Petland

[MaddieBoo]

I have read so many threads and articles in the past about Petland and their horrid care for their animals, as well as their use of puppy mills for their dogs.
I have become somewhat of a "preacher" to people I talk to regarding Petland and spread the word as best I can. The horror stories I hear make me sick and cause me to lose faith in the human race (why I love Lucas so much ).
Sometimes, I do feel like I'm getting through to people and they understand, but sometimes I get the response "Well ya, but that's in the States mostly. It isn't as bad in Canada. They don't do that here"
This led me to my question. Are Petland's practises the same here in Canada as in the States? I haven't been able to find much information on Canadian Petland's issues.
Anyone have any idea if it's any better here? Or just the same?

PS. Regardless, I do not support/shop at any store which sells live animals. Was just very curious as to whather there are any differences.

[LilMissy]

We briefly discussed this here almost a year ago. Here's the link if you want to read it

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...tland-usa.html

[ellabee]

Hi fellow Canuck - MaddieBoo,

I'm in Canada too and wondered where the petland pets originate from - but the reason I am posting is because of your name!

My two kitties are Maddie and Boo and I had to say great name pick!!

[MaddieBoo]

Originally Posted by ellabee

Hi fellow Canuck - MaddieBoo,

I'm in Canada too and wondered where the petland pets originate from - but the reason I am posting is because of your name!

My two kitties are Maddie and Boo and I had to say great name pick!!

Oh that's just too weird! My name is Maddie and my dad's nickname for me was always "Boo". Hence, MaddieBoo. How funny. There really are a lot of pets named Maddie, too.

[MaddieBoo]

Originally Posted by LilMissy

We briefly discussed this here almost a year ago. Here's the link if you want to read it

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...tland-usa.html

Thanks, Shauna. I didn't know breeders could be suspended from CKC if they sold to pet stores. Does Canada have the same problem as the US with puppy mills? Are there as many here?

PS Missy is getting even cuter! And little Dora is juat a doll-face.

[LilMissy]

Thanks so much for complimenting my girls!

Although alot of people don't want to see it, we have the same problems with puppymill and brokers here in Canada as the U.S. has. My pug dog was purchased from the Pet Habitat at Brentwood Mall in Burnaby, BC (charged with animal cruelty). It ends up that she was shipped there from Hunte Corporation, the largest puppy broker in the states. If you google Hunte Corporation, you will see how horrible it is. Hunte Corporation is also known to sell to PJ Pets in Toronto as well as the Petland's throughout Canada. So I'm not sure what the exact percentage of our petstore puppies are that come from Canadian puppy mills, or come from brokers in another country, but they most certainly aren't coming from reputable breeders.

I'm glad that you don't shop at stores that sell live animals. I don't either

[anko]

CBC had a documentary about Pet Stores in Canada. You can watch it online here:

How Not to Buy a Puppy | CBC News: Marketplace

It is very insightful, so please watch this!



Also on their website they published more info:

"The Hunte Corporation buys and sells up to 90,000 puppies a year. Dogs are purchased from breeders throughout the U.S. and brought to its 10,000 square facility in Missouri. Once there, the puppies are vaccinated, examined by vets, prepared for sale, and then trucked out to pet stores across the U.S. and Canada" (CBC)

You can read the whole article here: The Pet Store Supply Chain | CBC News: Marketplace


Hope this helps!

[LilMissy]

Originally Posted by anko

CBC had a documentary about Pet Stores in Canada. You can watch it online here:

How Not to Buy a Puppy | CBC News: Marketplace

It is very insightful, so please watch this!



Also on their website they published more info:

"The Hunte Corporation buys and sells up to 90,000 puppies a year. Dogs are purchased from breeders throughout the U.S. and brought to its 10,000 square facility in Missouri. Once there, the puppies are vaccinated, examined by vets, prepared for sale, and then trucked out to pet stores across the U.S. and Canada" (CBC)

You can read the whole article here: The Pet Store Supply Chain | CBC News: Marketplace


Hope this helps!

The Pet Habitat that is shown in that video is the one that I mentioned above where our pug dog Tang was purchased at

[LilMissy]

Here is a post that I made on YT awhile ago telling my experience with owning our petstore pug. I know that I sound like a broken record, going on and on about this, but it is upsetting to me that some people still think it's ok to buy a pet from a petstore here in Canada. I have also found that alot of people think "that only happens in the states". I figure the more we talk about this and educate people, the better.

Seven years ago, my husband and I were wandering through the mall and browsing the puppies in a pet store with no intent to buy. We saw the cutest little pug dog, she was $1400. We weren't looking for a pet, so we carried on. A month later, we were wandering through the same mall, and saw that she was still there. Noone was buying her! We went over to the cage to talk to her. She listened intently and responded by tilting her head back and forth. We felt sooooooo sorry for her. She was so small that her little feet fell through the grates in the bottom of the cage, so she couldn't move around. The pet store owner had her in the bottom row of cages, she was shivering like mad. Even I could feel how cold it was in there. No toy...no blanket. I approached the manager and pointed out that she was cold. He said, "Oh they all do that, she's fine". It broke our hearts, so we bought her. She's always been timid and afraid of everything, which was my first hint that she came from an unkind place.

Soon after getting her, we discovered she has a partially collapsed trachea. We have learned to live with that and help her the best we can.

She also started to develop Hip Dysplasia just after her first year of life. It was mild enough that she was still able to go for short walks of 15 mins at a time.

Last year, at 6 yrs of age, Tang had to have 12 teeth extracted despite my efforts of brushing her teeth 2-3 times per week, and using an Oral Cleansing Gel recommended by my vet. The vet said her teeth were bad due to poor genetics. She has always been fed dry dog food.

Fast forward to today, my poor little pug dog has a genetic disorder called Spondylosis. It is to the point now where she can hardly move. Her back legs have almost no mobility, she can't run or jump or play. When she stands her back is sloped like a slide, soon I am afraid she will just be dragging her back end along. She has developed incontinence and literally does not feel when she has to pee or poop. It just falls out. She is on medication for pain and inflammation, in hopes that it will help. It isn't doing anything. I worry that she won't even make it to Christmas.

THIS my friends, is why you don't buy from a pet store. Yes, I'm happy we bought her. We gave her 7 wonderful years of life, but this is SO unfair to her. She has lived half of her life expectancy. She is a wonderful, well behaved, loving pet...and she deserved so much more.

I am so sad and angry.

I wish that I knew then, what I know now. I will NEVER spend $ in a pet store that sells puppies again. I won't even step foot in one.

Thank you for listening. I just had to share with other dog lovers like me. People, that I know will understand how I feel.

[MaddieBoo]

Originally Posted by LilMissy

Here is a post that I made on YT awhile ago telling my experience with owning our petstore pug. I know that I sound like a broken record, going on and on about this, but it is upsetting to me that some people still think it's ok to buy a pet from a petstore here in Canada. I have also found that alot of people think "that only happens in the states". I figure the more we talk about this and educate people, the better.

Seven years ago, my husband and I were wandering through the mall and browsing the puppies in a pet store with no intent to buy. We saw the cutest little pug dog, she was $1400. We weren't looking for a pet, so we carried on. A month later, we were wandering through the same mall, and saw that she was still there. Noone was buying her! We went over to the cage to talk to her. She listened intently and responded by tilting her head back and forth. We felt sooooooo sorry for her. She was so small that her little feet fell through the grates in the bottom of the cage, so she couldn't move around. The pet store owner had her in the bottom row of cages, she was shivering like mad. Even I could feel how cold it was in there. No toy...no blanket. I approached the manager and pointed out that she was cold. He said, "Oh they all do that, she's fine". It broke our hearts, so we bought her. She's always been timid and afraid of everything, which was my first hint that she came from an unkind place.

Soon after getting her, we discovered she has a partially collapsed trachea. We have learned to live with that and help her the best we can.

She also started to develop Hip Dysplasia just after her first year of life. It was mild enough that she was still able to go for short walks of 15 mins at a time.

Last year, at 6 yrs of age, Tang had to have 12 teeth extracted despite my efforts of brushing her teeth 2-3 times per week, and using an Oral Cleansing Gel recommended by my vet. The vet said her teeth were bad due to poor genetics. She has always been fed dry dog food.

Fast forward to today, my poor little pug dog has a genetic disorder called Spondylosis. It is to the point now where she can hardly move. Her back legs have almost no mobility, she can't run or jump or play. When she stands her back is sloped like a slide, soon I am afraid she will just be dragging her back end along. She has developed incontinence and literally does not feel when she has to pee or poop. It just falls out. She is on medication for pain and inflammation, in hopes that it will help. It isn't doing anything. I worry that she won't even make it to Christmas.

THIS my friends, is why you don't buy from a pet store. Yes, I'm happy we bought her. We gave her 7 wonderful years of life, but this is SO unfair to her. She has lived half of her life expectancy. She is a wonderful, well behaved, loving pet...and she deserved so much more.

I am so sad and angry.

I wish that I knew then, what I know now. I will NEVER spend $ in a pet store that sells puppies again. I won't even step foot in one.

Thank you for listening. I just had to share with other dog lovers like me. People, that I know will understand how I feel.

That is so heartbreaking. And it is true, people here don't seem to know what's going on in their own "backyard". It's so easy to say "Well that just happens in the States". Now I feel even more confident with the information I have to tell people just how horrific puppy mills are, and that they're closer to home than we think.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. How is your little pug now?

[LilMissy]

Originally Posted by MaddieBoo

That is so heartbreaking. And it is true, people here don't seem to know what's going on in their own "backyard". It's so easy to say "Well that just happens in the States". Now I feel even more confident with the information I have to tell people just how horrific puppy mills are, and that they're closer to home than we think.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. How is your little pug now?

Thanks for asking how Tang is doing. She isn't doing very well. This disorder doesn't get any better, it just gradually gets worse. She is to the point now where she can scuffle around a little bit, but I mostly have to pick her up and carry her to where she needs to go. She will still stand at her food bowl (pug dogs love their food) but besides that she spends her life laying on soft cushions. When I take her outside for a pee break, I have to support her backend with a towel looped under her waist because she can't crouch and balance to pee. Even with the towel, it is hard for her, she usually has to make 3-4 attempts before she's done her full pee. Besides her lack of mobility though, she does seem still content and somewhat happy. She enjoys being around Missy and Dora, and my children. She will actually play with the yorkies but in a laying down position. Until she seems to really have really no quality of life at all, we will continue to help and support her.

[SophieKatesMom]

Thank you for sharing Tangs story, I admire you for taking her in and making her life as good as her health permits. I will keep Tang in my prayers nightly and thank goodness she has you and your family.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by LilMissy

Thanks for asking how Tang is doing. She isn't doing very well. This disorder doesn't get any better, it just gradually gets worse. She is to the point now where she can scuffle around a little bit, but I mostly have to pick her up and carry her to where she needs to go. She will still stand at her food bowl (pug dogs love their food) but besides that she spends her life laying on soft cushions. When I take her outside for a pee break, I have to support her backend with a towel looped under her waist because she can't crouch and balance to pee. Even with the towel, it is hard for her, she usually has to make 3-4 attempts before she's done her full pee. Besides her lack of mobility though, she does seem still content and somewhat happy. She enjoys being around Missy and Dora, and my children. She will actually play with the yorkies but in a laying down position. Until she seems to really have really no quality of life at all, we will continue to help and support her.

This is so sad. I don't even know what to say.