2 min read (Articles narrated by Mabel)
Presidential elections are stressful for so many humans, and no matter the results, there are always people who are upset, angry, and frustrated. But for dogs, things are much easier. All we ask is that laws are passed to give us better lives, which means no puppy mills and no breed restrictions. And luckily, amid the tense 2020 presidential election, dogs across the country experienced some life-changing wins!
San Antonio Bans Puppy Mill Sales!
With many states still allowing pet stores to sell puppy mill dogs, it’s a victory every time an area bans it. San Antonio, Texas helped bring a bright side to this stressful time by banning the sale of dogs in pet stores, specifically from breeders. If a pet store wishes to continue selling dogs, they can only sell dogs through rescues and shelters. Hopefully, this will help put an end to puppy mills in the San Antonio area.
Before this ban, there were only three major pet stores selling puppies: Petland, Puppyland, and Royal Pet Palace. Petland is one of the biggest puppy sale stores in the United States, and while they can no longer sell puppy mill dogs in San Antonio, there are still many other places where they will continue to sell them. So, please do not shop at Petland or any other store that sells puppies unless there’s proof that they’re rescue dogs. Organizations like Bailing Out Benji are working hard to ban puppy store sales in all areas of the country, but it will become easier if we all work together to stop supporting these inhumane businesses.
Denver Finally Removes Ban on Pit Bulls!
Denver, Colorado also had a huge win for dogs amid the election. After 30 years of not being allowed to own Pit Bulls, Denver has finally lifted the Pit Bull ban! As long as the dog meets Denver’s other pet laws, such as having a microchip, there is nothing stopping people from having one in their household.
This is especially important because Pit Bulls are not an official breed. A Pit Bull is a category of muscular dogs that can really be whatever breed the city decides. Pit Bulls have long been discriminated against because of rumors of aggression, but the breeds that fall under this category are just as lovable as any other dog. So, this is a huge victory for all dogs and dog lovers!
Dogs are the Real Election Winners
There’s no doubt that the election has been hard on many humans, but sometimes, we need to try to look on the bright side of things. Dogs experienced so much success this month, so it’s something we need to celebrate. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of all states treating all dogs with love and respect.
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Mabel the Rescue Dog 
And there seems to be two rescue dogs going to live in the White House. What a difference they will feel now? Instead of a kennel in rescue or shelter, they will get walks on the lawn and have the run of the West or East Wing as they want.
May I also endorse the comment about dont shop at stores that still sell puppies unless there is proof they’re rescues? In fact I would go further and say dont shop there at all. Instead go to a rescue or shelter and give a dog a home and save a life.
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Yes, I am also very excited to see rescue dogs in the White House for the first time! I was planning to write an article about them soon. And I agree that all pet stores that sell puppies should be avoided. In an ideal world, if a pet store wanted to sell puppies, they would work with a shelter or rescue, but sadly, I’ve heard many stories about pet stores lying and saying that puppy mill puppies are rescues. It’s sad how many people are willing to put dogs at risk for money, but I think the world is slowly moving in the right direction with these new laws.
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Here in the UK, selling puppies in a store is banned. Breeders are licensed so, in reality, people should be able to go to reputable breeders with some fair degree of confidence. Sadly people aren’t checking the basics and just getting dogs on line and ordering themselves a puppy without doing all the reasonable checks first. The bad people will always find a way around a system and the authorities are always playing catch up or dont think loopholes in legislation need closing.
As for the new furs-elect, I am not arguing with them as they’re bigger than me!
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I wish selling puppies in stores was banned here in the United States, but I recently learned how tricky it is to ban it even in one city, especially if the pet stores fight back. I don’t know how breeder licensing works in the UK, but here, puppy mill breeders can still be licensed. The requirements for a breeder are so minimal that they could be licensed and still be neglecting their dogs, which is heartbreaking. 😦 It’s a tricky situation and I wish more people were aware of the harsh reality of it.
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The standards for a breeder to achieve, here in the UK, sound higher so should mean there are more safeguards for dogs. Sadly, unscrupulous people manipulate the rules and manage to sell in-bred, deformed and frankly dangerously ill puppies to “unsuspecting” members of the public. The price of puppies has increased exponentially (good word for a beagle!) during the quarantine period this year. Whilst people are willing to pay 2-4,000 pounds for a puppy, the puppy mill industry will continue.
Really its only through education that people become more aware of the problem.
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During the pandemic here, I have sadly also noticed puppy prices increase significantly. I believe the average price for a Goldendoodle puppy is at least $4,000 now, which breaks my heart because think of how many dogs you could save if you used that money to adopt and donate to shelters instead. 😦
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People are popularly led to believe that if they buy a puppy from a “breeder” they are getting a perfect well behaved dog which they wouldn’t get with a rescue or shelter dog. It’s marketing on a grand scale which succeeds in enticing people to favour one method of getting a dog, over another method. People watch Crufts or AKC events and think “Ooh wouldn’t it be lovely to have a wonderful pedigree dog like that.. (fill in breed here)..” The Kennel Club do little to dissuade this consideration. Here is where I am stepping on dangerous territory likely with some infuriated comments from KC interested parties telling me it is just not true!
People still do not see rescue or shelter as a viable or reasonable option as much as they should. I know a large number of the dogs held by shelters in the UK were fostered out during the first quarantine, but the kennels were likely filled with more needy furs. And the question that no one has approached, looms upon the horizon. When life becomes more or less new normal, how many of the dogs adopted or fostered will no longer be viable due to “change in circumstances” and will need to go back to shelter for re-homing?
I was $200 when I chose my parents back in 2013. I was as difficult or easy as a puppy to understand, train and settle. I had my good days, bad days and, according to my parents, some days when they had to seriously bite their tongues. I wasnt a puppy, I didnt do my business in the house, I didnt chew furniture, I didnt rip blankets or beds apart! I did shred toys hugely but that was born out of frustration on my part that I didnt know what was happening and whether I would stay or be moved along like I had on the previous occasions. There is a website called gumtree which sells pets on line (it should be stopped from doing so). Just had a look on there and the prices are between 800 – 2000 for a “purebred” dog. I am truly worried for the safety of an awful lot of the dogs which appear on there and which is sold on to unscrupulous people.
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I wish more people thought of rescue dogs as a first choice when getting a dog. I’ve never done a DNA test, but as far as I can tell, Mabel is a purebred Shih Tzu (which doesn’t matter to me, but I know it does to some people) and she was very well-behaved. People often look at her and don’t realize she’s a rescue because they assume all rescues are just older dogs or mixed breeds. I know some shelters don’t have as many options, but if more people were patient and spent time getting to know dogs at rescues, they would see that rescue dogs are just as perfect as any purebred puppy, if not more. That’s why whenever anyone tells me they want a new dog, I recommend rescues and shelters to help steer them toward a rescue dog. I wish more people would choose dogs for their personalities, not their breed.
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