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consumer fraud “His blood sugar was so low that he had brain damage.” That quote came from an article by Steve Neavling in the Detroit Free Press in July 2006. It was said by a woman, Jennifer Moodie of Northville, Michigan, who had bought two Yorkshire terrier pups at a Utica pet store. Within a day, one of the pups, named Jasper, went into seizures and later died. The full story is at the link below. The point: The puppies were purchased by Utica Pet Supply, one of Detroit’s largest importer of puppies, from a breeding operation in Minnesota. This breeder, Happy Tails Kennel, had been cited repeatedly for breeding and care violations.
Many pet store puppies are sick Substandard breeding conditions often ‘produce’ puppies and kittens that are sick, psychologically or physically, but, from outside appearances, these animals may look healthy. Dogs, cats, puppies and kittens housed within unclean facilities are subjected to a wide variety of ailments. As a way to cut costs, profit-driven breeders choose to limit or not pay for proper medications and veterinarian care. As a result of poor care, unhealthy puppies and kittens are sold directly to consumers through the Internet or classified ads or to brokers/dealers who sell them to pet stores throughout the United States. Diseases and ailments are spread between animals during transport and within stores. Ailments common to pet stores: Parvovirus, worms, mange, distemper, upper respiratory disease, diarrhea, giardia, ear infections, eye infections, and coccidia. A state-financed study in California revealed almost half of pet store puppies were sick or harboring diseases. Florida, as one example, has fewer than 40 USDA-licensed commercial breeders, yet it is one of the states which the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) receives the most complaints regarding sickly puppies. This is due to a large number of unregulated breeders, who are not required to be inspected by the USDA since they sell directly to the public.
Consumers buy out of ignorance If the dog or cat looks good, how the animal was raised and the condition of the animal’s mother or father are not questioned. But once home, the puppy or kitten may start to show symptoms of poor health or distress which wasn’t detected at the pet store. The person and animal bond and the new pet “owner” may end up paying thousands of dollars in veterinarian bills to save the animal’s life. This is such a well-documented problem that multiple states, including Minnesota, have created Pet Lemon Laws. Look closely at these laws, however. A breeder may suggest he or she has “papers” and guarantees but it may not amount to much. Veterinarian Helen Hamilton (SFGate.com) explains: “If the dog dies, you have to ship it back, at your cost, and they’ll (the breeder) have the dog autopsied, at your cost, by a vet of their choice. If their vet agrees they were responsible, they’ll replace the puppy with a puppy of like kind. That’s their guarantee.” (Your Whole Pet; SFGate) Negligent and unscrupulous breeders prey on consumers who know nothing. They will often meet people in parking lots to sell the animal, suggesting that that is more convenient. They will not allow consumers into their facilities for fear of what people will think about the conditions.
Dog registries There are at least 34 ‘official’ purebred dog registries in the United States. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the largest. In 1998, the AKC required DNA testing from its breeders in an attempt to screen out breeders who were dishonest. (Registry works on an honor system, where breeders are asked to provide correct breeding information.) In response, some breeders stopped using AKC and other breed registries opened up, such as American Canine Association (ACA), America’s Pet Registry (APR), and North American Purebred Registry (NAPDR), and Dog Registry of America (DRA). Purebred dog registries give a dog a “stamp of approval.” This registration has been abused by inhumane breeders and is misleading to many consumers. The AKC and other dog registries are registry companies only, not inspection or enforcement agencies. The AKC and other registries verify if a dog is purebred, not whether the dog is healthy or the breeder’s conditions and practices are humane.
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