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NYC's Pet Store Pups Are Still Mostly From Puppy Mills
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 10, 2011
Modified Nov 10, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 10, 2011
Modified Nov 10, 2011
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It's no secret that New York City's pet stores are often stocked with dogs that come from puppy mills, but now the HSUS is further uncovering the problem in their ongoing battle against stores that use the cruel suppliers. Following their report, put out just in time for puppy-buying season, NBC NY went undercover on their own, armed with the Humane Society of the United States' list of over 100 pet stores in New York believed to be procuring pups from the cruel mills.
While some stores may get their dogs from USDA-licensed, USDA-inspected or AKC-inspected breeders, NBC points out that all commercial breeders are USDA licensed and inspected, and the real weak point may be in government oversight of the USDA. An HSUS investigator discussed the mills, saying, “We have the proof. We have the evidence. We have the shipping documents. We have photographs and video of a lot of these places." However, some shops seem to believe they aren't getting their dogs from mills, like Raising Rover and Baby on the Upper East Side, who was adement about not using mills when confronted about it by NBC. A quick check of some paperwork told a different story, however.
Jonathan Lovvorn, senior VP of the HSUS, released this statement regarding the mill problem: "These high-priced pet stores claim to sell dogs from small private breeders, but are actually pushing dogs from huge Midwest puppy mills with some of the worst federal Animal Welfare Act violations imaginable. Consumers are being duped into buying puppies born to breeding dogs who spend their entire lives trapped in tiny wire cages, churning out litter after litter. The breeders themselves treat these animals as livestock. Even worse, in my opinion."
Check out the HSUS for more disturbing facts, and their video below:
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dogs
hsus
humane society
humane society of the us
puppy mills
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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