New Pisces Location

[saltcreep]

Be careful what you wish for. This can easily be the slippery slope.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by saltcreep

Be careful what you wish for. This can easily be the slippery slope.

Not selling puppies in pet stores is a slope I'd slide down any day.

[Chaloupa]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Not selling puppies in pet stores is a slope I'd slide down any day.

TOTALLY agree! 1000%~

[EmilyB]

Originally Posted by saltcreep

Be careful what you wish for. This can easily be the slippery slope.

Why?

[lorenz0]

saltcreep is kind of getting the idea of how it can effect an other pet trade

It's a great idea but even reputable breeders are questionable. Our family dog (lives with my parents) is probably the last remaining from his batch. We knew 2 other people that bought from the same batch of puppies and neither of them lived to see past their 5th birthday due to long term inbreeding. Our dog is full of problems but still remains healthy and recently has developed a hip issue.

Also petland tries to home dogs as well. They have a program that brings in unwanted dogs and gets them up to date with shots and vet bills. In return all they charge is the cost of the vet bills (usually around $300). Since alot of people purchase dogs from here it has proven to be very successful and most dogs leave the store in a week or 2.

Personally some of the best dogs I have encountered came from the spca and were reserve dogs. Also I hate seeing people selling 3 year old dogs on kijiji, its sad that the owner can't commit to what they started

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by lorenz0

saltcreep is kind of getting the idea of how it can effect an other pet trade

It's a great idea but even reputable breeders are questionable. Our family dog (lives with my parents) is probably the last remaining from his batch. We knew 2 other people that bought from the same batch of puppies and neither of them lived to see past their 5th birthday due to long term inbreeding. Our dog is full of problems but still remains healthy and recently has developed a hip issue.

Also petland tries to home dogs as well. They have a program that brings in unwanted dogs and gets them up to date with shots and vet bills. In return all they charge is the cost of the vet bills (usually around $300). Since alot of people purchase dogs from here it has proven to be very successful and most dogs leave the store in a week or 2.

Personally some of the best dogs I have encountered came from the spca and were reserve dogs. Also I hate seeing people selling 3 year old dogs on kijiji, its sad that the owner can't commit to what they started

I believe this petition exempts entities that are working in some sort of foster program. If Petland is working with a rescue, it would be exept from the bylaw. This also doesn't define reputable breeder, but it's a start in removing the market for puppymills to supply petstores with dogs that could sit in a box for months.
I recently met a couple that bought a boxer at the local petstore that sells puppies, the poor thing couldn't even walk. It had been in the little cage for 6 months
I've currently got a foster dog here that came from a mill, sold through a petstore, and is the most poorly adjusted dog I've ever met. Sweet girl, just doesn't have a clue about life.
Early development for puppies is a huge thing, and if the pup sits in a box from 7 weeks until it's 6 months, you're going to have a messed up dog. No way around that.
So for me, I think this is a very important issue, and I encouraged Deb to post it. Pet stores can do just fine without selling puppies; one of most successful stores locally feels the same way and the owner does just fine.

[Jamieh]

It's always the Pet Stores that are blamed for the number of animals that end up in shelters. I would bet that if you visited any shelter in any city in Canada you would find mostly medium to large dogs that had been neglected by their owners. Now visit the Pet Stores in the same city and you will find that most Pet Stores only sell small dogs. Very few of these small Pet Store dogs end up at shelters yet they get the stigma as being all of the problem. You should also try speaking to the Petland people about how they source their puppies and ask about the breeder visits they actually do to every breeder they buy from. You will be surprised to learn that they actually have a do not buy list that is shared among all stores and that they will not buy from so called "puppy mills". Also don't confuse how Petland in Canada does business vs how the puppy business in done in the USA.

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I believe this petition exempts entities that are working in some sort of foster program. If Petland is working with a rescue, it would be exept from the bylaw. This also doesn't define reputable breeder, but it's a start in removing the market for puppymills to supply petstores with dogs that could sit in a box for months.
I recently met a couple that bought a boxer at the local petstore that sells puppies, the poor thing couldn't even walk. It had been in the little cage for 6 months
I've currently got a foster dog here that came from a mill, sold through a petstore, and is the most poorly adjusted dog I've ever met. Sweet girl, just doesn't have a clue about life.
Early development for puppies is a huge thing, and if the pup sits in a box from 7 weeks until it's 6 months, you're going to have a messed up dog. No way around that.
So for me, I think this is a very important issue, and I encouraged Deb to post it. Pet stores can do just fine without selling puppies; one of most successful stores locally feels the same way and the owner does just fine.

[saltcreep]

While the petition and current and proposed legislation in various constituencies are well intentioned, I feel it is misguided and it opens the door for further legislation on the retail stores. Of all the outlets available where dogs may be purchased, retail stores are the ones that are the easiest to regulate. An outright ban on sales is not the answer and will not have a large affect on the numbers of animals in shelters. I for one would highly encourage any retailer to participate in programs with shelters if they are wanting to offer dogs for sale.

A greater issue, especially for this hobby, is that local governments may not stop at dogs. The City of Richmond (BC), who enacted a ban on dogs in pet retail stores has indicated that they may investigate other animals for sale in stores. This is the slippery slope! The City of Vernon (BC) proposed legislation for the ban on "exotic animals" (I can't remember the exact term used) which included marine ornamental fish. That was subsequently voted down, but it is an example of where this could lead.

It is far too easy for local politicians, who feel they are doing the right thing, to go a step too far in what animals are banned. All it takes is one misinformed councellor to introduce a bylaw based on pure emotion rather than informed facts. This could easily happen if a city catches wind of how some fish or coral are collected for this hobby? The same ethics would apply to animals in this hobby as what are being used for an outright ban on the sale of dogs in pet retail stores.

[Jamieh]

Great post. If Cities want to be part of the solution in regards to health issues and shelter over-crowding why don't they inspect all places selling pets in their respective City. Put some guidelines in place. When you see a store or person not following your guidelines act against that person/store. Why should every store get tarred by same brush when all have not contributed to the issues at hand. Education is key to success in most things in life and puppy sales fit here as well. Mention Pet Store puppies now and people start to think "puppy mill" and that is just not true in the majority of cases.

Originally Posted by saltcreep

While the petition and current and proposed legislation in various constituencies are well intentioned, I feel it is misguided and it opens the door for further legislation on the retail stores. Of all the outlets available where dogs may be purchased, retail stores are the ones that are the easiest to regulate. An outright ban on sales is not the answer and will not have a large affect on the numbers of animals in shelters. I for one would highly encourage any retailer to participate in programs with shelters if they are wanting to offer dogs for sale.

A greater issue, especially for this hobby, is that local governments may not stop at dogs. The City of Richmond (BC), who enacted a ban on dogs in pet retail stores has indicated that they may investigate other animals for sale in stores. This is the slippery slope! The City of Vernon (BC) proposed legislation for the ban on "exotic animals" (I can't remember the exact term used) which included marine ornamental fish. That was subsequently voted down, but it is an example of where this could lead.

It is far too easy for local politicians, who feel they are doing the right thing, to go a step too far in what animals are banned. All it takes is one misinformed councellor to introduce a bylaw based on pure emotion rather than informed facts. This could easily happen if a city catches wind of how some fish or coral are collected for this hobby? The same ethics would apply to animals in this hobby as what are being used for an outright ban on the sale of dogs in pet retail stores.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by lorenz0

Personally some of the best dogs I have encountered came from the spca and were reserve dogs.

And to emphasize, the petition doesn't say don't go to pounds or rescues, it encourages it. My pitty cross came from the SPCA and is a wonderful dog (now).