pet connection

A couple years ago I spent the month of December pointing out how many truly heartless and greedy people crank out sick and neurotic puppies in deplorable conditions for Christmas sales. It used to be that these puppy-millers had to go through brokers to get their “livestock” into pet stores, but with the popularity of the Internet, many are now able to sell direct to an unsuspecting public.

Of course, dirtbags like this one are still out there, but at least they’re not on Craig’s List anymore. Craig Newmark, who was kind enough to respond to every one of my e-mails asking him to quit being an accomplice to animal cruelty, has made it very difficult for puppy-millers and high-volume back yard breeders to sell on his site. (And lest you think back-yard breeders are just nice people trying to make a buck, consider that they usually pay no taxes on their nice little business. I tracked one Labrador breeder in the San Jose area who was making about $30K a year, tax-free. As a person who pays her taxes — income, property, sales — I resent someone who adds to the problem of pet overpopulation and doesn’t contribute with taxes for municipal services to clean up the mess they cause. And that doesn’t begin to take into account the heartbreak involved in selling Labradors without genetic screening to families with children who will be heartbroken when their dog develops hip dysplasia and has to be euthanized because the surgery costs more than the family can afford.)

The most clueless, careless, greedy and just plain cruel of breeders are still selling on the Internet, and let the buyer beware. But at least Craig’s List (and eBay) have a heart and have opted out of this sick industry.

Looking for a pet this Christmas? You might consider that another time of year might offer your family better options. If you still want a dog now, consider adopting a homeless one through Petfinder. And if you must have a purebred puppy, check out these guidelines for some help in figuring out the breeders to avoid.

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