A Sad Look Beyond the Pet Store Doors

A pet store is like any other business: to stay in business, they need stock. A supermarket needs cans of soup to stock the shelves; pet shops need puppies and kittens to stock the cages.

This collection of articles and videos from the ASPCA explains just what a puppy mill is, how you can help fight mills, and laws that protect consumers - and, ultimately, the animals - affected by puppy mills.

Also - did you know that Connecticut now has a Puppy Lemon Law? Simply put, if you purchase a puppy from a pet shop and it becomes ill, a congenital defect is identified, or it dies within six months of purchase, you are entitled to a full refund plus veterinary costs up to $500.

The pet shop also must provide you with a certificate detailing the origin of the animal (the person, firm, or organization that bred the dog) at the time of sale. It's up to you to do your homework to see if that person, firm, or organization is a reputable breeder. Now, last time I checked, no reputable breeder on earth had to sell its animals through a pet shop.

It's just so much easier to adopt!