Pet Stores Throughout New Jersey Purchase Pets to Sell From Puppy Mills.....

Target: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

Goal: Force pet stores to disclose where their pets were bred and enforce the minimum quality of life standards for those pets

Many pet stores throughout New Jersey purchase pets to sell from puppy mills, a fact to which the consumer is largely ignorant. Currently, there are no regulations in place to force pet stores to fully disclose the origin of the pets they sell. Worse still, there are no regulations in the state to ensure the animals are only being purchased from puppy mills that follow even the most basic federal or state laws on humane treatment. An amendment to tighten existing laws was passed by the State Assembly and Senate, and is waiting for Governor Christie to sign into law.

Unlike certified, caring breeders, puppy mills pay little to no attention to genetics when breeding dogs, leading to unhealthy defects that can seriously threaten the dogs’ quality of life. The puppies are often kept in crowded, unhygienic and inhumane conditions, and healthy dogs are often housed with sick animals, unnecessarily exposing them to illness. Many dogs arrive at their new home already sick, having been purchased by individuals who were unaware of the circumstances of their breeding and care.

Puppy mill mothers are often stacked on each other in wire-floored cages and bear litter after litter without time to recover. When they can no longer breed, they are often killed or discarded. Documentation about the dogs is regularly falsified, making it difficult to certify compliance with federal and state regulations on the treatment of the animals and pet stores often are not expected to supply information about the breeders. Unfortunately, many consumers are left completely in the dark about where their pet-store purchased puppy comes from and will continue to be without laws ensuring full disclosure.

Puppy mills continue to supply many of the country’s pet stores and will continue to do so unless informed consumers take a stand. Urge New Jersey Governor Christie to pass legislation that would protect animals and consumers from cruel puppy mills by signing the petition below.