It has recently come to our attention that some Lower Mainland pet stores that sell puppies have been claiming that the breeders who supply them are regularly inspected and registered by humane societies or the SPCA.
This is simply not true. The SPCA only inspects if there is a complaint and there is no regulatory system to guarantee “reputable” breeding.
There are no independent inspections of breeders and being registered with a kennel club only ensures a breeder has agreed to a voluntary code of ethics.
Our advice is simple: Please adopt, don’t buy. The pet trade is a huge industry, with breeders often supplying the animals to “brokers” who warehouse the animals before shipping them to retailers.
When you buy an animal online or from a pet store it’s likely you’re supporting this cruel trade. Only adopt from shelters and rescue groups. When you buy an animal instead of adopting one, it means another homeless animal remains languishing in a shelter.
Peter Fricker, Director
Projects and Communications
