It's important that the public are made aware of what goes on behind the scenes and to think before they buy a companion animal. A major contributor to the animal overpopulation problem is impulse buying, which is obviously encouraged by a pet store to turnover 'stock' and make a profit. There are thousands of animals waiting for their chance at a forever home in the shelters around South Africa and thousands of potential pets are euthanised every year.
The cute, small breeds are put in the shop windows to attract children and impulsive buyers. The pet shop owners are only interested in making money; they are running a business after all. They are not concerned about home checks, educating their buyers about the proper care for their new pet or in taking responsibility for the innoculation, sterilisation or their well-being. Once the novelty wears off or the animal is no longer cute and small, many new owners abandon their pets either just on the street or to lament in a shelter to face a life of isolation and perhaps even euthanisia.
In countries like Croatia, Belgium and the Netherlands the selling of pet shop animals has been banned entirely, thanks to the efforts of AR activists. We need new legislation to tackle the issue of backyard breeders and puppy mills. In spite of legislative authorites such as the South African Pet Traders Association, animal traders are generally not regulated and the females used for breeding are quite often neglected and not given sufficient time to recover between litters. Membership is voluntary and, even then, few comply with the association's best practices.
How you can help
Resist the temptation to buy that fluffy kitten or puppy in the window while backyard breeders and puppy farms churn out litters to the detriment of the animals. It perpetuates the vicious cycle of breeding for profit, while there are so many animals in shelters without homes. This industry is built on the insatiable greed of pet shop owners, backyard breeders and puppy mills that profit from the misery of these animals.- Only support pet shops that do not sell stock puppies, kittens and other live animals.
- Adopt from your local shelter. Visit our Rescue Organisations page to find a shelter near you.
- If you do want to buy a dog from a breeder, ensure that they are KUSA registered.
- If you want a cat from a breeder, visit the Southern Africa Cat Council for listings.
- Petition the government Ministers and ask them to take action (see sample below)
- Email CAIM to notify us of any pet shops that are selling live animals.
- Support Beauty Without Cruelty's Ban Animal Trading initiative.
Even if you think you are doing the right thing by buying the animal from the petshop to 'rescue' it and give it a home, you are only creating a space for the next animal to be sold.
Click here to read Brecklagh Rattery's insightful article Why not use Pet Shops for a legitimate rat breeder's view on the pet trade. It is an attempt to show peope the truth behind pet shop animals, with the help of photos, to get the point across.
Sample Letter
Dear Minister
RE: Petition calling for you to immediately ban the sale of animals (especially dogs and cats) from pet shops.
Because the South African pet shop market for live animals represents big money, backstreet breeders and puppy farmers are indiscriminately producing enormous quantities of puppies and kittens and selling them to pet shops.
Pet shops encourage the impulse purchase of animals by ill-informed people who later discard their pet when they realise that pet ownership is not as easy or cheap as they thought. These are the animals that end up in the shelters and many thousands are euthanased each year.
Even though statistics are difficult to obtain and are poorly kept, we estimate that 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats are euthanased each year by animal welfare agencies. There are simply too many bred and not enough homes. This is an absolute disgrace and no humane South African could possibly want this situation to continue.
People can buy their animal companion from pounds, animal shelters or rescue centres and save a life! Or visit a reputable, registered breeder. They will receive better information on the future care of their pet and be vetted for suitability as an owner.
I look forward to hearing from you about how you will close the pet shop market for puppies and kittens that keeps cruel puppy farmers and backstreet breeders in business churning out more and more animals. Pet shops should only be for the sale of pet food and accessories.
Please don't reply with a standard, duplicated letter that talks about the conditions under which animals are kept in pet shops and other issues which, whilst important, are not relevant to those raised here.
Yours sincerely,
YOUR NAME
Your address