The Puppy Trade: Still a Lucrative Business

According to a recent article   published by the Huffington Post, there appears to be a significant amount of pet stores meeting the demands of the public by selling puppies that come from puppy farms. I will not belabor this issue further by citing the numerous problems associated with this type of business, or the serious health and behavioral issues for these animals associated with these farms; most are quite informed about such things and in knowing so, choose not to patronize such businesses. A bigger concern here is, where this “demand” is coming from? Are there really that many pet stores out there benefiting from this industry or is it something more?

According to the article, many dog owners are … unaware they've purchased their puppy from a pet shop as these days many licensed pet shops are not contained within traditional high street retail premises; examples include garden centers and private dealers posing as breeders. So this demand persists due to ignorance? I think not.

Enter the Pet Industry Federation (PIF). They appear to be protecting this industry as clearly someone somewhere must be benefiting from this trade. Why else have such a prominent and influential organization involved?

That said, PIF has come out with a plan, a “Quality Audit,” that will tackle this problem at its source and have vowed complete transparency throughout the entire program as it is implemented.

Since its launch information has been slow in coming, if at all from PIF as far as how the program is doing, leaving many who have been following this story with quite a bowl of incredulity. Clearly there is more going on here that is thus far shrouded in esoteric nonsense. What are you hiding [PIF], and more importantly, why?