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UK Government Bans Selling Puppies At Pet Stores After This Heartbreaking Dog Story Goes Viral
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UK Government Bans Selling Puppies At Pet Stores After This Heartbreaking Dog Story Goes Viral

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Recently Britain has taken an important step to protect animals from exploitation. The government banned third-party sales of kittens and puppies below the age of 6 months. Now people who want to adopt a pet will not be able to get one at a pet shop or other commercial dealer, instead, they will have to go to breeders directly or chose animal shelters.

Image credits: anokarina

This new measure will make breeders more accountable for animal welfare and will make it more difficult to sell illegally smuggled cats and dogs.

Image credits: gene jackson

When breeders interact with customers directly instead of using third parties to hide, they are forced to take responsibility for the treatment of animals.

Image credits: Virginia Hill

This move will help to reduce the serious health and socialization issues that pets held in poor conditions by so-called ‘puppy farmers’ often face.

Image credits: lucytherescuecavalier

The ban comes after a successful campaign against puppy farming, which was sparked by a dog named Lucy who was rescued from a puppy farm and suffered years of mistreatment.

Image credits: lucytherescuecavalier

Lisa Garner, who rescued Lucy, said “We launched Lucy’s Law a year after her passing as a tribute to her and all the breeding dogs that are hidden from the public.”

Image credits: lucytherescuecavalier

Dogs are often held by breeders in appalling conditions and are forced to produce litters of puppies. “Her body was broken when she was rescued at five years old,” vet Marc Abraham, told BBC 5 Live about Lucy’s condition.

Image credits: ron henry

This move was endorsed by animal support groups, shelters, and the general public, making it an important step to protect helpless animals.

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karinajadia avatar
Person2638
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I absolutely HATE people who abuse and mistreat animals. They are innocent and deserve nothing we can give them. I believe in an eye for an eye, so I will always say to do to the breeders what the breeders do to the poor animals (of course, not all breeders are horrible, but I'm only talking about the horrible ones). I know this punishment sounds terrible and makes no sense, but I'm mad and I'm too tired to think.

veritech-pilot avatar
vp
Community Member
5 years ago

Wow, easiest game of "spot the vegetarians full of themselves..." EDIT: This was directed at EVELYN MOON, not the OP.

Load More Replies...
janealexander37 avatar
pomeranianhugger avatar
Lazy Panda
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well in cali they passed a law stating that all pets sold at pet stores need to be taken from shelters only, so at least we’re off to a good start! :)

Load More Replies...
llsewer avatar
Jaguarundi
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Farming" pets creates unhealthy and unsafe conditions for the pets and prevents the pets from being properly socialized. Over-producing pets also can create genetic disorders and actually DECREASE the market value of certain breeds. Many breeds are "fashionable" lately, leading to physical distortion of their faces and bodies causing them to have a short, miserable, life. "Designer breeds", AKA: mongrels, are also subjected to over-breeding and some females can be damaged by being artificially or naturally bred to larger-breed males. The "miniature" versions of traditionally medium to small dogs are basically runts bred to runts, also propagating physical and genetic defects. Be kind to our fur-babies and "Adopt! Don't Shop!" I love my rescues and we have changed each other's worlds for the better.

sassybooie avatar
Meeow
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a good news! Hopefully more countries will follow!

hassi avatar
Hassini
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is great news! i just wish more countries chose to do this... The way animals are treated at farms and mills are unacceptable.

johanna_zamora avatar
Grumble O'Pug
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was my Maddie. She wouldn’t “take” so the guy left her outside in a cage in his back yard for weeks, tossing dry kibble to her two times a week. A neighbor convinced him to give her to rescue. When I got her she’d been through a few fosters bc she was not housebroken. She was a literal stick figure pug when I got her and she was treated like a queen for the rest of her days. I never felt more homicidal than when I wanted to wreck the guy who tried to milk a few bucks off herthen let her freeze in 30 degree weather. The USDA protects backyarders and millers. It’s disgusting. Godspeed Maddie, I amso glad I knew you.

diane1atk avatar
diane a
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have nothing but hate for these people who just want money regardless of the conditions of the animals. We had a pair of boxer girls - bred from the oldest one single time. It affected her health, Cannot comprehend these breeders putting female dogs through it again and again.

spitcher88 avatar
Hallie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Have a look at the dairy industry then if being over bred is an issue to you.

Load More Replies...
dopethronepunkuk avatar
HoffLensMetalHedLovesAnimalsUK
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should of been passed a long time ago but it's a good step in the right direction, i have been to many puppy mills as part of rescues and i can tell you, they smell, sound and look a thousand times worse than you can imagine, absolute living hell for the poor dogs. We need to look after our animals, enough is enough.

ealizabethane avatar
Lisa Shaw
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Having been involved in rescue for over 35 years, our slogan has been "adopt, don't shop" for at least that long. My personal theory is that if we could ban the sale of pets globally we could come close to or end the homeless pet problem. If we could stop it from being a lucrative opportunity to make money, then we could make some real progress toward ending the problem of both mistreatment and homelessness among the pet population. Think about it, if every person who has purchased a pet, sometimes for ungodly amounts of money and had taken in just one animal from a shelter, I feel like the need for shelters could go the way of the dinosaur with the crappy breeders.

rafaellabueno avatar
Rafaella Bueno
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The issue I have with it is that I don't think it would actually solve anything to completely ban breeders. At least when it comes to dogs. Dogs are way too different in size, behavior, energy levels etc. For many people, picking a certain breed is a conscious choice to accommodate a dog into their family. I have also seen a lot of people returning, giving away or just abandoning dogs *after adopting* because they couldn't deal with the dog's size or how energetic it became as it grew (something that we can't predict in mutts), and the fact the dog was free definitely did contribute to them not thinking it through too. I think what we need is to make people more aware of what it really means to have a pet and to stop people both buying and adopting on a whim without proper thought and research. If people did their research, they wouldn't buy from those places even if they wanted a breed dog.

Load More Replies...
elizabethsherrill avatar
Brittle.flower
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dog "breads" are not a real thing. They are not a scientific identification. They are a set of traits that are the result of inbreeding. It needs to Stop!

cverrilli avatar
Dr. Carlos Dangercat
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good! No dogs sold in pet stores will provide a bit more scrutiny of potential buyers/adopters and it won't be as easy to buy a dog on a whim.

wiltse_charlotte avatar
AND PEGGY
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

people who do this to assumingely innocent animals absolutely appall me. How can you do that to an adorable puppy like that.

spitcher88 avatar
Hallie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine if people cared as much about farm animals as they did dogs and cats, wouldn't that be novel.

sharronlparsons avatar
sharron lynn parsons
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This absolutely made my day, better late than never, Every city or community should do this, it takes constant, persistent, dedicated team work, I hope to see this until there are no more evil greedy pet abusers !!!

sycohen2005 avatar
NCC-1701
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a special place in Hell for anyone who mistreats a sweet and helpless animal.

jenniesapherson avatar
Jennie Sapherson
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Britain has always been a nation of animal carers, it's a shame they let their own people, including little children starve at the same time.

suzannesmith27 avatar
Suzanne Smith
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought this law was passed over a couple of decades ago? Not seen puppies or kittens in shops for at least 30 years?!

coriordan avatar
Cherie O
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a special kind of hell for people who abuse animals.....

charizzle87 avatar
Riz Leslie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In NYC, we take the stray kittens and cats that we have spayed and neutered and worked with to get accustomed to humans to certain pet stores for adoption. Not all cats in pet stores are from breeders. We’ve gotten hundreds adopted this way. It would be a travesty if we couldn’t bring the munchkins to these stores for adoption. Don’t assume ALL are from breeders in certain stores. Many are strays.

koriskinner avatar
Kori Skinner
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great! This will stop breeders too from breeding these animals so much, they develop many health problems. There's nothing wrong with shelter pets. Most can be trained unless the history of abuse has been log and intense.

tlilly avatar
Lilly
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

when i was younger, backyard breeding wasn't a term, and i got quite a few dogs/cats that way. when i got older and starting actually thinking about where things came from, backyard breeders became a plague to be avoided. my first shelter rescue was in 1978, and 99% of my animals have come from our local shelters since.

diane1atk avatar
diane a
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Home breeders- not just professional breeders are not a problem either. Someone breeding from their beloved pet isnt the same as unlicensed puppy mills. If you must have a puppy ensure it comes from it's own home and that you can satisfy for yourself the mother's health, certificates and the conditions in which the puppies have been reared. We bred as a one-off from our girl and she and the pups recieved every Vetinary care possible and the best of everything we could provide along with constant advice on tap from the mother's very experienced (Kennel Club Judge) breeder. In fact, 2 of the pups got into a scrap at 8 weeks old and one almost lost an eye. We paid almost £1000 in Vet bills to save her sight - was more than twice what she was sold to a friend for. A disreputable breeder would have likely quietly wrung her neck.

Load More Replies...
binanda_smada avatar
Usernames
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We need this law worldwide. Fur babies is like your soulmate. If you pay for fur babies, you will see them as a things that you can buy or sell.

avonleaarnette avatar
Catmeres
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Right but all dogs cost money, even if they're from a shelter you still have to pay an adoption fee

Load More Replies...
s-podveskoy-1994 avatar
Kim
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This dog is sooo tiny and fragile. Hope she's got a new wonderful life :3 This story is to change people's minds

emory_ce avatar
Carol Emory
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They need to do the same thing here in the USA. Anyone who says differently needs to watch "Amanda to the Rescue" when she tries to uncover illegal puppy mills in Missouri.....

abirex avatar
Abby Rexroth
Community Member
5 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Don't judge all by some. I bought two pugs from the same pet store. Gadget died @ 13yrs. well loved and I cried for 3 days when I had to put her down. I mourned for an entire year before even thinking of getting another pug. I was on a waiting list for 2 years before the call that brought Velvet and I together. Velvet is 4 now and is even more spoiled than Gadget was. Velvet is well loved, sleeps in bed with me and we are attached @ the hip. Could I have gotten a rescue dog? Yes, but I wanted one more puppy in my life; if I am lucky enough to get another dog it will be a rescue but Velvet fills my heart so I will enjoy her as long as I'm lucky enough to have her.

karinajadia avatar
Person2638
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I absolutely HATE people who abuse and mistreat animals. They are innocent and deserve nothing we can give them. I believe in an eye for an eye, so I will always say to do to the breeders what the breeders do to the poor animals (of course, not all breeders are horrible, but I'm only talking about the horrible ones). I know this punishment sounds terrible and makes no sense, but I'm mad and I'm too tired to think.

veritech-pilot avatar
vp
Community Member
5 years ago

Wow, easiest game of "spot the vegetarians full of themselves..." EDIT: This was directed at EVELYN MOON, not the OP.

Load More Replies...
janealexander37 avatar
pomeranianhugger avatar
Lazy Panda
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well in cali they passed a law stating that all pets sold at pet stores need to be taken from shelters only, so at least we’re off to a good start! :)

Load More Replies...
llsewer avatar
Jaguarundi
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Farming" pets creates unhealthy and unsafe conditions for the pets and prevents the pets from being properly socialized. Over-producing pets also can create genetic disorders and actually DECREASE the market value of certain breeds. Many breeds are "fashionable" lately, leading to physical distortion of their faces and bodies causing them to have a short, miserable, life. "Designer breeds", AKA: mongrels, are also subjected to over-breeding and some females can be damaged by being artificially or naturally bred to larger-breed males. The "miniature" versions of traditionally medium to small dogs are basically runts bred to runts, also propagating physical and genetic defects. Be kind to our fur-babies and "Adopt! Don't Shop!" I love my rescues and we have changed each other's worlds for the better.

sassybooie avatar
Meeow
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a good news! Hopefully more countries will follow!

hassi avatar
Hassini
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is great news! i just wish more countries chose to do this... The way animals are treated at farms and mills are unacceptable.

johanna_zamora avatar
Grumble O'Pug
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was my Maddie. She wouldn’t “take” so the guy left her outside in a cage in his back yard for weeks, tossing dry kibble to her two times a week. A neighbor convinced him to give her to rescue. When I got her she’d been through a few fosters bc she was not housebroken. She was a literal stick figure pug when I got her and she was treated like a queen for the rest of her days. I never felt more homicidal than when I wanted to wreck the guy who tried to milk a few bucks off herthen let her freeze in 30 degree weather. The USDA protects backyarders and millers. It’s disgusting. Godspeed Maddie, I amso glad I knew you.

diane1atk avatar
diane a
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have nothing but hate for these people who just want money regardless of the conditions of the animals. We had a pair of boxer girls - bred from the oldest one single time. It affected her health, Cannot comprehend these breeders putting female dogs through it again and again.

spitcher88 avatar
Hallie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Have a look at the dairy industry then if being over bred is an issue to you.

Load More Replies...
dopethronepunkuk avatar
HoffLensMetalHedLovesAnimalsUK
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should of been passed a long time ago but it's a good step in the right direction, i have been to many puppy mills as part of rescues and i can tell you, they smell, sound and look a thousand times worse than you can imagine, absolute living hell for the poor dogs. We need to look after our animals, enough is enough.

ealizabethane avatar
Lisa Shaw
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Having been involved in rescue for over 35 years, our slogan has been "adopt, don't shop" for at least that long. My personal theory is that if we could ban the sale of pets globally we could come close to or end the homeless pet problem. If we could stop it from being a lucrative opportunity to make money, then we could make some real progress toward ending the problem of both mistreatment and homelessness among the pet population. Think about it, if every person who has purchased a pet, sometimes for ungodly amounts of money and had taken in just one animal from a shelter, I feel like the need for shelters could go the way of the dinosaur with the crappy breeders.

rafaellabueno avatar
Rafaella Bueno
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The issue I have with it is that I don't think it would actually solve anything to completely ban breeders. At least when it comes to dogs. Dogs are way too different in size, behavior, energy levels etc. For many people, picking a certain breed is a conscious choice to accommodate a dog into their family. I have also seen a lot of people returning, giving away or just abandoning dogs *after adopting* because they couldn't deal with the dog's size or how energetic it became as it grew (something that we can't predict in mutts), and the fact the dog was free definitely did contribute to them not thinking it through too. I think what we need is to make people more aware of what it really means to have a pet and to stop people both buying and adopting on a whim without proper thought and research. If people did their research, they wouldn't buy from those places even if they wanted a breed dog.

Load More Replies...
elizabethsherrill avatar
Brittle.flower
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dog "breads" are not a real thing. They are not a scientific identification. They are a set of traits that are the result of inbreeding. It needs to Stop!

cverrilli avatar
Dr. Carlos Dangercat
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good! No dogs sold in pet stores will provide a bit more scrutiny of potential buyers/adopters and it won't be as easy to buy a dog on a whim.

wiltse_charlotte avatar
AND PEGGY
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

people who do this to assumingely innocent animals absolutely appall me. How can you do that to an adorable puppy like that.

spitcher88 avatar
Hallie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine if people cared as much about farm animals as they did dogs and cats, wouldn't that be novel.

sharronlparsons avatar
sharron lynn parsons
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This absolutely made my day, better late than never, Every city or community should do this, it takes constant, persistent, dedicated team work, I hope to see this until there are no more evil greedy pet abusers !!!

sycohen2005 avatar
NCC-1701
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a special place in Hell for anyone who mistreats a sweet and helpless animal.

jenniesapherson avatar
Jennie Sapherson
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Britain has always been a nation of animal carers, it's a shame they let their own people, including little children starve at the same time.

suzannesmith27 avatar
Suzanne Smith
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought this law was passed over a couple of decades ago? Not seen puppies or kittens in shops for at least 30 years?!

coriordan avatar
Cherie O
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a special kind of hell for people who abuse animals.....

charizzle87 avatar
Riz Leslie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In NYC, we take the stray kittens and cats that we have spayed and neutered and worked with to get accustomed to humans to certain pet stores for adoption. Not all cats in pet stores are from breeders. We’ve gotten hundreds adopted this way. It would be a travesty if we couldn’t bring the munchkins to these stores for adoption. Don’t assume ALL are from breeders in certain stores. Many are strays.

koriskinner avatar
Kori Skinner
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great! This will stop breeders too from breeding these animals so much, they develop many health problems. There's nothing wrong with shelter pets. Most can be trained unless the history of abuse has been log and intense.

tlilly avatar
Lilly
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

when i was younger, backyard breeding wasn't a term, and i got quite a few dogs/cats that way. when i got older and starting actually thinking about where things came from, backyard breeders became a plague to be avoided. my first shelter rescue was in 1978, and 99% of my animals have come from our local shelters since.

diane1atk avatar
diane a
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Home breeders- not just professional breeders are not a problem either. Someone breeding from their beloved pet isnt the same as unlicensed puppy mills. If you must have a puppy ensure it comes from it's own home and that you can satisfy for yourself the mother's health, certificates and the conditions in which the puppies have been reared. We bred as a one-off from our girl and she and the pups recieved every Vetinary care possible and the best of everything we could provide along with constant advice on tap from the mother's very experienced (Kennel Club Judge) breeder. In fact, 2 of the pups got into a scrap at 8 weeks old and one almost lost an eye. We paid almost £1000 in Vet bills to save her sight - was more than twice what she was sold to a friend for. A disreputable breeder would have likely quietly wrung her neck.

Load More Replies...
binanda_smada avatar
Usernames
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We need this law worldwide. Fur babies is like your soulmate. If you pay for fur babies, you will see them as a things that you can buy or sell.

avonleaarnette avatar
Catmeres
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Right but all dogs cost money, even if they're from a shelter you still have to pay an adoption fee

Load More Replies...
s-podveskoy-1994 avatar
Kim
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This dog is sooo tiny and fragile. Hope she's got a new wonderful life :3 This story is to change people's minds

emory_ce avatar
Carol Emory
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They need to do the same thing here in the USA. Anyone who says differently needs to watch "Amanda to the Rescue" when she tries to uncover illegal puppy mills in Missouri.....

abirex avatar
Abby Rexroth
Community Member
5 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Don't judge all by some. I bought two pugs from the same pet store. Gadget died @ 13yrs. well loved and I cried for 3 days when I had to put her down. I mourned for an entire year before even thinking of getting another pug. I was on a waiting list for 2 years before the call that brought Velvet and I together. Velvet is 4 now and is even more spoiled than Gadget was. Velvet is well loved, sleeps in bed with me and we are attached @ the hip. Could I have gotten a rescue dog? Yes, but I wanted one more puppy in my life; if I am lucky enough to get another dog it will be a rescue but Velvet fills my heart so I will enjoy her as long as I'm lucky enough to have her.

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