Reputable breeders do not sell through retail outlets. It would be unthinkable for a breeder to treat puppies like shelf merchandise. Breeders care about where their puppies go and whether it is to a good home. The retail merchants will care whether the transaction is accepted by your credit card company.
It is not surprising that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has made alleged claims against a chain of pet stores:
“After an eight-month investigation, the Humane Society of the United States accused Petland, the national pet store chain, of selling dogs bred under appalling conditions at puppy mills around the country.”
link: Investigation ties pet chain to puppy mills
There is one very simple way to put puppy mills out of business. That easy solution is only to buy from reputable breeders. Don’t make a puppy an impulse purchase at a retail shop. Don’t buy a puppy from an internet vendor. You are only inviting problems. There is a high probability that these puppies purchased from retail outlets will have health and/or behaviour problems.
Absolutely no good comes from puppy mills. They exist for the sake of making a profit. Puppies are merchandise. Purchasing a puppy from a retail outlet supports these puppy mills. Go to a reputable breeder or stop in at your local pet shelter. It is a guarantee that there is a great dog there who needs a good home.
Catherine Forsythe