What is a Backyard Breeder?
A backyard breeder is anyone who breeds cats(dogs, rabbits etc) and can answer yes to one or more of the following;
* Someone who breeds unregistered purebred animals and sells them as purebreds without papers
* Someone who is looking for a quick buck
* Someone who drastically undercuts the price of registered purebred breeders
* Someone who does not care who buys their animals or for what purpose
* Someone who lets animals go at seven weeks or younger (dogs / cats), so that they do not have to spend any money on vaccinations - nor do they have to approach a vet and admit to what they are doing
* Someone who does not offer a health guarantee, contract or even take the phone number of buyers
* Someone who will place their animals for sale in pet stores
* Someone who has no thought or care to good companion animal husbandry
* Someone who has no thought or care to genetic good health or defects.
You’re being unfair to some Pet Shops. Many already don’t sell animals or are simply trying to find homes for abandoned or homeless animals.
We know that there are many wonderful Pet Shop owners out there that don’t sell animals, and others that put animals from rescue centres in their windows to find homes for them. These are NOT the ones perpetuating the problem. We encourage you to support ONLY these Pet Shops by buying all your pet accessories from them and telling all your friends and family to do the same.
Our campaign is to stop the over breeding of thousands of animals by puppy farms and backyard breeders and put them out of business. Unfortunately they do trade through many Pet Shops, so Pet Shops have become a big part of the problem. We certainly recognise that Pet Shops are not the only cause of the problem. But however you look at it, there are too many animals bred and not enough homes for them all. That’s why so many are euthanased every year. ANYTHING we can do to stop excessive breeding and impulse selling will reduce the numbers killed. Animals should not be bred for profit only to end up being killed when the money has been made.
What is your attitude toward registered breeders?
When looking for an animal companion we say, “Please scout all pounds and shelters first, and if you still (unbelievably) can’t find a suitable companion in these places then go to a registered breeder that has great word-of-mouth referrals”.
How do you know what’s going on? Has anyone on your team of volunteers ever worked in a Pet Shop?
Yes, and in Animal Rescue Centres and in Pounds and as Foster Carers for abandoned animals, where we have quickly got an idea of the background of many abandoned animals. We have even been “undercover” as potential customers into many Pet Shops around Australia to see how they answer the questions that all potential pet owners should be asking. Such as “where has this puppy come from?” “Can I see its parents?” “What testing has been done to check for any hereditary diseases?” ‘Is it de-sexed?” etc.
Surely Pet Shops could not possibly be responsible for 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats put down each year?
We have NEVER said that Pet Shops are totally responsible for the deaths of approximately 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats abandoned every year. We actually say on this web site, and I quote “Of course not all pound dogs and cats were originally bought from pet shops and discarded, but from discussions with pounds and rescue centres, we believe that many were.” This is true.
But, Pet Shops can advise potential owners on nutrition, long terms costs, health issues, council issues. They can advise you if that puppy in the window is the right breed for you, if that kitten will be your life long friend, and how to look after it to the best of your ability. They often offer cooling off periods, where you may return that pet within a time frame if you feel you are unable to look after it and its best interests. So why are you against Pet Shops selling animals?
Pet Shops can do all this, and many do - probably the Pet Shop you own or work in or visit. But, in our experience with our “undercover” shoppers, it must be recognised that the majority are simply in business and a sale makes them money. So many do not make the kind of effort that you describe. For example, we have found strong willed working breeds being sold through popular Pet Shop franchises with little or no advice to potential owners on the ultimate size, amount of exercise and stimulation, vet costs and important training requirement of such breeds.
I do not know of any Pet Shop manager who would consent to buy a puppy from a puppy farm.
Puppy and kitten farms do exist. One was recently raided in VIC by Animal Liberation Victoria. These farms churn out thousands of animals every year - continually forcing dogs and cats to breed and have puppies and kittens. They obviously have to sell their “product” somewhere - through ads in newspapers, overseas, markets and Pet Shops.
Pets Shops have an Advisory Council, they are governed by a set of rules and ethics.
These rules and ethics seem to be more about how to keep and look after animals in the Pet Shops and not about WHERE those animals come from. We are not campaigning about how animals are cared for in Pet Shops. We want to STOP the indiscriminate breeding resulting in excessive numbers of dogs and cats by puppy farms and backstreet breeders by making sure they have NOWHERE to sell their animals for profit. Very soon they would cease business when there was no money to be made.
The people who work in Pets Shops are pet lovers just like you. In fact some are even vegetarians and wouldn’t even dream of eating an animal…
I’m sure many are. This still doesn’t solve the problem we are campaigning about. Most people we talk to are simply not aware of the issues.
Drop in to your local pet shop sometime, you will find that the people there are educated and are happy to advise.
Hmmm sorry - this completely misses the point. I’m sure they’re happy to advise but WHERE did the puppies and kittens they stock in the window come from? Did they PAY someone for them? If so, they have now encouraged that backyard breeder or puppy farmer to go on breeding more and more…
But Pet Shops need to sell puppies and kittens because it is convenient for people to buy a pet at their local shopping centre.
Oh dear! Just because it is convenient, this does not make it right … in fact, the more effort that a potential pet owner has to go to in order to find their pet, the more likely they are to have thought it all through properly. And the less likely their pet will be abandoned or surrendered to the Pound later on. Please buy from the Pound or Animal Rescue Centre instead and save a life!
Extracted from Say No To Animals in Petshops site.
