Recent Kennel Club research has shown that as many as one in three puppy buyers may have bought from a puppy farm, going to outlets such as pet shops, the internet and free ads, frequently used by puppy farmers.
This is even more worrying when coupled with the knowledge that more than half of puppy owners didn’t see the puppy in its breeding environment, receive a contract of sale, or health test certificates for the puppy’s parents – all steps that the most responsible breeders will insist upon.
Puppy farming is a growing problem as unscrupulous breeders cash in on the demand for the likes of fashionable designer cross breeds, ‘handbag’ dogs and other popular breeds and take advantage of the fact that they can hide behind the anonymity of the internet. They tend to operate under the radar so it is impossible to know the exact scale of the trade. But the signs are that an increasingly large proportion of puppy buyers have bought from puppy farms without even knowing it.
A recent survey by the Kennel Club showed:
As many as one in four people could potentially be buying their puppies from puppy farms. 29 percent of people have bought their puppy from the internet, a pet shop or a newspaper advert, all outlets that are used for selling puppy farmed puppies.
Too many people were not buying from breeders that had taken the steps that would be expected of a reputable breeder:
Three in five people admit that they did not see their puppy with its mother
More than half did not see it in its breeding environment before they brought it home
66 percent of owners were never given the parents’ health certificates, a good indicator of the likely health of the puppy, potentially costing them dearly in vet bills further down the line
8 percent were sold a puppy before it was 8 weeks old
66 percent of people said that they would buy a puppy sold at a lower than average price. The Kennel Club is concerned that puppy farmers, who cut corners in order to sell pups at knock down prices, will do more trade during tough financial times, even though it will cost the owners heavily in veterinary bills later.
It’s amazing to me how much people DON’T know about where their dogs are coming from when they buy from Petland, etc…. thanks for the education!
I’m dropping by on this lovely Saturday in Atlanta enjoying the posts on the blog hop.
Go see what I have to see about McDonalds recent ads slamming pit bulls.
pet-peeves.org
Puppy farming is disgusting. It bothers me to know that one of my own species could possibly do something like this. I have rescued all of my dogs from either a shelter or an organization such as North Shore Animal League, which does an amazing job-There are so many dogs out there already that need good homes; the idea of farming puppies makes me sick. Dogs have been man’s best friend throughout our history, and this is how some would repay their loyalty. Thank you for the information! ~ Jess
Hello,
What Kennel Club? If one refers to the Kennel Club, that usually seems to mean that we’re in Great Britain. If one is referring to a (singular) Kennel Club in the United States, one would write the ‘American Kennel Club.’ Could you specify please the source of the quote you used? Perhaps it’s in Australia?
I’m not suggesting that the facts are wrong. I’d just like to know more about the source. Thanks in advance.
UK Kennel Club
This is so sad! I hope people who buy dogs check into things like this before getting them! I have seen tons of puppies come from puppy mills down south near where my sister lives…they are at flea markets:(