Have you ever walked pass a petshop window and lay your gaze on a CUTESY LIL’ PUPPY for more than 5 seconds. And before you know it, you are in love with him/her.
You walk in, pay a ridiculous price for it and you bring it home, not comprehending what you have just did.
What have you done?
You have fallen prey to money-faced-non-animal-loving bastards. I will not mince my words.
Let me explain.
A typical cute puppy from the window typically comes from a typical puppy farm.
Typical puppy farms or mills churn out puppies everyday. They work their bitches heat after heat after heat. Do they care if the bitches are mal-nutritioned? No. Do they care that the puppies are not of good quality? No. Do they care about the mortality rate of the dogs? NO! What do they care about then?
They care about how many puppies they can produce for profit. Bitch can no longer produce pups? Just leave her to die.
This post will not contain happy pictures of puppies. This post will contain pictures of cruel reality. If you cannot stomach it, please stop reading now. NOW.
I love collies. They have always been my dream dogs since I was a little girl. I forsee myself keeping collies for the rest of my life. And I’m a very proud owner of my mix collie, Benji. Therefore, the following images, do NOTHING to glorify this elegant and intelligent breed. I’m sickened to my bones.
Images taken from: http://www.therathole.org/critters/puppymill.html
WHAT DIGNITY have they left for the dogs?
How do these poor dogs have anything to do with the puppies in the window, you ask? Well, these are the very farms that would supply the pups to the petshops.
(Please read these stories before you accuse me of fabricating this whole thing: http://www.puppymillrescue.com/petstorehorrostories.htm)
Before you say that these only happens in America (since all the links I gave are American sites), let me tell you that this happens all over the world.
Wherever there is DEMAND for puppies, these people will be around.
I’ve worked in petshops before. I’ve seen these happening far too many times. Too many times, I see sick pups in the window being sold at ridiculous prices. Too many times, I’ve sold a pup with a heavy heart, knowing I had sinned. Too many times, owners have come back to the shop with the pups falling sick and demanding a refund.
And all this time? The poor pup’s mommy is somewhere cold and dark, sitting in a cramp and rusty cage, wondering when she’s going to be raped again.
All these, for the sake of money. For as long as there is the demand, there will always be backyard breeders, puppy mills and irresponsible petshops.
Then, there will be a whole colony of unwanted dogs in pounds/ shelters/ SPCA etc, waiting either to be adopted (lower chances, because most people buy from petshops, which in turn buy from puppy farms, which in turn would kick the unwanted old bitches to the pounds anyway) or to be put to sleep.
I do not hate people who buy puppies from petshops, neither do I hate puppies from petshops (duh). I just feel that if ONLY, everyone can read up intensively before they commit themselves to getting a ‘branded dog’, and adopting instead of buying, it would make such a great difference!
What big difference would it make? You may ask.
Ever heard of the story of a boy walking down the beach and throwing starfishes back into the sea? A man comes along and laughed at the boy.
“What difference would it make? There are so many of them!”
And the boy replies after he picked yet another starfish and threw that into the sea,
“Well it sure made a difference to that one!”
Adopted dogs are not bad dogs. I have many friends who can attest to that. Mixed breed dogs are not worse off than pedigreed ones either.
Do educate friends and relatives should they decide to have a doggy addition to their family. You never know what huge difference you can make to that one dog waiting in the shelter.
There are simply too many dogs, too little people who really really care. And those people who care, are really tired.
July 3rd, 2006 at 3:26 pm
very well written indeed
July 4th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Good work on the post. I recently adopted a 12 y/o chihuahua from a breeder. He told me he’d rather put her to slp because she’s at the end of her breeding cycle. She’s old with cataracts and has a horrible case of heartworms which i was advised not to treat because she’s too old to withstand treatment. i am only comforted by the fact that i will give her a better home until she passes on. Yet its so hard to let go
July 4th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
Wonderfully written, and while I understand why people make impulse buys at pet shops, I too wish that more people would realise the implications of their actions. Blog entries like these are one way in which to reach out to these potential buyers, and hopefully they become adopters instead!
July 5th, 2006 at 12:48 am
Good on you, J. I think someone Tomorrow’d your entry, so hopefully it’ll reach more people.
By the way, your favourite blogger Xiaxue is a Tomorrow editor. How’s that for irony?
July 5th, 2006 at 1:00 am
Thanks all of you!
Err, S, since when is Xiaxue my fav blogger????
July 5th, 2006 at 2:08 am
Well-written piece.
One thing apart from the welfare issue, is that puppy mills breed indiscriminately, swamping the market with purebred puppies with all the wrong genes and traits. It’s so easy to end up with a puppy with all the undesirable physiological or beahvioural traits, and then give the entire breed a bad name.
July 5th, 2006 at 8:59 am
How come no one tomorrow-ed me…. ;(
July 5th, 2006 at 9:08 am
Great piece of writing J!
Dun be tired so soon! There can and will be a better tomorrow! If need be, take a break, and start again.
I love the starfish story. People keep asking WHY there are others who are trying so hard to help rehome dogs, to get people to adopt older dogs, to get others to accept local breeds, when MOST people prefer to simply walk into a pets hsop and Buy. Some might find it lame and “Bo Liao” but with every dog adopted/rehomed, there will bea better tomorrow.
Just keep your spirit up and chin held high. The time will come soon, where people opt to adopt instead of buy, and put in effort, research and homework to get dogs from good breeders.
July 5th, 2006 at 10:50 am
Great job!
Too few understand the repercussions of buying a puppy from a pet shop.
So many celebrate their new family addition, while mummy and daddy dog suffer in unspeakable conditions. Sadly, puppy mills exist all over the world – even in Singapore and Australia.
To borrow Animal Planet’s tagline:
Only when the buying stops, can the cruelty stop too.
Hope your article reaches out to many more!
July 5th, 2006 at 11:17 am
Fantastic story. Do u mind I link it to my blog and at the same time mass mail this article to as many pple as I know?
July 5th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
I think one of the problem with adopting mixed breed dogs and local dogs is the regulation set down by HDB. Many owners may not even consider those dogs as they are not HDB approved, unfortunately. I think its important that the is a strong animal welfare force to make changes to such policies and to increase the state of welfare in Singapore.
Metta
July 5th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
Melodyhug: Yes of course you may link my blog.
Kelvin Wong: You’d be surprised how many small breed dogs there are for adoption. Most of them adults, but still, they deserve a chance in life.
Thanks everyone. Do share your experiences with adopted dogs yeah?
July 5th, 2006 at 11:47 pm
lots of kisses from jackie!
July 6th, 2006 at 1:29 am
I got my present dog from a rehomer too. She’s a great dog, currently in dog sports & obedience competitions. So who said adopted or rehomed dog can’t be a great dog ?
July 6th, 2006 at 8:07 am
chance upon your blog from ds. simpily love your views and takes on life. you are so young and yet have such compassion and love. wish there are more young people out there like you. may God bless you.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:08 am
oh by the way, i have just bookmarked you in my favourite blogs.
July 6th, 2006 at 10:02 am
Hi!
Your words expressed my exact sentiments about buying and breeding animals..
And you’re so right that those who cares are just too few.. and very very frustrated with the way humans treat animals in general..
Okay with you if I link this posting to my site?
Thanks!
July 6th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
Hi hi, Thanks everyone. And yes, you may link me.
July 7th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Thank you for highlighting this terrible practice.
We will be sending this site to our customers.
July 11th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
thank you for sharing this article! i’ve forwarded the link to all my contacts and hope that people will be more educated and make better informed decisions before rushing out to buy a new puppy.
August 17th, 2006 at 10:11 am
I have a found sheltie, a abandoned one, badly abused n in a advanced stage of heartworms when I found him 4 yrs ago. His right eye – only the white can be seen n half closing. He must have been continiously hit in the head until the muscles in the eyes gave way. Brought him to c a eye specialist n confirm that it’s due to abused. He’s blind in that eye now but cope very well with just one eye. Some of his teeth were also extracted, I assume, by the ex-owner n left him with swollen gums. He was also vommiting blood n his testicles were very, very swollen. His pawpads were also gone! Weighed a mere 4.5kg then. He was est. 2 b 3 yrs old back then. He’s now about 71/2 yrs old n I AM A VERY PROUD OWNER OF A FOUND N ABUSED DOG.
My message is – PLS DO NOT BUY A DOG ON IMPLUSE. READ N FIND OUT WHAT’S IN STORE 4 U. DON’T BUY SOMETHING THAT LOOKS ATTRACTIVE N REALISE LATER IT’S SUCH A BURDEN N NUISANCE TO YOU.
Sorry, I can’t write well.
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:25 pm
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