Puppy Mills Breed Misery

Buying Your New Puppy Online…..No Papers? Nooooo Problem.
Really?   NO not really. The Animal Pedigree Act, under Article 64, states: “No person shall offer to sell, contract to sell or sell, as a purebred of a breed, any animal that is not registered or eligible to be registered as a purebred by the association authorized to register animals of that breed or by the Corporation”. It is against the law to sell a dog as purebred if it is not registered or eligible to be registered. First let’s put registration fees in perspective .Based on the Canadian Kennel Club 2013 fee schedule, each litter can be registered at a cost of $21.20 and each dog can be transferred to a new owner for $37, so the most expensive registration done in a timely manner for a single puppy litter costs $58.20. Registration is an inexpensive way to preserve the heritage of the breed, and offering registered puppies shows a breeder takes pride in knowing the bloodlines of the dogs they are breeding. The Canadian Livestock Act states that registration papers MUST be supplied FREE for any animal that is being represented as “purebred”. (Check it out at the Canadian Kennel Club website www.ckc.ca ). So, why do sellers sell puppies without papers? Let’s look at that more closely. Litter registration with the Canadian Kennel Club can be as little as $20. Individual registration is $16 if it’s done promptly and correctly. So why do you think someone would NOT register their dogs if they were truly purebred and they put the time, effort and money into the litters required to have healthy strong puppies. Let’s assume that you decide to purchase that inexpensive (not always), “purebred but not registered” puppy. You won’t likely know for sure that it is indeed purebred until it grows up, and maybe it won’t look much like a purebred at that time. But then you didn’t pay much, and all puppies are cute, right? How are you ever going to know your puppy is purebred without papers? How do you follow the pedigree and health of the line your puppy comes from? Some breeders will tell you it is expensive to register litters ( we know that isn’t true) so they will take some money off the price and give you a good deal. NO…that is against the law. You have to have papers within 6 months. If a puppy is being sold as purebred without papers , ask the breeder why they don’t register their puppies? It is against the law!!! If the parents aren’t registered how do the breeders themselves know they are selling purebred puppies? The term purebred in it’s truest sense means that your puppy can be traced all the way back to it’s foundation stock, it’s great great great grand parents and farther back depending on the line. It shows no other breed has been introduced to your dogs lineage. Wouldn’t a reputable breeder want to keep that line going by registering their pups if they could? It also gives the breeder a good marker as to the health of this line. Remember, because the parents are the same breed, does not make the puppies purebred; it simply makes them the same breed as their parents and that is how they should be advertised as the breed, not as purebred. So who would not register puppies? Breeders who want to stay off the grid or seller under the table will not register. Breeders who are breeding illegally ( breaking a no breed contract) Backyard breeders do not register Inbred puppies will not be registered Puppy Mills do not register Non purebred puppies will not be registered. Stolen dogs that are bred will not be registered. Imported dogs (especially bull dogs) will not be registered Don’t be confused by the term Registered Breeder on some Ads The terms ‘registered breeder’ or ‘recognized breeder’ are also used to refer to someone who is registered with their local council as a breeder. The term ‘registered breed’ should not be confused with ordinary dog or cat registration. It is a legal requirement to register your cat or dog with the local council. Registration as a ‘recognized breeder’ with the local council does not necessarily indicate a breeder is responsible or meets adequate animal welfare standards. My Thoughts I am not an elitist when it comes to dogs. I love all dogs equally , purebreds and mutts. I just believe that people should not be lulled into a false sense of security by the word purebred and all that it stands for. Before I knew everything I know today, I bought a dog that was supposed to be purebred. I also wanted a very healthy well bred dog and was willing to pay the price to get it. He didn’t come with papers and I fell for the lines my breeder gave me, “he’s a pet, no need for papers….papers are too expensive so I took off $300.00. etc etc. I was given all kinds of things to take home, I thought this breeder was the best possible match for us. By the time my boy was 14 months old, he was having seizures, his hips were bad, his right foot turned in and he was to be on many meds for the rest of his life. My breeder was none too receptive when I called to let her know about the seizures. I didn’t want anything from her, I simply wanted her to be aware of his condition for future reference. I never heard from her again. There are so many ads on classifieds like Kijiji that are selling “purebred” puppies. When I call them and ask about papers, they say none given. When I ask if the parents are registered 95% say no. This is false advertising, it is illegal and it is duping people who do not know the ins and outs of breeding and registration. They don’t know they are entitled to these papers. They see “purebred” and they think they are safe. I wonder how many people bought “purebred” puppies and didn’t get papers? 90% ….more? I receive so many emails from people who specifically bought their puppies because the ad said purebred. They thought that word “purebred” guaranteed them a healthy, well bred puppy and they felt secure in their choice of breeder for that reason. The breeder told them they did not give out papers because they sell their pups only as pets,or that because papers are so expensive they pass the savings onto the buyers. These people often times end up with a puppy that is not purebred, and may have genetic disorders that have been handed down from the parents or grandparents. A breeder who just puts two dogs together of the same breed to have puppies by law, cannot claim to have purebred puppies unless they have all the paperwork to back it up. People should not be getting duped into paying purebred prices for same bred puppies. They should not be duped into believing that this breeder has spent time and money to guarantee that their puppies have sound genetics and a strong pedigree. Unethical breeders will use this term to give themselves more credibility. Hobby breeders use purebred for same breed puppies more often than not. If they were really reputable, they would advertise their puppies as same breed which means both parents are the same breed but not purebred. Then at least, the potential buyer can make an informed decision. Some hobby breeders don’t know it is illegal to sell their puppies as purebred without papers . Shame on them for not doing all the research necessary to be sure they are not doing anything illegal or duping their potential customers. I saw an ad for a bulldog…$3000.00… no papers. With all the genetic defects a bulldog can have, you sure want papers and pedigree to assure the breeder has done everything in their power to produce a healthy line. That seller is committing a crime but do buyers know that? No. Think of the papers as similar to the history of a car you are buying.   You wouldn’t want to buy a Porche’ with a Volkswagen engine would you? There are many initials and registries breeders will put on their ads like…CKC (Continental Kennel Club), NKC (National Kennel Club), UKC , ABDR, and many more and they are fine organizations but, none of those require your dog to be purebred to join. Many backyard breeder will join them to give the appearance of respectability. If you see those initials in an ad, you must also look for CKC (Canadian Kennel Club). Purebred puppy???? No papers…no puppy!!!