petstorehorror1

Pet Shop Puppies

If you purchased a pet store puppy and have a story to tell

please send it to us for publication with a photo if possible

to: I have a pet shop horror story for you

I just went to the mall to get my engagement ring cleaned and I wanted to go home right away. My fiancé wanted to walk around the mall and of course I had to walk into the GENTLE JUNGLE in the Waterbury mall in CT. I looked at the puppies and my heart sunk for one adorable puppy. He was a black and white Papillion, and I saw that his price tag was slashed $400 of the price. To good to be true? YES! Of course I had to take him out and play with him with no intentions of buying. I ended up falling in love with the little man and I wanted to take him home. I first asked the manager to wash him since he smelt of fecal matter and didn’t look well. She said no, that the dog would go into shock so she’d throw in the shampoo for “free.” She charged me for the shampoo which was so over price as well as the puppy. I brought him home, and he freaked out when he saw grass and was scared of the deck. It took about two weeks for him to walk up the steps on the deck. Everyone thought I was nuts for getting him VPI insurance. I’m so glad that I listened to my instincts. He seemed like a happy go lucky puppy. We moved about 1 month after we purchased the dog from the horrible pet store. One night around 8pm Diesel went into a seizure. Luckily the seizure didn’t last long and after 2 hrs he was fine like it never happened. I called the vet Dr. Ross, that helped the pet store thinking since Dr. Ross has seen Diesel he knows him right? Completely wrong. I left a message with the answering service and they opened the doors at 8 AM, they didn’t call me until 10AM! They proceeded to tell me it was probably an isolated indecent from the stress of moving. The only stress that the dog had was driving in the car and I slept with both the dogs the night we first stayed at our new place. He had the seizure a week after we moved! I thought that Dr Ross was right and didn’t take him to the vet. A month later he had another seizure and that’s when I freaked out! I called Dr. Davis Animal Companion, never even gone there and it was after hours. I left a message with the answering service and within three minutes Dr. Davis called me back while he was out to dinner. He told me to watch him very carefully and if he didn’t have another seizure than he should be ok. He pulled out of it thank god! Dr. Davis Animal Companion called in before 8 AM the next morning to see how he’s doing and to get him in for blood work and testing. The blood work came the next day and he seemed fine. He didn’t want to put him on any mediation since he wasn’t having them close to each other. The next week Diesel went into multiple seizures, (7 in 2 hrs, 1 in the car on the way there and 1 in my arms in the waiting room at the ER.) I called the vet, he called the Emergency Animal Clinic in Danbury and I was sent there on Seizure watch. Diesels future didn’t look good at all, the vet actually thought he could die and I was so attached to my little man that I went into hysterics. The ER staff was so kind and they let me call at all hours of the night to see how my baby was doing. He came out of it! His tail was going 100mph and he was eating! I still couldn’t sleep at all and I had to pick him up from the vet at 6 AM since I had to be at work for 7AM. I brought him to work with me and then when his office opened I called over there and they said bring him right away and he could stay for the day if I’d like. I thought that was the best bet and I dropped him off. The staff is so kind to him they carried him around all day, fed, played and walked him. They did more blood work and took the catheter out of his leg from the emergency animal clinic so they could administer emergency medicine when he went into seizures. They called me the next day for his results and it turned out to be epilepsy. He is now on medicine 2x daily 12 hours apart. The pet store knew damn well that they sold me a very sick dog. I still have yet to contact them. I’m working on a case since I am going to school for paralegal. I will close down the store and make the owner who lives in a mansion in Middlebury miserable and wish he never screwed people. I did talk a woman out of a sale on Sunday there when I went to see the poor dogs. I really want to buy all the animals there and give them good homes and take care of them before they die. I do know that the pet store is going to be very upset when they get the bill of $600 in 2 days. Lesson learned: Don’t get a dog from a pet store. If you do make sure they have pet insurance, it will help out in the long run. Jessica Crisci

I saw the stories on your site and though don't now if your taking more I do have one for you.

I had not long since started working in a typical mall pet store. I worked kennel care, you know cleaning, bathing, feeding, even medicating was up to me and the other kennel attendants.
Well when I first started I noticed the place wasn't as clean as it should be, SURE the front kennels, those that the public could see were clean enough, not perfect but enough to keep the public happy, however the back kennels, those for the sick and recovering pups were the old style metal ones, and not only were they unclean and very difficult to clean, but were rusty and a breeding ground for all the germs we were trying to be rid of.

The first few weeks were fine, I kind of figured since I was working there, at least I knew these animals were getting the BEST care I could give.
But the puppies in the back weren't getting better as quickly as they should, coughs persisted and runny eyes and roses were a constant. Many of the puppies up front were just milder cases of those in the back in 'quarantine'.

Vie seen the invoices from the 'broker' and looked at mark up prices...a $150 beagle puppy now for sale at $998. the pups coming in obviously sick. and those that were too sick to sell had a 'rejected' sign attached and sent back to the 'breeder'.

now my family used to breed, and I don't know a single respected or repeatable breeder that would sell their puppies to a pet store.

but after a few weeks things seemed to get progressively worse, all staff was told to do whatever they could to sell those dogs, tell the customer 'its from a breeder' 'would you like to see the pedigree?' and told firmly, NEVER quote the price until you have them holding the puppy!
I was curious and took a look at these pedigrees, none were akc, and after research I found out that ckc and other such clubs would register just about anything so long as it was a dog. and those 'pedigrees' were the puppies name and the kennel name, nothing about the pups parents.

I can personally say I saw many a sales associate drop a wriggling puppy, or watch as one of the smaller pups got stepped on or dropped.

but the worst started coming fast as the weeks followed,
first was a tiny Pomeranian, I fell in love and named him killer, I wanted him more than anything. he was in back with the other 4 dogs that came in with him, all had a persistent cough, were malnourished and had other various medical problems.
soon enough little killer had a reject sigh on his rusty kennel and the store was in a bind with the 'breeder' who wouldn't take the dog back.
So he stayed in back with a now discovered knee problem and the same cough it had had for about a month now.

I saw that puppies papers, they had one vet look at the puppy, a vet well known for NOT liking pet stores, he rated with a 4-5 luxating patella, so they tried a different vet, and suddenly the knee problem was none existent at most a possible 1...
The puppies cough died down and he was put on the sales floor to find a home, once there the cough started again but someone did buy the little pup, a week later they came back, diagnosed with a lever 5 floating patella, kennel cough and possible slight case of pneumonia.

But the store insisted that they would have the vet look at him on them and, of course the stores vet again found no knee problem and told the unwitting family that poms have very common trachea problems and the cough was stress induced.
The family came in 2 weeks later with the body of a dead killer, left untreated the pneumonia had gotten worse and killed the little puppy.

the other case was even worse and hit me harder than my lil killer.

we got a "Tiny Teacup Chihuahua" this little dog was smaller than the kitten I found at 4weeks old.

I fell in love again, the curse of being an animal lover, and I nicknamed her munchkin. After 4 days her eyes got watery, she didn't eat much, even for her size she ate very little, her nose started runny and though she could stand she was wobbly and couldn't walk properly.
She spent 1 week in back before the store vet even looked at her, they said it was just a cold and gave her some antibiotics to rid her of anything. after another week no improvement, she slept all the time, wouldn't play and just wanted to be healed. the vet told us she was stressed and needed to be in a warm home environment for a while.
So we went through the list, no one would take her, it would mean syringe feeding her water every couple of hours, meds and constant care, no one wanted to invest the time.
She already had a 'possible reject sigh' but again the 'breeder' wouldn't take the little girl back.

So the store assistant manager was trying to get the main bosses to let me adopt her for a small fee ($100)

now I am very familiar with the breed and noticed that munchkin as I nicknamed her had multiple large soft spots, when id brought this up with our store vet, they treated me like I didn't have any clue and said all this pup had was a cold.

She was the sweetest little dog ever, but wasn't getting better...took her back to the store so the vet could check her over, the meds weren't working and she wasn't doing well. all she did was sleep, no interest in playing. the vet said that she was getting better but was probably getting used to the calvados as shed been on it so long, so they changed her meds, 2 days later she passed away on her way to the vets.

that morning I had woken and she was cold, coughing and blowing bubbles, the night before she had perked up and gained a little energy, but now she was almost ridged and very cold and blue, bubbles from her nose and a gagging sound, she sounded like she was drowning.
I called the store vets office and explained to the receptionist, I told her flat out "she's dying!" and was told, oh well were not open till midday, if she dies before then just wrap the body up and bring it by when we open so we can store it in our freezer for your managers.

I was discussed and upset, she was going to be mine and she was quickly slipping away.
so I called the emergency clinic, they were closed but the number of another vet was left for any emergencies, so I called that number, they told me to bring her in.
I rushed there as fast as I could but she died before I could get her there.
in tears I tried to explain where she was from and what had happened, and they took the body in back, I said it was my fault but to assure me they told me to wait, after listening to the story they had taken some x-rays, and blood tests, the x-rays showed that her lungs were completely filled with fluid, and blood tests revealed Parvo, distemper and kennel cough!. The vet told me she should have been in intensive care as soon as she started coughing, a human couldn't survive that let alone a tiny puppy, she was under 1/2 lb. they were annoyed at both the store and store vet, and actually paid a visit, I am told that day the place was a mess, I hadn't been in in about a week and a half. the vet was annoyed at the number of sick puppies on the sales floor, let alone how terrible the back conditions were.

I went back into work 2 days later to be told I was on probation because the puppy wouldn't have died if I had been doing my job and looking after her, and if I wasn't caring for her then obviously I wasn't caring for the store pups either.

I know for certain the pups were getting their meds only when I was there the morning woman didn't speak any English, couldn't understand the instructions to give the medications and didn't know how or like giving them so she refused to do it and if she didn't they didn't get done in the morning...

And yet I am the one being told that I am not doing my job.
I told them not to expect me back to work, id be there to pick up my check and that's all.
Then the cheek to ask me why I was leaving. I explained as best as I could through clenched fists, I thought I could help the pups but knowing im not doing that means its not worth while.

How could I work for a place knowing that the VET didn't even care for the puppies properly.

These pups are considered lower class citizens and not worth the extra time, especially since the stores only paid for basics in care.

luckily about a week later I got a call and now am working at the clinic that tried to save the puppy,

I beg you all, don't suppose these pet stores, as much as it seems like your helping the dogs buy 'rescuing one' for every one you rescue the store owner are ready to replace it with another 3.

also Be VERY wary of the vets you use, apparently as I came to find, some just don't care as much as they should.

I warn my friends not to use the clinic that turned the puppy away without a care.

please be very aware of these things!

A warning from an ex pet store employee!

My name is Nicole I saw your show on Animal Planet and read your web site. I could not sleep thinking about the things that I knew and would like to share some of that information with you.

I feel that the public should know this information. This information is factual. I worked at a pet store for a little over a year. I believe everyone should know what these poor little guys go through and how exactly the pet stores get them.

The purchase of the puppies:

The pet store gets a fax with a list of puppies from what is called a “broker” this is a company that gets the puppies from the breeders. The puppies are taken to what they sometime call holding kennels. This is the place where the puppies are held till someone wants them. (Again back into kennels). The brokers that we worked with told the pet stores that all the puppies are looked at by a vet and come from Registered Breeders and will some times come with pedigree papers. But as you will learn that isn’t always what we got. The list is all the breeds that they currently have and the prices that they want for them. Prices rang from $250.00 to $ 750.00 depending on breed and age. The pet store then picks the puppies that they want. Then sell them for up to 5x them price they paid for them. The puppies are then shipped on an 18 wheeler (usually) to the pet store. Meaning those babies just went from the Puppy Mill to, holding kennels to even smaller kennels on a truck for days, to the pet store where they are again in small kennels.

When we relieved the puppies off the truck a lot of the time they were smelly and dirty. The truck driver would bring out the puppies one at a time so that we could look at the puppy and see if we would “accept” it. Meaning it was it wasn’t sickly. Some of the puppies would have drainage from the eyes and noise, they would have hernia’s that weren’t repaired, kennel cough, and sometime open sores. That was just thing things that we could see or hear.

We would then take the puppies in the pet store and give them a bath and make them presentable and wait till the next day for the vet to come out and see them. A lot of the puppies had some kind of problem. (flea, knee problems (sm. breeds), Hernia that we couldn’t see, colds, eye infections, cherry eye, sores from being kept in small kennels too long and not let out to walk around, (lg breeds), Parvo, distemper, growth plate damage, under development. I could go on and on. We had dogs die from problems that were cause because of the condition that they live in before they came to the pet store. Several of the sm. breed puppies wouldn’t eat and would go Hypoglycemic (which is when the blood sugar gets too low from not eating (just like a diabetic), some would seize and or die. Puppies also will get ring worm from the stress and inhuman condition that they came from. Then they would stay in the “isolation” room along with any other puppies that could not be showed because they are too sick to sell. But yet these puppies were seen by a vet before they come to the pet store.

Many pet stores say that they “guarantee” that they do not sell from puppy mill, but unless they are going to the breeder and see both parents of the puppy and the home that they are coming from there is NO guarantee! Even if they say that buy from Local breeders. I do not know of any pet store owner that checks every location for quality care and breeding. They also, say that they only sell Register puppies, but what the public doesn’t know is that there are different Registries that have different standers then AKC or some other Registries for the breeders. There are Registries that are now registering mix breeds as pure breeds. I have looked at many of the pedigrees that came with some of the puppies and found a lot of them have been inbreed some where down the line. I have noticed that a lot of the time (not all the time) you can tell a Pet Store dog vs. a breeder dog. The store dog can be under developed, too big for the breed; the hair isn’t as full or healthy and well the health alone is worse.

Pet Store will also; tell you that they guarantee the health for up to2 yrs. The catch on that is that the “Guarantee” is for hereditary problems. Most of these hereditary problems aren’t the main problem that you will have. You will find out that your new puppy (family member) is sick or has to have surgery on some that the “guarantee” will not cover it. For instant Lg. breed dogs usually can’t be diagnoses with Hip dysphasia till 2ys of age or more unless it is sever case. They will also, tell you that in sm. Breeds (yes common) the knees slipping out of place is common and as long as this is Only a level 1 the puppy will be fine. This is not true. A sm. Breed that’s knees slip out needs to be very careful with heights, and being drop or ruff housed with, and as the puppy gets older and heavier the puppy may need surgery.

The pet store will try to sell you the puppies buy tell you that the price that you are paying for this puppy will be the same amount that you will pay even if you go to a breeder. Because they will some times offer this: One free vet visit (with their vet only), the first set of shots & worming, and a free bag of dog food and some may offer you a discount on spay and neuter (again if you go to their vet)

But please please trust me you will pay a lot more in the long run and so may your puppy.

I still call it "Pet Hell!"

About 3 months ago I had talked my parents into getting a small "Animal Sheltered" dog.

We looked EVERYWHERE! the reason that we needed to get a SMALL dog is because my father has extremely bad Asthma. So we needed this specific type of dog, and that was a Yorkshire Terrier. We continued our day looking for this dog, we couldn't find 1 anywhere! We went to a "pet shop" as they call it...I still call it "Pet Hell!" We went way way up north and looked at these poor dogs! I was actually crying in the store! I looked at these dogs and you could see the sorrow in their small eyes, you would think its impossible seeing anything in their eyes because of how red and blurry they were. It looked as if these dogs weren't ALIVE! That is how wiped out they were. We immediately left in attempt to go and see if the other "Pet Hell" was the same.
THE NEXT PET HELL!

I looked at these dogs that looked like they were hamsters! The Miniature Pinscher started to have extremely bad diarrhea, The Maltese had REALLY REALLY REALLY runny eyes, the little Yorkshire Terrier wisent even as big as the average 14 year olds foot. the only healthy "LOOKING" dogs there were the Boston Terriers. We scooped up the Yorkie and brought it home. now being 4 months old or so we will bring him outside on his leash and he will start to choke because his throat is so damaged by being in that place for so long. He is also Hypoglycemic. HE LOVES US and we really love him and we are looking forward to giving him the life he deserves. :-)
Nca11@aol.org

Dear Backyard Breeder - a letter to you from a rescue worker.

Disturbing Petz Unlimited Puppy

I volunteer for a local shelter and I just need to vent for a second
about an awful situation that just happened. A guy just brought in a 6
month old Border Collie that he purchased from Petz Unlimited in
Mechanicsburg, PA 2 days ago!!! That poor soul spent his entire 6
months in a cage and boy does it show. Apparently, he won't let anybody
touch him and cowers at any attempt of human contact. He is so messed
up in the head all because of these puppymill freaks! I think this guy
bought him out of feeling bad for him. Apparently, the store wanted
$600 for this little guy and the man talked them down to $300. I just
don't understand and cannot comprehend how this sort of thing goes
unpunished. The shelter is now trying to get in contact with a very
nice Border Collie rescue in New York to take him in and rehabilitate
him. Hopefully, his puppymill and pet store memories will fade away. I
plan to get a picture of him tonight. I can email it to the group. I
am shaking just thinking of meeting this little guy tonight. I just
don't know what to do... I feel like storming into that store and
ripping somebody a new one!!!

Michele

Hi Jean. I attached a photo of the little guy. Is this what a happy
little 6 month old puppy should look like? NO WAY! He was scared to death.
He is an absolutely gorgeous dog but quivers at your touch. Thank goodness
a very nice rescue is coming to get him into a foster home tomorrow. It's
just a shame that he sat in that store for so long. At least he is safe now
and will be loved. I am looking into doing a protest in front of this store
in the near future. I already contacted PETA who has a complete package of
materials for that sort of thing, flyers, posters, etc., to hand out all
about puppymills. They are going to send it to me. They also emailed me a
list of activists in the area that can help me. Thanks for caring.

Michele

I will share a story about our fourth furkid, Ringo Star.

Our family had learned all about Love when we found Nana, our Gentle Giant.

We bought her from a private first time breeder, after looking into the Rottweiler breed, we visited a lot of private breeders and we did not find the pup to steal our hearts. We liked them all, but that special bond was not there. One day we visited this last home, as my son crawled over the mom and the pups, we locked eyes with our precious Nana, she chose Us! We thought we chose her, but the reality is that she told us it was love, the rest of the story is that we had 11 years of her love and devotion... When Nana was 5 years old, we returned from a tour in Puerto Rico, my native birthplace. She enjoyed the beach life, having other dogs visiting us and family. We returned to Panama City Florida, she became lonely, as she had my best friends dogs in PR, my brothers, my mothers and other neighborhood dogs. We then looked for a private breeder because we had met the mini schnauzer breed and it seem the perfect companion for our Nana. We made sure that Nana approved of the new pup. It was love again, all over again... She loved and nurtured that puppy, today 6 years old, our Rosie. After we moved here to the DC area, we knew our home needed another fur baby. I started looking for a private breeder and was so horrified to talk to this mini schnauzer breeder who told me that they sacrificed the white puppies, as they were an imperfection on the breed. I could not believe my ears! I started posting on this message board and asking why would anyone do that to such innocent creatures. My first angel knocked at my door it was an e mail from Gail who ended sending me Elmo while she was still pregnant with the twins). She told me about those breeders and asked me to check the PMR website. I did and I had never heard anything like it. I cried and was so disturbed by all the pictures of puppy mills and reading about all the conditions that the fur kids lived in were haunting me. As I started looking for information and viewing pictures, I saw two white mini schnauzers for adoption, I could not believe my eyes. Days ago a breeder who is AKC recognized told me that the poor minis who were born with that defect were murdered, now I see that someone had the heart to love them just like the perfect ones!!! I saw then two pictures, Teddy and Elmo, I pressed the Adopt me on the most fragile looking one, he chose me, again I felt that, even through the computer!!!! We got him home and our family felt so complete. Nana, Rosie and now PMR Elmo... Then, a couple months later, a friend called me from a pet store where she worked, (we met while I was at the store where I had been talking about PMR rescue) , I used to go and check on the dogs and how sad I was over all of those sad , scared and confused faces at the pet store. I used to tell possible clients that the poor scared faces had come from horrible places, I told them about the pain and unjust life of our PMR's. This lady that worked there and I became close, she was really trying to take good care of the puppies, she owned 3 dogs at home and totally adored dogs. She called me scared for the life of one of the puppies at the store. He had come into the store at barely 8 weeks, immediately after he had contracted ring worm. The pet store owner had been paying for the treatment of the pup, but now the hair was still showing that he had been sick, even thou the dog was at first $800 (as "white schnauzer's were very special one of a kind
' / after the AKC breeder told me they were impurities and needed to be sacrificed) now the $300 was not appealing to anyone as he showed a spot in the fur where he had the ring worm. The worker told me the owner of the store was furious because he spent all that money on the pup, so he was going to put him to sleep!!!! She pleaded to me, asked me to take him and find a home. Our home was complete with Nana and her two babies, Rosie and PMR Elmo. But I was not going to let a store owner kill that poor little soul. He was WILD, three months in a cage on the back of the store were horrible for him. He really was wild. I saw him and I felt it was so sad to let him die, so I set the trap for my husband. I asked him to go check on him that same day, as the pup was been put to sleep the next day. He went to see him and called me, I told him it was so sad that little boy was going to die. I asked him if we could foster him, he confesses now it was also love on first sight, he brough Ringo Star named by the pet store worker because of the ring worm). We immediately found him a home, we called the family back and told them we decided to keep the pup. Their dog was run over by a car, so I felt they were not very careful, and they had 4 little boys. Ringo needed a safe home. Little did we know that our family was not complete yet, now furkid number four made it equal one human per dog. So I belonged to Nana, My husband belonged to Ringo, my daughter belonged to Rosie, my son and I belonged to Elmo. They chose us. We have been so lucky.
I never went back to the pet store, afraid that the owner would find out that Ringo turned out to be a million dollar dog/ that is what his fur looks like! ha ha He lost, his money on the purchase of a PM dog, that made a miller even richer, Ringo won. I could only save one of the pet store pups, but hopefully my talks about PMR to others will save a lot more. And that is the story of our pet store dog and our other 12 paws...
Kathy/Nana ~The Gentle Giant/Rosie/Elmo/Ringo

Two years ago this week my heart was broken ...

Buddy, my little doxie puppy purchased from PetLand, died from PARVO.
If his story can help others, please feel free to use it.
Ann Davies

He Waited … for me.

As I listened to the Emergency (ER) Vet talk about his positive progress -- how my Buddy had barked when he got sugar and how his vomiting had stopped -- I had my eyes "glued" on the doorway where he would soon be coming through. He and I had been on a medical emergency roller coaster for the past 79 hours and separation was not welcomed by either of us. After what seemed an eternity, here came a teeny tiny dog all bundled up through the doorway. Sure enough, it was my Buddy!

His eyes were glued on me as they handed him over to me. So small … only 4 ½ pounds eight days ago when I first picked him up. But now, the Parvovirus disease had done its damage and he was just a ghost of his initial fighting weight. Yet, his head was held high, halo around it, and he made constant eye contact with me … his person. Underneath his blanket one could "see" his tail wagging at the sight of his love. He knew he was loved and knew I had come to comfort and protect him.

In my arms he wiggled a bit, got all-comfy, and just closed his tiny dark eyes trying to relax. Underneath the surgical halo were tubes and bandages and all the science means necessary to keep him in his battle with this terrible parvovirus.

Our drive to the "home" Vet was a straight shot down the highway, filled with so many stoplights and morning "go-to-work" traffic. I bet we hit every stoplight possible! With every mile I would look down at him, watch him watching me and slowly pet him with my free hand. Buddy still lay quietly in my arms, fidgeting a bit here and there, but overall, he just seemed to have "relaxed" into my grasp.

His breathing became less and less detectible as we drove down our highway stretch. I looked at him --his eyes slowly opening and then shutting making eye contact with me as best he could --and I knew he was so very weak. Seemed as if every mile brought on more and more weakness.

Finally, we arrived at our Vet's … Buddy and I went to the back door as we both knew our Parvo would not be allowed, nor welcomed, through the main doors. No one else should ever have to fight this battle and neither one of us wanted to infect others with such pain and stress. After Buddy's IV was in place, I gently placed him into his cage atop a fresh blue soft towel. It was then I noticed his decline.

Buddy seemed to have just "collapsed" onto the blanket. He tried to move his tiny head towards me, but he was too weak. I gently moved closer towards his head with both my hands and turned his head slightly so we could be eye to eye. It was a long moment, one that time could not measure. My eyes set on him. His eyes set on me. Our eyes speaking the words that dog and master could only share. He grasped for air a few times and then slipped quietly away.

At first I wasn't sure he had gone … I mean after all, the ER Vet was so positive on his status. Buddy had passed the 72-hour mark and it looked like his body was finally responding to all the meds and treatments he'd received. So many doctors had shared in his battle. So many prayers had been sent in his name. But now, as I looked down at his small lifeless frame, his eyes told me he was gone. His eyes were open with no "life" to them. No sparkle. No recognition of my face nor his surroundings. As I touched his underbelly to see if I could "feel" any pulse or see any movement of breathing, I was answered with silence. My Buddy was dead.

All the tears, all the emotions I had tried so hard to keep at bay for the past 79 hours plus, just would not stop. I cried and I hurt. I hurt for him. I hurt for me. I hurt for all the adventures we would never share. I hurt for the years we never would see together. I hurt for me because I knew that Buddy was such a special little dog. So very special … he had "chosen" me for his person. I leaned down and kissed him again -- so little and so frail. I spoke those special words one only speaks when two hearts are saying their last good-byes. I touched his face, gave him a long, soft pat across his body, and one last look … then I slowly turned away. This was our final moment together.

I knew his pain and suffering now were forever gone.

Eight days ago --there was something in his eyes that first time we made eye contact. Something special that spoke to my heart. Something that seemed to grab me and tell me that this was a moment to take notice of and to not walk away from. A Dapple Longhaired Dachshund, he was a beauty to behold.

Buddy waited for me. He waited for me at the Pet Store. He waited for me to make him mine. He waited for me in the wee hours of the morning to wake up and take him out. He waited for me to pick him up and carry him up or down the stairs that he was still too tiny to climb. He waited for his food, he waited for his treats, he waited for his kisses and his bellow to be touched. He waited for my love. And in the end, Buddy waited for me one last time -- to hold him, to love him, and to be with him just one more time.

Now my little Buddy is in Heaven -- again, waiting for me and watching for me to come to him.
--Ann Davies, 7/23/01
Valparaiso, IN 46383
aedav@Comcast.net

I am just a puppy please don’t let me die.

I was given a death sentence the day I was conceived.
You see I am a product of a puppy mill; I can die at
any time. I was born to a mommie that produces
unhealthy babies like me for dollars. You think that
would be fraud why do you ask? You see I am going to
die. I was sent to a pet store to away faraway place
at least, I no longer had to lie in my own waste so I
thought. The mill did not keep me to product for them
did they know something about me??? And not tell? You
see I am going to die. I am that cute face in the pet
store window that draws people in, in hopes of lining
their murderous pockets. You see I am going to die.
Well my forever mommie (I thought) bought me she could
not resist me I am that cute tiny face with a button
nose. After having me for 8 long months I was bought
to a shelter and left to die, the reason that was
given “has accidents in the house” but mommie do not
leave me I am just a puppy, don’t let me die alone I
will tried harder. Never mention that I was already a
ticking time bomb. I was taken to a room were I was
very scared, was it my time already I am just a puppy.
A young vet came in and did a heath check on me and he
label me unfit or adoption. Why he said that was going
to die anyway. You see he had just put anther puppy to
sleep for having "ear mites" there are just too many
of us. They could not be brother with a sick puppy
like me he said you are going to die anyways. A
wonderful person that works at the shelter was there
that day and save my life, she had to go to the
director of the shelter and win my freedom knowing
that I was going to die at anytime. She call a nice
lady who does minpin rescue and explain about me she
told her that I have a 4 to 6 heart mummer on my main
palmary and that I was going to die. The lady came
and got me. The rescue lady said you can be a puppy
now you are not going to die alone on a cold cement
floor. I was born with a death sentence. I can live a
month or a day or even for many years, but you see I
might not live to see my adult hood I am going to die.
At lease I know what it is like to be loved and happy,
I am in hospice care now it takes a strong person to
let me go, but it takes a stronger person not to buy
puppies from pet stores. Please PMR don’t ever give up
the fight not matter how small it seems it made
difference to me even though I am going to die.

My name is Miss Molly-Jo “aka doll face”.

Elaine, Princess MY HEART DOG, Nikkie , Buddy (Dob-e IMPS rescue) 1/2 owner of
scrappy-doo imps

Foster mom to Shadow aka "jumping jack"

I hate pet stores, as a general rule.

That said, I have rescued 2 dogs from
them on the eve of their destruction, and they have both been angels. We
currently have 7 dogs, rescued from various horrors, and 7 cats as well.
Luckily we live on several acres in Florida.

This story however, is only about 1 dog. Her name is Bella Luna and she is
a puppy mill dog from a pet store.

The story begins in late November. The
pet store in the plaza near my job begins to bump up their inventory then in
an attempt to snag the Christmas business.

This store happens to be next to
a very good chinese take out, so I often visited while waiting for my food.
The employees know me and I come in as often as possible to love on the
dogs. In their defense, most of their dogs are handled quite a bit, but
they still buy puppy mill puppies.

I went in late one afternoon during a CLE training class. There was
a tiny pomeranian in the cage, the usual 2x2 wire bottomed cage.

I hadn't been in there for a while, and hadn't seen this dog yet. She was the
sweetest thing, all kisses and bouncing, so tiny and blond. I come to visit
her several times a week, and fell more in love each time.

My husband became quite tired of hearing me tell stories of this dog's sweetness and
was firm in his belief that "we had enough dogs!!!" Well, Christmas came
and lots of people took out this puppy. Somehow during this time somebody
dropped this poor dog on the floor, the hard tile floor, and broke her front
leg.

Of course she had a cast and so nobody wanted her for Christmas. Day
after day she lay in her cage.

This was an $899 dog, who wants a defective dog that costs almost $1000?

Well, she got her cast off, and began to be handled again, but lo and behold, they discovered a hernia. So she went in for an operation, and was out of circulation again for a while.

When she was back on the sale floor again, she was out being looked at, and somebody
stepped on her foot. And broke it. Crushed it. The pet store was quite
fed up with spending money on that dog and decided not to fix it.

They sent her to another location, and hoped nobody would notice the limp. I came to
visit, and was told of her move. Well, she didn't sell there either, and
the owners of the stores were getting tired of her and contemplating putting
her down and cutting their losses.

I cried and told my husband, and the next week, Valentines day, he came to my office with that tiny pomeranian in his arms with a big red bow.

The owners had kindly given him a discount of
$100 for the broken foot. Do you feel my sarcasm here? She was tiny, and
underweight, and sickly. But her eyes sparkled, and she licked my face
clean, and I knew it was meant to be just like I knew it the first day I saw
her. We took her to the vet, her foot is now fixed, she no longer limps,
she also had severe anemia, which is controlled by medication (and steaks).
She has melted into our family like she was born to be there and you would
never know she was sickly, but we know she is a time bomb and her congenital
defects will probably make her time with us shorter that we would like. We
pray that never happens

Bella Luna is now 4.5 lbs, and a ball of fire.
She wins over the most adamant "ankle biter hater" with her demeanor and her
cuteness. I have never been back to that pet store again. I am so tempted
to go to the puppy mill, in MO, where she was bred, and thrash those
thoughtless people who bred her that way. I will never buy another thing
from any store that sells puppy mill animals again.
-------------------------------------
Susan xxxewski, Esq.

I guess I'm like alot of people. I bought a puppy from a pet store not realizing that there were puppy mills. It said reputable breeder. Little did i know they were liars and horrible people. My little precious Angel is named Julius. He is a black and white Shih Tzu. He was sweet and fuzzy. My perfect little furball. He was 3 to 4 months when we got him. He was very quiet and loved to be held. I thought the perfect dog for me. I love a cuddler. We got him home and made the appointment to see the vet. The next day we took him into our wonderful vet and discovered my perfect little baby was very sick with worms and coccydia. Sorry for bad spelling. The meds they had told us were routine were for his condition. They also told us they would never sell puppy mill puppies found out that was a lie from the vet. We paid 1200 for the puppy and another 1200 for the vet when all was said and done. We had him treated for both things only to find out it had caused anemia. We had a health garuntee and told them to pay up and at first they refused but i told them you do it or i go into the store and scream my head off about how you get the puppies and don't care for them. they started paying then. I also contacted our BBB but their answer was the puppy lemon law. Give the puppy back for a new one. No way in hell was i doing that. sorry for the language. I truly believe by the vet's reaction and stuff that if we had not gotten Julius when we did he may of died. I have to say i watched the PETA video and it broke my heart to think that my little baby was subjected to that. I want to shut these people down and make them pay for what they do to these animals. I think that people need to be in jail for life for hurting animals. Abuse should not be tolerated. Julius is now 1 year and 8 months. He is my little bundle of joy and in peak health. I plan to take care of him for the rest of his life and spoil him rotten. I wonder sometimes if he remembers back when he was a baby and sometimes when he whimpers in his sleep what he is thinking. I shudder to think someone could harm such innocent little babies. Thank you for letting me post my story. I am attaching a baby photo of my baby Julius. It is my favorite one.

Sincerely,

Kelly E
Connecticut

I too,
went through a horrible pet store experience.

I just visited your site for the first time and am
sitting at my desk in tears. Unfortunately, I too,
went through a horrible pet store experience.

After much breed research and many trips to pet
stores, my husband and I purchased a papillon from a
local PetLand. At the time, we were ignorantly
unaware of puppymill hells. When we purchased Vegas,
we took her to the vet that is always right next door
to PetLand )so they can lie about the health of the
dogs). We were told that she had a cold but was
otherwise healthy. They proceeded to prescribe that
she be placed in a nebulizer EVERYDAY FOR TWO WEEKS!
We later found out from a real vet that she didn't
even have a cold and there was no reason for her to be
held in a cold and scary nebulizer. She got healthy
and was seemingly fine for about 6 months.

2 days after her first birthday she threw up for no
reason. We thought maybe she had eaten something she
shouldn't have so we made an appointment for later in
the day with our vet. Her condition steadily declined
throughout the day to the point that we decided it was
definitely necessary to take her in NOW! Our little
angle died one day later of coronavirus. This is not
usually fatal but in a puppy mill dog who wasn't born
with any healthy maternal antibodies...it is...sadly.

I would like to let people know that even though it is
extremely tempting to rescue the poor little angels at
PetLand, it supports puppy mills. Please don't
support them.
andrealslack@yahoo.org

Little did i know they were liars and horrible people.