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Action Tips: Buy From a Responsible Breeder
So we know that pet stores should be avoided because of their connection to puppy mills, but how do you know if a breeder is responsible?
To spot a responsible breeder, look out for someone who:
- Never sells puppies to a dealer or pet shop.
- Screens animals for heritable diseases and removes affected animals from breeding program. Affected animals are altered; may be placed as pets as long as health issues are disclosed to buyers/adopters.
- Removes aggressive animals from breeding program; alters or euthanizes them.
- Keeps animals healthy and well-socialized.
- Never keeps more dogs than they can provide with the highest level of care, including quality food, clean water, proper shelter from heat or cold, exercise, socialization and professional veterinary care.
- Has working knowledge of genetics and generally avoids inbreeding.
- Bases breeding frequency on mother’s health, age, condition and recuperative abilities.
- Does not breed extremely young or old animals.
- Often breeds and rears dogs in the home, where they are considered part of the family.
- Ensures newborn animals are kept clean, warm, fed, vetted and with the mother until weaned; begins socialization of puppies at three weeks of age.
- Screens potential guardians; discusses positive and negative aspects of animal/breed.
- Ensures animals are weaned (eight to ten weeks of age for dogs and cats) before placement.
- Offers guidance and support to new guardians.
- Provides an adoption/purchase contract in plain English that spells out breeder’s responsibilities, adopter’s responsibilities, health guarantees and return policy.
- Provides accurate and reliable health, vaccination and pedigree information.
- Makes sure pet-quality animals are sold on a limited registration (dogs only), spay/neuter contract, or are altered before placement.
- Will take back any animal of their breeding, at any time and for any reason.
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Comments
this is a good checklist
i love animals
I love it
This is actually a decent check list, but I disagree with the pet store stereotyping. I've worked at a pet store, I've sold a puppy to a pet store, and I've bought a puppy from a pet store. Not all puppies sold to pet stores are from PUPPY MILLS - this is stereotyping at it's worst.
At the time, I had 2 yorkies (who slept in MY bed, got weekly groomings, and had their own box of toys the other wasn't allowed to play with, much like my kids). I bred them ONCE, had no idea how to go about selling the puppies, so I took them to a pet store and asked for help. I met every person who wanted to buy my puppies, and they didn't leave the pet store until I was satisfied with the new parents.
I know several people ("breeders") who have more than 2 dogs and go through the same process. MY POINT: Don't jump to the conclusion that just because someone has more than a dog or two, they're a puppy mill, and that every pet store caters to puppy mills. Every "breeder" I know loves their dogs like family members, and not all of them are kept inside their home. It's actually more sanitary for ALL INVOLVED if you have 10 or 15 dogs, to NOT keep them all in your house, but rather a separate inside kennel facility.
Don't get caught up in these stereotypes. You can find many small-time breeders in your local paper. I breed yorkies. I have more than 2 dogs. They spend some time every day in a cage (not all day) but in order for each dog to get individual attention, I put the others in a cage, and me and my kids pick a dog each to play with for a while. I breed simply because MY KIDS and MYSELF love puppies. Period. We love seeing the mama's belly grow, watching her cravings, giving birth, and then spoiling the puppies until they are ready for their new homes.
I now advertise in my local papers to sell my puppies. I often get pictures back of dressed up yorkies from their new parents. Sometimes we even go visit, or vice versa, our former babies. I don't meet ALL your criteria above, but I'm FAR from a puppy mill. I won't say it can't happen, but I have never had a dissatisfied buyer, never a returned or unhealthy puppy. Use the above as a GUIDE - but don't rule out a pup b/c it's breeder doesn't fit PERFECTLY into the above. When you find the baby for you, you'll know, and I'd hate for someone to miss that b/c of a silly checklist.