for my favorite that was transferred to another branch and then stolen from that store in a dramatic robbery that involved trenchcoats and a gun (really).

 

Personally, I would rather mail order dog food, or switch brands, than spend a single penny at a store like the one you describe.

[in2adventure]

It's terrible. I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I'm sure the pup will sell, especially close to the holidays, but I'll feel bad if I don't at least ask about him. Someone sent me the name of a great place in a nearby city that I can get her food at. They even carry bully sticks and mother hubbard bisquits in bulk

 

I know there probably isn't much that can be done, but it doesn't hurt to try. I'm wondering if I can work with one of the local reporters to do a story on puppy mills and pet stores? It would the perfect time of year to throw a story like that in the paper

[Liz P]

That sounds like a great idea! Go for it!

[in2adventure]

I called the store tonight. The guy I talked to said they had no BC pups and had never seen one there The counter girl told me on 2 different dates that they had one.......hmmm. I may have to swing in there tomarrow.

 

On another note, I contacted a friend involved with the local paper. He does the music side of it, but I'm hoping he can hook me up with a reporter willing to shed some lite on puppy mills, pet store puppies and kittens and write something nice about the proper way to pick out a pet. I have some great links for puppy mills that I hope can be included. They make me sick to my stomache at the thought of them. Who knows, even if it helps change one or two people, it's a start.