Many puppies sold online come from puppy mills and are commonly bred in unsanitary, overcrowded, and often cruel conditions without sufficient veterinary care, food, water, or socialization.
As part of its national "No Pet Store Puppies" campaign, the ASPCA worked with Facebook and Oodle, the company that powers Marketplace on Facebook, to restrict online classifieds listing puppy mill dogs for sale from the site. Through an ongoing removal process, ads listing puppy mill dogs have begun to come down this month. The process was designed to allow users to continue posting dogs available for a nominal adoption or rehoming fee.
"Removing an online platform for the cruel puppy mill industry sets a positive example of corporate citizenship and will help improve the lives of countless dogs," said ASPCA President and CEO Ed Sayres. "Most consumers are unaware they are perpetuating animal cruelty by purchasing a puppy online, and given the visibility of Marketplace on Facebook, this move has the potential to raise critical awareness about unscrupulous online breeders."
While facilities that breed puppies for commercial resale through pet stores are required to be licensed and inspected under the federal Animal Welfare Act, puppy mills that sell directly to consumers via the Internet are exempt from any federal oversight. Unregulated Internet breeders sell tens of thousands of puppies a year to unsuspecting consumers, and the sale of puppies online has been increasing significantly in recent years as more puppy mill investigations are brought to light. Further, the Internet Crime Complaint Center notes that hundreds of complaints are filed every year from victims who are scammed when buying a dog online.
"Consumers who purchase a puppy from a website run the risk of acquiring an unhealthy animal and often end up with expensive vet bills and broken hearts," said Cori Menkin, senior director of the ASPCA Puppy Mills Campaign. "We hope additional online retailers and classifieds will follow this example and stop providing a platform for puppy mill sales."
The ASPCA's "No Pet Store Puppies" campaign aims to reduce the demand for puppy mill puppies by urging consumers to take an online pledge not to buy any items - including food, supplies or toys - from stores or websites that sell puppies. The ASPCA encourages consumers to adopt a pet from a local shelter or rescue, or, alternatively, seek out a responsible breeder.
To learn more about the ASPCA's campaign to eradicate puppy mills, please visit www.NoPetStorePuppies.com.
Wow, this is great news! I think there is more public awareness now of the horrors of puppy mills. Let's hope more and more people get the message and rescue a homeless dog or find a responsible breeder.
ReplyDeleteThis is great news and a giant step in the right direction! Everyone is spreading the word and educating people about puppymills and unethical breeders on the internet! With so many thousands of dogs and cats who are in shelters all over the USA waiting for a forever home, why would anyone seek out a breeder on the internet? Do you want a puppy?Puppies are the main reason people seek out breeders, however you can find puppies as young as 5 weeks old at the shelters! You want a purebred? You want a designer dog like a puggle or Labrodoodle or teacup Chihuahua? No need to find a breeder I have seen pages and pages of pups, purebreds and designer dogs on the internet! The same goes with cats /kittens of all breeds! A person can even adopt a pet from out of state! There are also volunteers who travel the country bringing adopted pets to their furever home! There is absolutely no reason to buy your next pet anywhere but a rescue shelter! A shelter is going to be much less expensive than a private breeder, also you can feel confident your pet as been checked over by a vet, received all required shots, will be checked for parvo, parasites, hip dysplaisa. They will be microchiped and depending on the age of dig/cat they will be spayed! The health checkup and shots etc., will be included in the ADOPTION fee. When you adopt you also get the satisfaction of knowing you have saved the life of an animal and giving a neglected, abused dog another chance for a good, happy, secure life! Or you are giving an elderly dog a few quality years before they pass on. Your shelter pet will realize they have been given a chance to be loved and happy! Ask anyone who has adopted a shelter pet! They will tell you it was the best pet they ever had! I can't think of one good reason to go to a breeder, can you? There are very good breeders out there that have stopped breeding altogether because the shelters are becoming more and more crowded with animals that were abandoned and left at their home while the family moved away, strays, abused dogs /cats/puppies/kittens! The breeders with integrity and morals have stopped breeding. Anyone who is breeding and not just puppymills, but any breeder who is breeding now is only in this for the money. Why would anyone breed when 38 dogs and pups are being put down every minute? Yes, 38 dogs every minute are killed! 9 million a year worldwide! No one should breed! Everyone needs to get their pet spayed. The only place you need to look for your next family member is your local shelter! Nothing else makes sense! Save a life! Adopt!
ReplyDeleteI stated there are puppies, purebreds on the internet. I am referring to RESCUE shelter Web sites! Sorry for any confusion! :)
ReplyDeleteThis makes me happy! I am so sick of all the "dog classifieds" popping up everywhere where everyone tries to sell their ridiculously priced mutt dogs. Thank goodness things seem to be moving away from that!
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