Pet shops - get the facts

Why you shouldn't buy your pet from a shop

Pet shops are the leading distribution network for puppy farmers to sell their puppies to the public. Buying a pet shop puppy means you are supporting people who farm dogs for profit.

We all know the importance of choosing the right dog for your lifestyle and while pet shops present themselves as reputable, staff may not themselves know the origins of the puppies they sell. Deliveries of puppies may arrive weekly with little more than their age and breed details.

If you think your local pet shop is one of the good guys, think again. Here’s some of the double-speak they use to convince you that they in fact aren’t selling puppy mill pets.

"Our puppies only come from breeders, not puppy mills."

Anyone with two dogs can call themselves a breeder, so don't assume this means their pets don’t come from a puppy mill.

Ask to see documentation and find out the breeders location - if they won't give it to you there is no way to know if the breeder is located interstate and just farming and shipping pets for the pet shop market.

If you are able, take documentation away and do a background check on the breeder - often information on dubious breeders can be found on the internet.