Adopt, don’t shop!
December 14th, 2010 by admin
On Sunday, the Palm Beach Post published the first in a series of excellent articles about the sad beginnings of many of the dogs for sale at “Palm Beach Puppies,” “Top Shelf Puppies” and other deceptively-named pet stores in South Florida.
The paper examined thousands of records at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and found that more than 2,500 puppies were delivered to Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties from out-of-state breeders between June 2009 and April 2010. During that time period, Palm Beach Puppies, with locations in Boca Raton and Wellington, brought in the most dogs of any pet store (434).
The paper uncovered problems at puppy mills- in Missouri, Oklahoma and Minnesota- that have sold dogs to Palm Beach Puppies. At one breeder in Armstrong, Missouri, inspectors with the U.S. Department of Agriculture found: “Litter of puppies walking in soupy wet feces; some with extremely splayed feet, likely from nutritional deficiency. Two adult mastiffs taller than their cages. Two adult golden retrievers in same shelter without enough room to sit, stand or move about freely.” Problems at other breeders included outdoor shelters for dogs that lacked bedding despite freezing temperatures, cockroaches in food, and a breeder who had been convicted of animal cruelty.
The Palm Beach Post pointed out that this horrible reality is in stark contrast to the inside of the Palm Beach Puppies stores in Wellington and Boca Raton, “where puppies are kept in baby cribs and European doggie-designer clothing hangs from the walls.”
The paper spoke to one woman who purchased a puppy from a pet store in Miami-Dade County; the puppy developed pneumonia shortly after being brought home. “I have learned my lesson,” she said. “I will never buy a dog from a puppy store again. I refuse to put any more money in the system of puppy mills.” Hopefully, this is a message that is being heard across Florida.
But it’s not all bad news! Palm Beach County commissioners are considering changes to the county’s animal care and control ordinance that would require pet stores, and puppy brokers who sell animals online or through ads in the newspaper, to tell customers where puppies were born or bred.
Please contact the commissioners and express your strong support for the proposed ordinance requiring pet stores to disclose more information about the animals they are selling. Contact:
Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners
E-mail: BCC-AllCommissioners@pbcgov.orgIf you are a resident of Palm Beach County, please contact your county commissioner (click here to find out what district you live in, or contact ARFF for help)
Writing a Letter to the Editor of the Palm Beach Post would be a great way to continue the discussion about puppy mills. Click here to send a letter.