A new survey shows that pet shops are taking advantage of the rise in demand for puppies during the COVID-19 crisis to increase their profits, and some of the dogs they’re selling come from cruel puppy mills.
With strict stay-at-home orders in place, people are seeking out companion animals — especially puppies, who require the extra time and commitment that many people have right now.
Investigators from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) surveyed 31 pet stores and discovered that over half (17) were experiencing unusually high puppy sales during the coronavirus pandemic.
All of the participating pet stores were in 13 states where only essential businesses are currently allowed to trade, yet all but two stores were still open and selling puppies. One of the pet stores had taken deposits from 11 different customers for puppies who hadn’t even arrived in the store yet.
This rise in sales is concerning because certain pet stores frequently stock up on dogs from abhorrent puppy mills. Then, uninformed consumers purchase the dogs, unknowingly supporting businesses with dreadful animal welfare conditions and dangerous breeding practices.
Sometimes, the puppies bred at these mills develop serious illnesses and either die or have to be euthanized.
If you’re considering bringing a new dog, or any other companion animal, into your home, please get in touch with your local animal rescue center and adopt one of the many animals in need of care and a loving family. Shelters are also in need of fosters — so even if you can’t add a permanent addition to the family, you can still help an animal in need!
What’s New…
Start a ban on all pet stores to stop them selling live animals!
Please set up a petition to get the wildlife refuges closed because of these problems and especially because the animals are in danger from these horrors!
By now, everyone should know not to purchase animals from pet stores. Pet stores support puppy Mills. If there are non-profit animal organizations in the store that are trying to find homes for homeless animals, that is different. They do ask for an adoption fee, but the fee goes towards Food, shelter, medicine, vet bills. There are plenty of animals to adopt!! Don’t support companies that use puppy mills–they only care about money, and have no concern for the animals well-being. If you are supporting puppy mills, cat mills, etc., You are only creating a bigger problem. Your money will go towards producing more animals, and these animals are not taken care of and are abused. They live in filthy cages with urine and feces, might have access to dirty water And maybe food. Animals that can no longer produce more animals are killed, and they are probably not killed in a humane fashion. These animal mills stink horribly and have many suffering, sick animals in their care! DO NOT BUY ANIMALS IN A PET STORE OR FROM A PUPPY MILL. And, Consider adopting instead of buying from a breeder. Support the Humane Society or a non-profit animal rescue organization! PLEASE!!!!
Profiting from others losses…. during bad times.. Or anytime really… needs to stop. Ban anyone from making a profit or price gouging. And shut down inhumane puppy mills.
End these god damn puppy mills all they are is a quick way for a bunch of losers to make money and no care about the animals. OMG look how many animals need homes and these assholes that have these puppy mills just keep putting more animals out there with no thought or care about what will happen to them. People need to face HUGE fines for these mills. Shut them all down and the sooner the better. Let’s save the animals and make their lives mean something. Wake up people!!
NEVER buy from a pet shop or breeder. Always adopt. Rescued animals are gold ♥
Considering that literally millions of dogs and cats or put them in shelters every year, the fact that Poppy mill still exist is horrible. And that does not even take into account how cruel and ridiculous most of them are. This needs to stop immediately
The pet trade is a form of animal enslavement. All animal welfare organisations should call for it to be banned. Don’t support it. Give a home to a rescued animal instead.
I’ll never understand how anyone could buy a dog/puppy, or cat/kitten, from a pet store.
Everyone and their brother knows where these animals come from. It’s no secret.
Shelters are filled to capacity – especially now – with cats and dogs DYING for a loving home.
You can’t buy love – but you can rescue/adopt it 😉
Little known fact. Dogs that are past their prime are shot and killed instead of discounted and sold. Stop buying puppies from the mall. You are part of the problem.
So are kittens that aren’t sold.
Many of them are either killed or sold to disgusting labs for testing.
And killed and sold to schools for dissection.
Please BAN pet shops, due to millions of rescues animals needing homes
Its time to BAN all puppy mills now. Every one should know that these back-street breeders do NOT give a damn about the dogs and puppies in their care. These dogs are abused, tormented and ill-treated from the day that they are born until the day they die or are dumped by these heartless, money-grabbing, profiteering pieces of human trash. As for ‘pet shops’ selling these innocent puppies, that are frequently sick or diseased, I hope they check that the new owners will care for the puppy when the lock-down has finished, what about when the owners return to work??? I expect these puppies that are being bought ‘on a whim’ will either be dumped, forgotten about or even killed!!!!
This is so wrong!
PEOPLE THAT HAVE PUPPY MILLS JUST HAVE
THEM TO MAKE MONEY. IF YOU REALLY WANT
AN ANIMAL, DOG OR CAT GO TO A SHELTER.
YOU WILL BE HELPING TWO ANIMALS, THE ONE
YOU ARE ADOPTING AND THE NEW ONE THAT IS
GOING INTO THE NEW EMPTY CAGE WAITING TO
BE ADOPTED.
“Pet Stores” is a misnomer. The animals are being trafficked for profit and there is no oversight on animal welfare,
GET YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND FROM A SHELTER OR
FOSTER A NEW BEST FRIEND INSTEAD OF SPENDING
HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FROM A PET STORE FOR AN
ANIMAL.
I HAVE ALWAYS HAD SHELTER ANIMALS THAT WERE
JUST WONDERFUL AND THEY ARE SO APPRECIATIVE
THAT THEY WERE ADOPTED INSTEAD OF GOING TO
ANOTHER CRUEL ABUSIVE OWNER.
SHUT DOWN ALL PUPPY MILLS!!!!!!!
Please visit shelters & local animal rescue centres and adopt or foster.
All puppy mills should be shut down for good. They are cruel and abusive. No real caring for the dogs at all. Shut them down. Thank you for your work. I couldn’t do it. Take care.
With so many animals in shelters, it is unnecessary to buy pets. Go to the shelter to find a wonderful animal to take home and love!!
What do you mean “some of the dogs they’re selling come from cruel puppy mills”? Virtually ALL of them do!
What do you mean “some of the dogs they’re selling come from cruel puppy mills”? Virtually ALL of them do!
Enough is enough. Put your self in there place . How can you look at your self in the mirror and know that you did nothing to stop this. They are are innocent the voice less.
I see some kindness from other countries on here about animals and it makes me feel better that we have some kindness at this time of crisis. The world can be very CRUEL.. we must try to love one another or try to just get along.
I see some kindness from other countries on here about animals and it makes me feel better that we have some kindness at this time of crisis. The world can be very CRUEL.. we must try to love one another or try to just get along.
since you’re supposed to be compassionate toward animals, how can you have anything to do with HSUS. them and PETA have the highest kill rate of killing adoptable cats and dogs, have been for many years. do the research. PETA KILLS is a place to start…
since you’re supposed to be compassionate toward animals, how can you have anything to do with HSUS. them and PETA have the highest kill rate of killing adoptable cats and dogs, have been for many years. do the research. PETA KILLS is a place to start…
This is not ok to profit from suffering animals that are not even cared for. There are so many in the shelters already there’s no need to allow puppy mills. Do the humane and right thing and shut them down. Thank you
These people are nuts!! Most people that really want a dog know not to purchase one from Petland or such!!
So many wonderful dogs at shelters just waiting for someone to love them……..
And the stupid among us keep buying them.
This is just horrible manking off of a life how can you dleep knowing this poor is going to be killed or abused shame on you all
I recommend for people that want to adopt or foster an animal during the quarantine period, foster a shelter animal. I have sent a request to shelters to foster care any animal they need help with because of over crowding. I will take any small animal, dog, cat or whatever. It will help the shelter, the animal and most of all, me for companionship during this difficult period. Give it a try, it will benefit all concerned!!!
Don’t kill pets, be kind to Pets
Dont kill pets, be kind to Pets
Puppy mills are unfair to everyone. It’s a time of crisis for the entire world, when we should be thinking about the welfare of every living thing.
Please don’t be so dishonest by contributing to an industry which causes unseen, unheard heartache.
Would you like to give a home to a sick puppy who has a short life through no fault of its own, and feel that you were conned?
Why oh why do people still buy from these puppy farms! Anyone who does so is guilty of perpetuating this cruel trade. If you want a dog ADOPT!
At the expense and torture of dogs, ignorant/stupid humans make a profit!
That’s messed up
Feel their pain.
What is wrong with people?? There should be shelter dogs, puppies, cats at all times there, this should be LAW!!!!
IDIOTS!!!!
moche
Puppy millers are imbecile creatures….they can’t help it. But to those that take advantage of this pandemic and lonely people are the true scum of the earth. I thought Trump signed on the issue of cruelty to animals is now a felony? Does this filth count or is it ok to torture animals?
People have no shame!!!
Stopp denne galskapen med å utnytte dyr!!!
Plwase put an end to this abuse!
Don.t they read the Bible where it said Do Unto others as you would have them do unto you, This is not a good way to treat animals.
Shut down all puppy mills. I am concerned that when things return to normal these pets will be dumped.
How pathetic, what’s going to happen to the poor animals once the lockdown is over and the ‘owner’ goes back to work or their life returns to as it was previously ? Many will end up being re-homed, dumped or put-down.
So what happens when the country/states open up? Does everyone surrender their new pet when they no longer have the time or inclination for it?
I know i worry about this.
I have seen this countless times. People had a spur of the moment feeling about getting a pet and then poof! Lose interest.
I have seen a lot of dogs thrown out when this stupid virus started because some idiots believe the dogs might have the virus. I have seen some thrown out and they’re running scared trying to catch up with the car that threw them out. I saw ppl all excited about a new dog a few weeks then they are roaming the street at nite always getting out of the yard. The owners at least feed them but dont really care if they get hit by a car etc. Just heard a lady recently say of her senior dog we are trying to get rid of her. She mostly sleeps all day. Just really sorry ppl all over. I think they should be prosecuted and banned from owning animals.