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HOW MUCH IS THAT
DOGGIE IN THE WINDOW?
Far too many consumers find out the hard way that the cute little puppy they purchased at the local pet store is, in fact, very sick and in need of costly veterinary care from the moment they bring it home. And tragically, in spite of heroic and expensive efforts to save them, the puppies are often too ill to survive.
The Westport Coalition against Puppy Mills is seeking volunteers to help launch a new service to assist consumers with complaints against pet stores and internet puppy suppliers.
The Coalition is a concerned group of community volunteers who are committed to raising awareness about puppy mills, their inhumane treatment of dogs and the direct connection to local pet stores in Connecticut. The Coalition collects data and conducts research and is dedicated to educating consumers so they can make informed decisions regarding the health and welfare of the puppies they purchase.
The Coalition is aware of approximately 100 cases in Connecticut where sick puppies have been purchased from local pet stores. Currently, there is no effective means for consumers to report these problems and there is no agency dedicated to handling complaints against pet store abuses.
The data collected by the Coalition against Puppy Mills indicates that the problem is indeed widespread, yet current laws do little to protect consumers and puppies.
The Connecticut "lemon law" for puppies is one of the weakest in the nation and allows for reimbursement of only $200 to consumers for veterinary bills but only if you return the puppy which most people won’t do. Yet consumers routinely spend thousands of dollars on veterinary care for the sick puppies they buy at pet stores. The Coalition is working on passage of two key legislative bills this session, SB 499 to strengthen the puppy lemon law and SB 856 to require pet shops to advertise the origin of the puppies they sell. Volunteers are needed to help ensure these bills pass to help puppies and the consumers that buy them.
"It is clear that people with a sick puppy and mounting vet bills don’t know what to do," said Allison Allen, a founding member of the Coalition against Puppy Mills. "Consumers mistakenly assume that their situation is unique. They don’t understand that this is all too typical of puppies that have come from puppy mills and have been sold commercially at pet stores. Often pet owners are grief stricken and do nothing," said Ms. Allen. "Unfortunately, doing nothing enables the pet stores to continue to sell sick puppies to unsuspecting consumers."
If you would like to volunteer or if you are have a problem with a puppy purchased at a pet store, contact the Coalition at 203-858-4194 or visit their website at savepuppymilldogs.com.
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