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issue > pet stores > dealers
Dog and cat dealers: The middleman An animal dealer is a "middleman," also referred to as a broker. This type of company may breed (and often does) animals themselves but they also buy puppies or kittens from many different kennels for resale to pet stores. Dealers are also described as "fluff and buff" shops — they buy from other breeders (located nearby in their own town or from kennels throughout the United States) and then "clean up" the animals before shipping them to pet stores. In documentation available to the public (i.e. Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, required for transport of an animal across state lines), the dealer's name will be listed as the seller but, often, the original breeder's name is not listed so the public has no idea who bred the puppies or kittens or the conditions of the actual breeding kennel.
Minnesota animal dealers There are multiple animal dealers operating throughout the United States. Because dealers buy animals for resale (wholesale), they are required to obtain a Class B license from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Minnesota has multiple animal dealers located in strategic areas of the state. In southern Minnesota, two of the largest dealers are:
Menning Enterprises Menning Enterprises, located in Edgerton, Minnesota, is one of the largest dealers who supplies puppies to pet stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota and Illinois. (This dealer/breeder also supplies a few animals to other kennels in these states as well as selling directly to consumers in Minnesota and nationwide.) Menning Enterprises has or currently sells puppies to the following pet stores:
Fulton Enterprises Fulton Enterprises, located in Alden, Minnesota, recently purchased Toenges Enterprises, who had been operating for years. Fulton Enterprises is owned by Patrick Fulton, who had been the kennel manager for Toenges Enterprises. Toenges Enterprises cancelled their USDA license (which allowed them to sell to pet stores nationwide) on January 15, 2010. Fulton's USDA license started as of March 15, 2010. It appears that Fulton Enterprises does not supply puppies to Minnesota pet stores. This company has or currently sells puppies to the following pet stores:
NOTE: As mentioned above, Menning Enterprises and Fulton Enterprises are dog dealers. They purchase dogs/puppies from other breeders and then re-sell them to pet stores. It is difficult to obtain documentation as to who are the original breeders. However, some of this data can be obtained after the puppy is purchased. Consumers can submit a request to www.petshoppuppies.org and they will locate the breeder and broker. At this website, people can review the breed purchased, any health conditions and the breeder, broker and pet store. Examples of some reports:
Other Minnesota dealers A list of other USDA-licensed Minnesota animal dealers can be found at: Dealers. Animals Folks MN is conducting further research of pet stores and who sells to whom. Further research will be posted here. Please check back.
Photo courtesy of Frank Schemberger
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