Here’s why you shouldn’t buy a dog from a pet store
The biggest problem with pet stores is that they cater to the instant gratification of wannabe pet owners. “Wake up and want a puppy? Great, come on in and you can have one immediately.”
Don’t do this, people! If you really want a puppy, chances are you will still want one in a couple of months, after you have had time to do a little research. Buying a puppy mill dog on a whim is only setting you up for a rough road ahead.
If you truly just decided that you need a puppy right this minute and have had no time or drive to plan this “purchase,” there is a good chance you haven’t had the time or planning to really think about all the work that owning a dog entails.
People also buy from pet stores because they want purebreds and don’t want to pay private breeder prices, but there is a reason they are cheaper in the pet store: You get what you pay for! It’s like buying a cheap knockoff purse. Sure, it looks great on the outside and can pass for what it’s supposed to be, but the quality sucks and it probably won’t last as long.
As sad as it is, these pet store animals don’t live as long as they should, and their lives are often riddled with the health problems that come along with bad breeding.
Another reason some people feel that it’s a good idea to buy from a pet store is because they believe they can select a breed with the qualities and temperament they want. I’m sorry to break it to you, but this falls under the same category as the knock-off purse. Sure, the dog looks like a Labrador, but let me tell you, his poor little puppy brains are probably so scrambled from years of being bred with his siblings that you would have better luck with a mutt from the shelter, because at least that dog doesn’t have an overlapping DNA strand.
What do breeders do with unsold puppies?
Any puppy the breeder does not want to keep, she will place in an excellent pet home. With a clause in her contract that she will take the puppy back at any time if the buyer can’t keep it.
Dropped off at the side of the road
Dogs that don’t manage to get a buyer may also be left out in the cold. Some pet stores drop them off at a nearby shelter.
However, it is not uncommon to come across those that don’t care about their welfare at all.
As long as they are past the age of selling, cannot breed, or are very sick, they will be disposed of anywhere.