Companion Animals

We all know that a cute puppy or cuddly kitten is irresistible. Many of us consider our companion animals full-fledged members of our family. However, an estimated 5 to 8 million dogs and cats are killed in U.S. shelters each year, and millions more are left to die on the streets because there aren't enough homes for them. Despite this tragedy, millions of animals continue to be bred and sold each year by pet stores and breeders.

Most puppies and kittens sold in pet stores come from puppy or kitten "mills". These for-profit facilities breed cats and dogs by the thousands with little concern for the health and well-being of the animals. Dogs and cats used as "breeding stock" live lonely lives in cramped, filthy cages, and are forced to produce litter after litter until they are spent. As babies are born, they are taken from their mothers (often prematurely with a falsified date of birth) and transported in terrifying and sometimes lethal conditions to pet stores hundreds of miles away. Those that survive often arrive sick or with some type of physical or behavioral defect. Unsuspecting buyers of "mill" animals often incur huge veterinary bills. American Kennel Club "papers" do not ensure a healthy animal.

You can not rescue an animal from a pet store. However well intentioned, buying a pet store animal will quickly result in the animal being replaced by another raised in equally dreadful conditions. This will encourage pet stores and breeders to continue contributing to the pet overpopulation crisis - resulting in millions of animals making that heartbreaking one way trip to the shelter killing rooms. You can help prevent this massive suffering by promoting spaying and neutering, and by encouraging people to adopt animals from shelters, rather than purchasing them from breeders or pet stores. If you know someone with a dog or cat that hasn't been "fixed," encourage them to contact ARFF at 954-727-2733 for information about free spaying and neutering.