STEER CLEAR OF IMPORTERS, BROKERS, MIDDLEMEN AND PET SHOPS

With all the press and documentaries warning American families about puppy mills and pet shops, this industry continues to flourish. Puppies continue to be sold through pet stores, commercial outlets, multi–breed kennels, brokers, and middlemen. A responsible, ethical breeder would never knowingly sell even one puppy to a middleman, broker, or pet shop for resale.

Importers, brokers, and middlemen – like pet stores -- are not involved in the breeding and rearing of the puppies. They do not work with reputable breeders, regardless of what they have represented to you. Importers and brokers have no way of verifying the conditions under which the puppies and their parents are housed, the health of the parents and their offspring, nor are they really interested. Their sole goal is to make money.

Puppy Mills, Pet Shops, importers and brokers are under the watchful eye of no one but themselves. Selling puppies is their business and their “Code” being solely to sell their product, sickly or otherwise. Take the time now to find the right breeder and you will be thanking yourself for the rest of your dog’s life.

A Broker or Importer imports crate loads of young puppies, usually of various different breeds, from foreign countries for the sole purpose of reselling them at a profit in the USA.

Middlemen and Pet Stores locate puppies from within the USA from breeders who are willing to sell to them for resale. Again, the sole purpose is to make a profit.

Backyard Breeders have one or two females and choose to breed them here and there to a local dog, just for fun. These people should be avoided because they have no idea about the background health of their own dog nor the male they are breeding her to -- usually a neighbor’s dog. Nor do they have dog behavior knowledge to be able to pick out a suitable puppy for your family. There is no thought that goes into the breeding process other than to produce a litter of puppies. More than likely the puppies will not have registration papers.