Think twice before importing a pet
Recently, a beautiful German shepherd we dubbed Meadow was found as a stray and brought to Marin Humane. She was scanned for a microchip and we were glad to see she had one. The only problem: It was registered to a microchip company in Germany!
Fortunately, we happen to have a Germanborn staff member who was able to translate the information and help us track down to whom the chip was registered. The answer was a breeder in Germany. Meadow (whose given name was Viona) had been shipped as a puppy all the way to the buyer in California.
Earlier this year, the owner asked the breeder to take Meadow back but the breeder said they could not — not surprising since Germany is around 5,600 miles away.
Meadow is doing well and was adopted to a loving family but her story illustrates why buying puppies from breeders out of state — and indeed, out of the country — is so problematic. One of the tenants of breeders who consider themselves “reputable” is that they will always take the animal back — something that's obviously incredibly difficult to do if they're sold to people far away.
Another reason not to have an animal shipped to you is that you're not seeing for yourself where that animal came from. Anyone can create websites that portray their facility/ home as a beautiful, safe and loving environment. Images of puppies running on green grass and happy mom dogs suckling their puppies certainly look idyllic but often the reality is anything but.
Large-scale puppy mills or inhumane home breeders often keep animals in deplorable and inhumane conditions. They're given little, if any, prenatal or postnatal care, which can result in poor health and under-socialization. Female
dogs used for breeding are overbred and typically have a life span of four or five years, after which they're dealt with however the breeder sees fit.
Puppy mill dogs suffer from genetic problems affecting the kidneys, hips, eyes and even their personalities.
In short, puppy mills put profit over the health and well-being of their animals.
If you still want to buy a puppy, remember to:
• Never buy online. In addition to what's outlined above, shipping animals — especially long distances — can be tough on them and sometimes, even dangerous.
• Avoid pet stores. These puppies generally come from out of state and face the same issues puppies sold online go through.
• Always visit the breeder yourself. Reputable breeders will be happy to show you their facilities.
• Meet the parents of the puppy you want.
• Expect a contract with breed papers, vaccination information and a provision for you to return the dog if it doesn't work out. A breeder who doesn't care enough about the puppy they're selling to guarantee they'll take the dog back is not a reputable breeder.
If you have your heart set on a certain breed, there are many breedspecific rescues in the
Bay Area and, of course, there's always your friendly neighborhood animal shelter with plenty of pets waiting patiently for a forever home.