Not meaning to ruffle feathers

I hope she will stay, too. My Mama always thought pet store puppies were cute and she did not even know rescues existed until someone told her about them. She thought a pet store was THE place to get a pet. Now she knows better, but that is because someone told her. Good thing too, or she would never have found me.
Stay, friend.

I really hope this person stays with us. Most of the people on IP are EXTREMELY nice, good, positive people who do not intend to come across negatively. While I also feel that some of the pet shop discussions have gotten a bit strong, I would not leave IP. While I am VERY anti-puppy mill, the general population seems to still be VERY unaware of them and some just have "couldn't happen here syndrome". Everyone needs to remember that people who purchase their pets from pet stores or breeders LOVE their pets just as much as those who adopt from a shelter or rescue. We are getting new IP people daily now. None of the newbies have been involved in the previous discussions. Not everyone agrees that buying animals from pet stores is wrong, and everyone should be allowed to have their own views. We need to make a point to be inclusive on this site. Education is one thing, alienating people is another. Just my two cents. - humbly stepping of her soapbox-

I guess I'm a little confused here. Without knowing what exactly they are taking offense to, it's hard to explain it one way or the other. I don't recall anyone ever condeming a person for buying a puppy from a pet store(after the fact). Once it's done, it's done. The point is to educate so they don't make that same choice again. Many people have no idea where those puppies come from and the lives that their parents live. It may not be a nice thought and would make me very unhappy if I had bought a puppy from a pet store, but it's something that needs to get out to the general public. Once you have the pup, it's a little too late but the hope is that with education, that person won't choose to buy from a pet shop again. I would hate for anyone to leave because they felt like they were not welcome because they had bought their pup from a pet shop. Please have your buddy start a post about her dog or her thoughts so we can address those concerns directly. It was really nice of you to post this but I'm still a little confused. Do you think it would help if I told her to Sit and Stay?☺ I think so many of us have strong opinions because it's something that we are passionate about and we see the " pet shop puppy fall out" in our rescues that we volunteer with. Who knows, some of my dogs might have originally come from pet stores. I don't love them any less. I personally feel like it's something that I need to do to help the dogs that don't have a voice of their own. We are given animals to be their stewards and to give them the best life possible and that's what I'm trying to do for all animals.

I'll say right out...I'm pretty sure I got Eddie from a Back Yard Breeder. It was before I knew ANYTHING about breeders, pet shops, etc. Hubby just HAD to have a beagle. I hope they stay, I think Everyone should be welcome. I do take offense to people who come here and advertise for stud services, etc, but I know that everyone has their opinion. Where you got your dog is up to you. While I do advocate shelters, I can't in good conscience say only go to them, because we didn't. Anyway, I hope they stay!

I'm not certain of the direct quote but from the message I got, it had something to do with the phrase "adopted from the pet store" and being told that it wasn't adoption, it was buying. And I'm not sure if it was the post itself that upset her or if someone contacted her via PM. I would hope no one would do that. Perhaps Sit/Stay would work or "don't leave it" ;0)

Right on, Mama T! I don't care where a person gets a dog as long as it's loved, cared for and treated humanely. As we've learned on this site recently, there are supposedly reputable breeders who have issues with their puppies and knowingly sell them. Just because a pup comes from a pet store doesn't make it an alien lifeform or any less desireable than a rescue or pup from a breeder. They offer the same love and companionship regardless. Hang in there with us, the good far outweighs the bad.

I hope they don't leave. I also hope that we all learn things from one another in all aspects of pet love and care, including where pet shop puppies come from.

I don't want anyone to feel unwelcome here. I don't look down on people who have bought their dogs from a pet store or a breeder. I would hope when they find out why we prefer rescues/shelters, that they will agree and stand with us. If not, that doesn't mean we can't agree to disagree and be friends. I don't require my friends to believe and act the way I do. We're all on our own path in this life, and we should make choices according to our own conscience. Just because I don't agree with a choice someone makes doesn't mean I don't like them as a person. If my post about my mom made her uncomfortable I apologize. I do give my mom grief about her choices and she gives me grief about mine at times. I'm not rude to her, and she is not rude to me. We've just known each other for 32 years and feel comfortable giving each other grief!

I hope she stays after, all this is a place to discuss your pets wheather they be petshop pups to shelter pups. Who are we to judge where one gets their pups from to be honest we all have opions and that is what makes it interesting. Most of us at some point in our lives have gotten a pup from pet shops and still do. I must admit I have gotten 2 pups from uncle Bills and sadly they had such health issues 1 only made it 2 years and the other 4 years,also sammi is from a breeder and she had a sister that only survived 3 years. It was my choice to buy those pups and it killed me each time one passed all because of health problem. At one point I said no more Sammi would be the only dog for me, But then I happen to go to Petsmart & Kay came to me and said, hey look at this dirty smelly dog.
it only took one look and along with that fact she peed on Kay's foot from excitement, I was hooked, She is my first adopted dog. then along came the others. and I have no regrets about any of the dogs I purchased or adopted, And they all have or had issues, but my vet reminds me all the time that they seem to come to me for a reason.
I figure it is to keep me poor from vet bills,lol. Point is it doesn't matter where you get your pup as long as you love it and care for it properly. Stay Mama T's friend.

I hope she stays too! I think that this site has taught us all so much about animal rights... and the thing I really like, is that I don't think people are "judgey" especially in regard to a beloved pet.

Nigel came from a professional breeder - and I wouldn't trade him for the world. This site has taught me so much about shelters, animal welfare and opened my eyes to the needs of those animals who are as great as Nigel, but have happened on less charmed circumstances. Do I think we'll make a different decision and adopt rather than go to a breeder with our next dog? For sure, but that's because of the people on this site... I've never felt anyone judged me or my dog for the decision to purchase him.

The discussion does get heated at times, but I think that's great - it shows people's passion.

I really hope she stays and if any of MY comments caused such hurt feelings, I apologize.

That is something I have said (though not to any particular individual and definitely not in a pm). It wasn't meant to offend anyone, just saying that we should call things what they are. Pet stores treat dogs like merchandise, so to them it is a sale. ALL dogs are deserving of love, despite their origin. I know of many dog lovers who, after being involved in forums like this one and dogster, are grateful that they've learned the true origin of pet shop puppies and now know what to look for when selecting a dog from a shelter, rescue, or responsible & reputable breeder. If someone got a pet store puppy before knowing, it's not anything to be condemned for, or ashamed of, and it was never my intention to make them feel that way. It's one of those "live & learn" things. I know I've made my share of mistakes and they aren't things I plan to repeat. If someone knowingly supports puppy mills, well, that's a different story.

Look at how far we have all come from the days that we sang " how much is that doggy in the window ( I still love and sing that song incidentally) I don't know where the pet store puppies came from 30-40 years ago( I am dating myself here) did I think about it growing up? No . It is different people talking and sharing real experiences that make us learn and hopefully we can make things better. I just spoke with a young girl who is thrilled with her new puppy from Petland . She couldn't afford it before the store was closing. I told her I was thrilled the puppy has such a good home, I couldn't bear to upset her .Please ask your friend to come back, we all mean well but it is such a difficult issue and it is so frustrating that animals continue to suffer because of the cruelty of some humans.

Back in the 80's, I got an adorable Toy Poodle from a pet shop in Washington Square Mall. When I took him to my vet, he said that I was very lucky that my puppy was so healthy, because so many from the pet shops aren't. That made me think, and ever since then I've done my homework about the pet shop animals, and have only gotten my dogs thru rescue groups. It's just getting the word out to people like myself who just didn't know. My goodness, the dog can't help it that he came from deplorable conditions. As in everything else, it pays to do your homework first.

Deuce came from Uncle Bill's and thus a puppy mill. I'm very lucky he's been as healthy as he is. Before we joined IndyPaws, I didn't know a thing about puppy mills. I use to go to Pass Pets in the Castleton Mall and just wanted to buy those little puppies cause they were so cute! I came very close to buying one, but I really couldn't afford it. Anyway, I've learned so much since I've joined this community. I'm sure I've spoken out strongly against puppy mills because I'm very compassionate about animal welfare and the intense, non-stop suffering that puppy mills inflict on dogs (adults and puppies both).

Anywhoo...I hope your friend stays on here because it's a great community and even though we can have heated discussions, I think that we're all learning lots of things. Some of us need to learn how to better communicate messages so as not to come off so judgemental (pointing the finger at myself).

I would never buy a dog from a pet store but my 2 kids have gotten their dogs from a breeder. The beagle breeder was wonderful and did everything right. My daughter got her tiny dogs from back yard breeders. Both were very clean but not as great as the beagle breeder. I got my Daisy from a shelter. My son's mixed beagle came from a shelter.

Until all the puppy mills are shut down, there will be puppies in pet stores. Those who buy these puppies are really saving a life.
We need better laws to get rid of the puppy mills.
Plus we need to educate people to take care of their dog/cat and get them spay and neuter.

The puppy mills are full, the shelters are full and people are to blame. This person bought her dog from a pet store and I'm sure she loves it as much as I love my Daisy. If this dog never found a home, where would it end up at? Would it's fate be the same as a dog in a shelter that ran out of time?

Several months ago I started a post about the guilt I felt at not having a shelter dog. I got Abby 11 years ago when I was in my mid 20's and I simply did not know any better. After looking into it further, I realized that I didn't get her from what is probably a "reputable breeder" either. I don't think you are all saying that dogs that come from the shelter should be loved any less - no one can love and care for Abby the way I do - she is the light of my life. I understand by reading all of everyone's posts that you are simply passionate about the welfare of animals. I can tell you that I have learned a great deal in reading these posts - I have always loved animals, but I was simply uneducated about backyard breeders. Now I know and will always get rescue dogs from this point forward. Sometimes I do feel like maybe I don't "fit in" enough to post certain things, or to attend certain events, because I don't have a shelter dog, but I know that is probably because of my own insecurities. The key is education - and it is happening slowly but surely!

Don't fit in?! Girl, get your butt to the events and have fun with us!! :)
We're all crazy animal people no matter where the animals come from! From the sounds of your post, you'll fit right in!!

Some of us are known as the Crazy Dog Lady ;0)

I hope that our friend is still reading and changes her mind.

Believe me - most people who know me think I am a crazy dog person! Some say I try to assign human emotions to dogs. I know I treat Abby more like a person than a dog but what does it hurt! I think I may look a little crazy walking down the street having a talk with Abby about her trying to slither out of her collar. I guess you can't really reason with dogs!

Oh, I reason with mine all the time! Whether it's of any use, I don't know but it makes me feel better! :)

Yeah, get out to some of these events! I know I can sound pretty crappy sometimes in my posts...all that zeal and just the overwhelming despair sometimes.

I digress....we're almost all crazy dog people...I also talk to all my dogs! I had a dream once that Deuce started speaking back to me. How's that for crazy???

Anything going on this weekend?

Here is the link to the calendar for this Saturday (http://indypaws.com/cityguide/events/list?event_date%5Bend_date%5D=2008-07-26&event_date%5Bstart_date%5D=2008-07-26)

Also, Wags is having adoptions this weekend, too. (http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/IN155.html)

I'm sure other people will be able to tell you about more stuff. There's almost always something fun and/or pet friendly to do.

Kris, really???? I had a dream where Sheila and I were carrying on a conversation within the last month. Me, crazy? Yup!

The cardi kids and I constantly talk to one another. I'm crazy about these dogs, and often times, just plain crazy. There's something special about most dog people; we all have opinions, like to share our stories and love our pups unconditionally. As my nest empties, my cardi "children" are becoming my focus so that I have a life beyond my absent human kids. Rally is great - great people and great dogs. Once I figure out how much valerian root Starter needs to keep from spazzing out, he'll be out in the ring again working on his Rally Advanced and Miss Trek works on her novice. My big step will be in the conformation ring with her, since I've never done a beauty show before. And no, I'm not going to become a BFF!

Soo many times we'd go into a pet store and see the puppies. Of course all your heart wants to do is get them out of there and for some, if they didn't get bought they'd have died. I know that buying from them is fuel to the puppymills, but I didn't know that until we adopted Kirby. His breeder was the one who educated us. I've had shelter dogs and spoiled rotten purebreds (whom I love!) from incredible breeders. I really hope that your friend feels like this site is for learning as well as having fun. We all get mouthy on here and it's because we see where most of those pet store puppies end up. Some don't and are wonderful pets, but unfortunately this isn't the norm. Please stay friend!

I got Remus off the internet. I'd wanted a Cavalier for years but lived in an apartment and had a spoiled cat. Once I moved into a house and Cleo sadly passed away I was all over the internet looking for the "perfect" Cavalier. I found this guy in Oklahoma that had 2. A Tri and a Blenheim known as Amy's 1 & Amy's 2. I called and he was so helpful with all my questions. I decided to get Amy's 2 (Remus). The day I went to the airport to pick him up was the most excited I'd ever been and he was everything I'd ever wanted. The guy even called to make sure he made it safe. After a couple of weeks I checked to see if Amy's 1 had been bought and there was probably 15 Cavalier's listed for sale from this guy. That was my wakeup call. I knew something was not right. While I wouldn't trade Remus for the world I feel like he was sent to open my eyes to the awful things people are doing in the name of greed. I will always be partial to Cavalier's but I feel for all of them and try to do what I can to help. Everybody has been really nice to me. We've had our difference of opinions from time to time but I've always felt welcome. Tell your IP friend not to leave because of where she got her dog.

Kristin, I hope you never again feel like you might not fit in. We come from all walks of life, all different backgrounds with animals, some of us crazy, some of us whatever passes for normal around here on a given day. We all share a love for animals, and especially our domesticated pets. Join the fun! We try to post when more than a couple of us are going to be somewhere. For example, I will be at the Kokomo Pet Expo on 8/2 all day, and would love to meet you if you can come. Sometimes we just decide to hang with a couple of people we have met from the site. About 8 or 10 of us gathered after the Puppy Mill Protest on the Circle a couple weeks ago and had lunch. It was a lot of fun getting to know people from the site.

I have entire conversations w/ Eddie. And he's a human to me. I was late to my very own surprise birthday party last weekend cuz I HAD to stop at 3 dog bakery. I thought Eddie should have a treat on my birthday too :)

I love this site as well. When I inquired about Oscar's food, I learned more from people on here than most of the websites could tell me. EVeryone has different ideas on things, BUT...

To me, EVERY person on this site has the right idea, because one way or another, we all have the same issue on our minds: our dogs. I have never purchased a puppy from a pet store, because I simply don't agree with ANYTHING a pet store does. The really crappy thing about that is, those puppies need loving homes just like any other dog/puppy. Oscar does, however, come from a breeder who I would probably visit again. I am for ANYONE who has adopted or purchased a dog and gives it the life it deserves.