It is unfortunate that we have to think about such things during this time of year, but the reality is this is when the demand is at its highest. It is easy to minimize this problem as far as its complexity and scope, however, it is a bit more difficult than that. If it was as simple as cutting off the demand, convincing people to stop buying these puppies that would be great, but the hard truth is, many families have no idea that the puppy they are about to purchase came from an illegal puppy farm . This is what many smugglers are counting on; ignorance.
If you are in the market for a new puppy, awareness of this problem is certainly well known but I think consumers need to be a bit more vigilant, ask questions, and find out where the puppies came from before you buy. But again, this is not going to eliminate the risk completely. If the business selling you the puppy truly believes they got them from a reputable place then that is what they will tell their customers. Should we ban the sale of all puppies in brick and mortar type businesses, leaving local breeders to fill this consumer demand? The push back from honest retailers would be immense. Again, as stated above, this problem goes far deeper than many think. With clandestine smugglers taking advantage of the average person's inexperience and desire to make a buck many of these little furry guys will continue to be processed and delivered to unsuspecting vendors with no one the wiser.
Dwight Eisenhower once said, “What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog.” Remain alert and cautious, and let's end this “trade” one more question at a time.
Recent Articles
-
Ultrasonic Bark Control and Electric Fences Don't Mix
Dogs need consistency and repetitive training in order for them to learn new behaviors, tricks, or boundaries. Our bark control products use a simple yet effective ultrasonic sound frequency to train dogs not to bark and stop other unwanted behaviors. But what happens when similar tones are used for additional types of training – like invisible fences? Good question. We do not recommend the use of any ultrasonic bark control product in conjunction with invisible fences (especially not shock fences).Doing so will confuse the dog and cause a lot of frustration for both you and your pup. Here’s Why Electric...
-
Prevent Animal Cruelty
There are many forms of animal neglect, cruelty, and abuse, and it happens all over the world. So how do we recognize the signs of abuse, and how can we make a difference? -
OnGuard Training: 3 Steps to Success!
The OnGuard™ is designed to make training your dog easier, as well as to stop unwanted barking and bad behaviors in their tracks! It's one of our most versatile products, but still people ask what its purpose is and how they are supposed to use it effectively. -
Barking In Your Sleep?
Is your neighbor's dog keeping you up all night from their incessant barking? Or maybe it's your dog that likes to bark at night. Read these tips to help you and your pet get a better night's sleep! -
Anxious Olivia
Due to the severity of Olivia’s anxiety and fear, the volunteers were desperate to try anything that could help her…
