A pet shop in Adelaide is refusing to sell puppies this Christmas.
The reason? They’re sick of people impulsively buying gifts for their relatives – only to abandon them a few weeks later.
The Pet Spot wrote a message on their Facebook page explaining their decision. It’s since received more than 20,000 ‘likes’.
This is Boomer. He’s not a puppy and he’s not from the pet shop but he needs a home.
Please note : Due to the amount of phone calls we are receiving regarding people wanting to buy puppies for xmas we will not be selling (nor buying) any puppies during this period (as a note our last puppies were approx 3 months ago) – this act we believe encourages impulse buying and contributes to many animals being dumped afterwards so to all followers who genuinely want the wonderful addition of a pet for xmas please contact the numerous rescue groups who I am sure will be pleased to help you find your pet. I know this post may come across as a little “rude” perhaps but we are trying to promote and achieve responsible pet ownership.
We agree with the pet shop. If you’re desperate to buy a puppy for Christmas (or any time really), can we recommend you go to a rescue shelter?
Here’s a look at the types of dogs you can adopt from Animal Rescue groups, the names of which we’ve listed below. Please note: the dogs pictured are from non-kill animal shelters.
NSW: Ace, 6 weeks old
Monica’s Rescues is in NSW – see the dogs here. Save-a-dog in Victoria – see the dogs here. Best Friend’s Rescue in QLD – visit their website here.
You can find a full list of rescue shelters around Australia here.
Comments
37 Comments so far
By way of a slightly alternative perspective – I was a pet shop owner for a while and want to make a couple of points. We had an arrangement with a local vet and insisted all our pups had to go to the vet at least once (free of charge to the new owner) for a vet check. This ensure a relationship was developed with the vet. We generally took pets back and gave some level of refund, because we cared about he welfare of the pets. We sold an awful lot more cats then a shelter ever could – because we had shop frontage in a Westfield (which we paid for), but we didn’t pay anyone for the cats. We vaccinated and chipped them and charged customers for that cost. We made money from the accessories. We beleive it was more likely that a pet would not be dumped if an owner had paid $1000 from a pet shop, then the price of a vaccination and chip. We never bought pedigree because of the risk of in breeding and the related health issues. I never once killed or surrendered an animal – that would be bad business. Maybe others are different. I gave it all away because it was impossible to make any money out of it, just by the way.
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Where did all the cats and puppies come from that you sold?
Unfortunately, people will dump animals no matter how much they pay for them.
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I was in shopping mall a few weeks ago and went into a pet shop to kill time with my toddler daughter. It just breaks my heart to see those poor animals caged/boxed like displays, what a sad predicament. When I was a kid, we picked up my dog from a shelter, he had a lot of issues but we kept him and loved him so much… more than ten years after giving him away (moved from France to Australia) he remains in our hearts, in our conversations, and his name is used for things like passwords. He remains a member of our family and I feel like crying just thinking about him.
On another level though, I think the same problem exists with people rather than pets: the world population is increasing at an unprecedented rate and as responsible citizens in a developed country, I think a lot of us should choose to adopt rather than have another child (everyone should be able to have their own child but I think I will look into adoption if I decide I want another child). In the UK, people give more money to animal charities than any other and my Facebook tells me that Australia is probably close behind. I hear so many people worrying about animal welfare which is very good, but please devote some of your time to helping kids out there, so many of them need us.
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This message is so important at this time of year. People need to realise that an animal is a commitment until it dies! Not until it’s cuteness factor has worn off or you see another one you like better. I have been a volunteer in the animal welfare industry for many years and it is heartbreaking to see just how many animals get thrown away like a $2 toy once the novelty has worn off. I don’t believe that buying a pet for anyone is a smart thing to do at any time of year unless you know exactly what kind of pet they want, if they are ready for it and if they are genuinely going to look after it and make it part of their family. http://www.petrescue.com.au is a not-for-profit organisation showing all rescue groups etc with animals available. These groups and the pounds should ALWAYS be your first stop when looking for a pet. While I know that some people want a “pedigree,” I do not understand why anyone would want to pay hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for a dog that is a result of breeders making money off animals. Even if a breeder is legit and loves their animals, those animals’ chances of getting reproductive cancers etc are escalated due to constant breeding. Is this what dogs and cats are really for? I have seen many “pedigree” animals with serious health issues that should not exist if they were truly pedigrees.
So anyway, if you are in Sydney area, Renbury Farm Animal Shelter is a fantastic place to save a life. The staff are amazing and all the rescue groups who work with them are too. Same goes for Sutherland Shire Animal Shelter (no kill). They have great staff and some beautiful animals needing homes.
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Well said Nicole. And I agree about the Sutherland Shire Animal Shelter – that’s where we were lucky enough to meet our beloved “Buddy” dog – wonderful staff, great place
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Im my world no pet shop would sell any animals, as these come from puppy farms/factories or back yard breeders all for greed
Over 250,000 dogs in Australia alone are put down in shelters every year!! most get no funding and rely on donations. ALL our dogs and cats are from shelters and off Pet Rescue, and they are the best friends/family you could EVER wish to have. Please ADOPT DONT SHOP, save a life and stop this horrid cycle. Also please Google Oscars Law. And remember an animal is not just for Christmas they are for life, as they are family.
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I’ve always felt that morally we should purchase a rescue dog BUT having spent a year researching our ‘new family member’ and speaking with several different vets, I came to the conclusion that with a 4-year-old boy who I know will be in the dogs face from day one – it was important that I could make the best choice in terms of temperament that I could and the only way to do this is by seeing the parents and ensuring the dog had a secure and loving start in life..
It’s unfortunately true that lots of the puppies in shelters have experienced trauma and whilst in a human that would make me more compassionate – when it comes to an animal – with sharp teeth and my child – I’m not taking the risk.
I didn’t however want to support Puppy farms OR pet shops and so we’re purchasing from a small private breeder. She raises the pups in her home and has 4 dogs herself. I must say that I will assume a certain amount of judgement when we’re first out around Christmas with a puppy (though it’s actually a birthday present). I’m looking forward to many loving years with our new family member and I’m pretty sure this was the right choice for our family.
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There are some beautiful dogs available for adoption from rescue groups all over Australia. We in rescue would love to see live animal sales banned from pet shops, unregistered breeders, ads in newspapers etc. Mia herself adopted a rescue dog from me about 6 years ago. I hope that he is still living the life of riley with your family.
Please go to the PAWS website to see all of our gorgeous dogs available for adoption. http://www.paws.com.au
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Our gorgeous boy Bentley came to us from Monika’s Doggie Rescue about 6 years ago. He is without a doubt the best dog in the world (OK, so I’m a bit of a biased Mum!). I was at Doggie Rescue the day that he arrived from the pound, matted, covered in fleas and so dirty that we thought he was a brown dog, not the little blondie that he actually is. All he wanted to do that day, after we cleaned him up was to sit in the corner under a table in the tiniest space possible. He couldn’t even walk on a lead when he first arrived, he would just sit in the gutter and not move. But you know what? He bounced back almost immediately, and with a little bit of love has become the most charming, beautiful, loving dog and we are so lucky to have him in our lives. We’re told that his previous owner had moved out of the house and left him there on his own. It makes me so sad to think that someone would treat him so poorly, and that he would have been put down at the pound were it not for Monika and her fantastic volunteers rescuing him.
Please consider adopting a dog or cat from a shelter, it is so rewarding and I think these dogs love you even more for giving them a second chance.
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Please always get your pets from a shelter, not just at Christmas time.
I got my gorgeous dog from the Keysborough Animal Shelter (also called the Australian Animal Protection Society) in Victoria. I recommend them highly. They also have cats, rabbits and guinea pigs to adopt. http://www.aaps.org.au/ Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 3.30pm, Sunday & public holidays 11am to 3pm.
In terms of debunking some ‘shelter pets’ myths I have heard:
My dog is the best ! Totally beautiful looking, only 8 months when I got him, very smart, easy to train, very loving and cuddly, cute in his mannerisms. No issues at all. He is much admired wherever we go as a lovely dog in temperament and appearance, and is also good with cats, dogs, kids, fetching the ball. His health is perfect.
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Earlier this year i lost my beloved cat, he was 12. My dad rescued him from the pound as a tiny kitten, as a present for my birthday. I cant imagine ever finding another cat quite like him.
My partner and I also have the most affectionate, beautiful dog, she was rescued from the pound as well.
We will always have rescue pets. My heart breaks looking at pictures like these and i just want to take them all home!
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Can I just say that this ban should apply to all animals not just puppies?
I have an ex-SIL who is terrible this way.
She bought a puppy that she never looked after when they were together and when they split she bought a bunny rabbit for her daughter that she ended up giving to my MIL to look after permanently. I’m guessing the novelty run out.
Suffice to say, I have no respect for her or people like her who treat animals as short-term entertainment.
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My SIL has a habit of doing this also. We’ve just adopted her dog from her, as for the 6 years she has had the dog, it has spent more time living with other people than her. So we have now taken her into our home and she is the most wonderful dog. She has gone from an inside dog (and shes a medium size dog who’s nature is to be outside) to an energetic outside dog, who can run and jump and chase things and has been having the time of her life while i have been visiting my parents farm. I’m going to be sad when i have to take her back to our suburban backyard, but at least we have an awesome leash free area near our house!
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Regardless of the time of year, people really should avoid buying pet shop puppies. Many of these pet shops buy from puppy farms where conditions are absolutely appalling. You can find out more through Oscar’s Law via http://www.facebook.com/OscarsLawAUS
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I had been informed that only 2% of puppies sold in AUs were from pet stores. Sure, that’s still a large number of puppies. But I think private breeders are a HUGE problem too – they need tighter resctrictions placed on them!!!
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The huge ‘problem’ is not the responsible breeders who adore their dog breed and want to maintain the pedigree lines.
It’s those pet owners who do not desex their cat or dog who has unwanted puppies or kittens. A bit like those ‘whoopsies, I forgot to take the pill pregnancies’ in humans. No, if you do not take precautions, chances are you will fall pregnant.
If you are buying from a breeder, make sure it’s a registered one.
Please do not knock people who buy ‘puebreds’ – dogs are for life and people do a lot of research into getting the ‘perfect one’. The attributes and temperment of all the purebreds is well documented.
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I rescued all my cats, turns out one of them is half ragdoll (so she SHOULD’VE been far more than the measley donation I made so she could be mine forever). I have three, they are perfect and I hope my donations have stopped other kitties getting put down before they can find the same loving families.
I do worry about pet shop puppies though, I still want them to get homes – they are, after all, still puppies that need families to love them!
And what about pet shop bunnies and guinea pigs, etc?
I don’t like the idea of designer dogs though – why do people insist on $2000 fancy breeds? Rather than encouraging breeders to force their dogs and cats into making lots of babies (many of which I’m sure end up in the pound), why can’t you have some adorable, mix breed pet? My cats are all the more interesting for their funny little backgrounds and if I ever decide to get a dog, I’ll be rescuing one.
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I don’t mean to sound dumb, but where do the pet shop puppies go if they’re not sold? This is a genuine question.
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I would assume they get either killed or sent to a shelter.
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About 20 years ago my dog had a litter of puppies and we gave the puppies to a pet shop (the pet shop took all the money) on the understanding that we would take back any of the puppies that didn’t sell. I am sure there are a lot of other people who have similar arrangements with pet shops. The staff in the pet shop were great, they phoned us every time a puppy sold to tell us who had bought one.
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I once bought a dog from The Pet Spot (over 10 yrs ag0). Most beautiful dog ever. Sadly I lost that dog in the custody battle when I split with my ex-husband. The dog is still going strong however.
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This Australian campaign started 13 years to educate the public as to the fact that nigh on 500,000 animals are killed in pounds and shelters every year here. It’s headed up by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore http://www.saynotanimalsinpethops.com
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Oh, absolutely! Please, please look at rescue websites! There are so many local ones around, wherever your area is. In fact, we are checking out a gorgeous little kitten in a few days time to see if she’ll be a good addition to our family. It’ll be nice for her to have a proper home.
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People should always adopt a shelter dog over a pet shop where they most likely have sourced the puppies from evil puppy farms.
I volunteer at Save a Dog Scheme in Glen Iris and they do a fantastic job and have so many adorable dogs and cats that need homes!
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They are great, our two dogs are from there.
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There are also many more local rescue groups in whichever state/town you’re in. All are non-profit, so even if you are not in a position to open your heart and home to a new furry family member this Christmas, please consider donating. Please do NOT support The Lost Dogs Home – this organisation has the highest kill rate in Victoria – support no-kill groups, who rely upon public generosity and volunteers. Some Vic one’s include….
https://www.facebook.com/melbourneanimalrescue?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/GeelongAnimalRescue?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/Geelonganimalwelfaresocietyofficialpage?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/FFARau?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Homeless-Hounds-Rescue-Victoria/148854968504128?ref=stream
https://www.facebook.com/PetRescueAU?ref=stream
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Some dogs are euthanized for a reason though. I don’t think it is responsible to re-home a dog that you know is dangerous. The RSPCA do behavoural (sp?) tests on all the dogs they get before putting them up for adoption and I think this is a good thing.
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Those behaviour tests are very subjective and not really a reflection of the animal – who is usually highly stressed and likely to behave inappropriately. My dog “failed” a behaviour test and was luckily rescued by a no kill organisation. He is absolutely adorable and through much training and rehabilitation, presents no behaviour issues what so ever.
The behaviour test is used to justify killing re-homable animals, and not working with shelter groups who would happily look after those animals.
Please adopt don’t shop.
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This is true. I knew a volunteer who quit on principal because the shelter she was at failed dogs in behaviour tests if it turned its head to see who tapped or touched it on its back/shoulder. Yes, if it just responded in a normal dog manner. The tests are desinged to be easy-fail. So sad.
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Yes!! Thanks for this article Mamamia! I wrote a similar post about this a few days ago with some shocking stats – http://ahearttoheart.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/puppies-are-not-presents/
Puppies are not presents people!
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I love this idea, I think that shelters do an amazing job. I find it interesting that I still have arguments with people about their pet needing to have a litter first. I know life has changes and sometimes we have pets we can’t take with us but to purposely bring more animals into the world unless you know you have a home for them seems a little silly. It is worth noting that most breeds have a specific rescue group who also need adopting. Hope you all have a great Christmas
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I want to adopt all these dogs!!!! Our family already has a dog ( which we got from a good breeder) and my parents don’t want another one but when I have a home of my own I’m only going to adopt. You can’t just buy a dog on a whim- they are a 12-15 year commitment!
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Definitely! And people really shouldn’t be making a 12-15 year commitment for another person without even ASKING them first!
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Or worse- parents buying a puppy for their kids on a whim, the parents are the ones who will end up looking after it aka walking and feeding. When we got our dog as a puppy it was like having another baby in the house.
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I can’t speak more highly of Save-a-dog in Glen Iris- We got our dog from there a few years ago and they were beyond helpful and you could tell that they really wanted to make sure that both the dogs and the owners were happy with the situation
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I just think it is a shame the pet shop is still selling puppies throughout the year. They certainly got some free advertising though didn’t they?
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We have a great rescue centre locally too.
If any central Queenslanders are looking for a dog, this shelter has a no put down policy, so they have many dogs who need a home.
http://www.redcollarrescue.org/
It is a non profit organisation.
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