FAQs on Stores Selling Puppies
According to the data PetShopPuppies.org has collected in over 6000 puppy reports, there are approximately 1500 pet stores in the U.S. that sell puppies (click HERE to see the number of pet stores that sell puppies in each state).
Pet stores vary from small "mom and pop" stores to large franchise stores, but most claim they don't get their puppies from puppy mills. Are they lying, and if so, how can they get by with lying? The truth is that most pet stores get their puppies from brokers. These USDA licensed middlemen are often not breeders, thus the pet store's claim that they don't buy from puppy mills is often true.
The brokers buy their puppies from mostly USDA licensed breeders. To better understand how USDA licenses breeder and brokers, visit this page on puppy mills. The term "puppy mill" is interpreted differently by different people and a pet store may claim that their suppliers are "USDA approved" and in their minds, not a puppy mill.
Pet stores often claim they visit all of their breeders personally. This, from our experience at PetShopPuppies.org, is an outright lie. If a pet store tells you this, you need to be informed and ask the right questions:
- How many dogs did the breeder of this puppy have?
- Can I have a copy of their USDA inspection?
- Did the puppy's parents live in the house or in kennels?
- Are the kennels raised wire hutches?
- How large are the kennels?
- Can you give me the breeder's phone number so that I can call them?
Chances are, the pet store owner will refuse to answer any of your questions to your satisfaction.
Have you purchased a puppy from a pet store recently? Would you
like a FREE puppy report? The service is offered, intending to
give you a better understanding of the origin of your puppy.
Visit
PetShopPuppies.org for further information on this free service.