And here we come to the last part of the article “A Chihuahua in the Family,” in which we covered such topics as:
- Adoption: an important choice
- Are you ready to welcome a puppy into your life?
- Where to buy it (Professional Breeders, Amateur Breeders, Private Litter)
Today we will address the opposite topic, “Where NOT to buy it” or how not to feed the puppy trade from Eastern Europe.
Pet Stores and Puppy Fairs
Thank goodness, fewer and fewer stores are displaying puppies in their windows, although unfortunately there is always the “smart guy,” with lots of fur on his stomach, who wants to get rich on the skin of innocent creatures, Buying illegally imported puppies (making himself, among other things, an accomplice to a criminal offense) and selling them as if they had been born on local farms.
The fact is that most of these puppies, come from “lager” farms in Eastern Europe (but I can assure you that there are some in Italy as well), and they are real puppy factories that are given away Underpriced to unscrupulous shopkeepers, often assisted by complacent veterinarians Who provide false documents.
It seems clear to me that “ethically speaking,” there can be no respect for these puppies, who are treated like objects; (see ideal breeding in 7 key points) but moreover, unwary buyers, may incur a multitude of problems. Let’s see which ones:
- The pups are raised in disastrous hygienic conditions, the parents are crammed into cages stacked one in a row on top of the other, the mothers exploited to the hilt until they reach the end of their childbearing years and disposed of when they are no longer useful for the purpose. It is easy to imagine what and how much physical and behavioral damage, could result from such a situation.
- Mating is done haphazardly, without any kind of control or selection, which causes genetic and behavioral problems.
- The puppies are taken from their mothers too early, consequently they cannot be vaccinated and their immune system is unable to protect them; therefore, even if they survive the journey to ltaly, crammed inside the hood of a car, without water or food and sometimes without enough air; they are exhausted, weakened and often suffering from diseases that lead them to death After a short period.
- To top it off: the “lucky ones” who manage to survive the hopeless journey will be troubled adults predisposed to serious behavioral disorders.
I conclude by reminding you that the situation does not change for those who buy at Puppy Fairs. Remember that no serious breeder would hand over his puppies to shopkeepers, nor to dealers who moreover “sell” living creatures as if they were toys.
Carla Beard
Sing To The Moon Dog Center
