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issue > pet stores > overview
Overview Selling and buying animals from a pet store is a philosophical debate based on individual beliefs and values. The question is not whether pet store owners treat the animals well within their stores (though that, too, is a concern). The question is whether pet stores should be selling live animals at all, which supports the mass production of puppies and kittens and contributes to animal cruelty and suffering.
An outdated business model Selling live animals through pet stores is an out-dated business model. While these type of pet stores may strive (or claim) to care about the well-being of animals, the fact remains that they enable the commercial breeding industry to thrive. By regularly placing orders for puppies and kittens and providing a convenient location for consumers to touch and see the animals, they are part of the distribution cycle that allows for the mass production of puppies and kittens. This is a commercial enterprise. As with other businesses, pet stores exist to make money. For stores that sell live animals, the puppies and kittens represent a significant portion of their inventory and sales. They continue selling animals because it's profitable to do so — and consumers are often unaware of where the puppies/kittens were bred or may not question the care of the animals while at the store. Other pet stores have chosen to act innovatively and make profits in other ways. They support the needs of the community by no longer purchasing dogs or cats from breeders and instead focus on selling pet supplies and promoting responsible pet ownership by holding "pet adoption" days, where local rescue groups are allowed within the store for a day or weekend to meet customers and "adopt out" dogs and cats.
Online pet sales Due to the Internet, the marketplace has changed dramatically. The brick-and-mortar "pet store" has expanded to online sales. Some pet stores don't have storefronts and rely solely on website traffic and shipping animals directly to the consumer. Some consumers buy puppies and kittens online as a way to save money, unaware of the breeding conditions and the potential costs (financial and emotional) if the animal is unhealthy. NOTE: Dog and cat breeders who sell wholesale (i.e., to pet stores) are regulated by the federal government under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (Minnesota has about 50 USDA-licensed dog/cat breeders and dealers.) The AWA does not regulate retail sales — i.e., sales directly to the consumer, such as through the Internet, from the kennel or from parking lots.
The puppies are the lucky ones It's been said that the "puppies are the lucky ones" because they eventually get to leave the breeding kennels — they're sold to consumers directly or to pet stores for resale. By contrast, adult breeding dogs and cats are caged and confined for up to 6, 8, 10 years or more — depending on how long they are needed for breeding. Consumers never see the condition of the adult breeding dogs and cats; these adult animals are not sold to pet stores for resale. (Photo above of adult dog is from Minnesota breeder.) Some breeders kill the adult dogs and cats when they can no longer breed and are no longer profitable (psychologically and physically damaged, these animals can not be sold as pets); some sell the adult animals at auctions to receive a "salvageable value" for the investment made in the animal (similar to livestock); and some give away their adult dogs or cats for free or at a discounted price to rescue groups and consumers (freeing them up financially so they don't have to pay for the up-keep of an older animal). Rescued adult dogs require extensive rehabilitation. Having been confined for years with no or limited exercise, socialization and human contact results in severe physical and mental/behavioral conditions. Best Friends has created a toolkit (link below) with tips on how to rehabilitate a rescued dog:
A second industry to clean up the mess Most industries do not require a second industry to rescue and rehabilitate their "product," yet hundreds of rescue groups and humane societies throughout Minnesota with thousands of volunteers rescue, care for, foster and adopt harmed dogs and cats. By buying and selling puppies and kittens as a means to make money, these type of pet stores exploit animals for profit and directly or indirectly support the inhumane treatment of animals. The business is legal; as citizens, we should ask why.
Top photo courtesy of Frank Schemberger; second photo by Animal Folks MN
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