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Riley, 2, a longhair dachshund, was purchased from an Oviedo breeder, not a pet store that likely gets its dogs from 'puppy mills.' Several local pet stores have taken a pledge to not sell mill puppies, but to encourage adoption instead. The Humane Society of the United States is spearheading the national campaign to stop animal abuse.
Photo by Jenny Andreasson — The Voice

Some Central Florida pet stores are taking a "puppy-friendly" pledge for the love of man's best friend. Advocating to stop the sale of puppies from puppy mills as part of a nationwide campaign for the Humane Society of the United States, these stores are proclaiming, "We love puppies, that's why we don't sell them."

Instead of selling puppies for profit, local pet retailers have joined more than 200 stores nationwide in making the action to "adopt a pet" their official stance on the issue.

Kathleen Summers, manager of the Stop Puppy Mills Campaign for HSUS, said the basic idea for the pledge is to nationally celebrate stores that are showing that they can run a successful business without using mill puppies.

The campaign was initially launched last November because of an HSUS lawsuit against pet-store chain Petland, the largest retailer of mill puppies, Summers said.

It was re-launched this summer to encourage consumers to show their support for the campaign by shopping for pet supplies at stores not selling puppies, but advocating adoption.

"Sadly, thousands of well-meaning consumers unwittingly support puppy mills every year by purchasing puppies from pet stores, not knowing that almost all pet store puppies come from puppy mills," Summers said. "By adopting pets or getting them from a reputable breeder puts the quality of life for their dogs first; puppy mills will cease to exist."

According to HSUS, about one-third of the nation's 9,000 independent pet stores sell puppies. They also estimate that 2 million to 4 million puppy mill puppies are sold each year in the United States.

Marcia Sundberg, owner of Pookie's Pet Nutrition & Bow Wow Bakery in Winter Park, said it wasn't a hard decision to become a puppy-friendly store because the adoption of animals is something she strongly supports.

"You hear so many stories about people getting busted for the terrible treatment of animals," she said. "It's a tragedy that people are selling puppies commercially and forcing dogs to breed continuously for profit in harsh conditions. There are so many mutts and purebred dogs from shelters and reputable breeders that need good homes."

Debra Csuy, owner of The Pets Natural Choice in Oveido, said becoming part of the campaign wasn't something she had to think much about either. Having adopted dogs herself, she says she doesn't see a reason to buy puppies and dogs from people who don't care about them. She said, "It's unfair to the animals…There are plenty of them sitting in shelters that need homes."

Going on the notion that all dogs are created equal, Summers said, whether you buy a pedigree puppy or adopt one at a shelter, you should stop and think about the quality of life you'd give your dog and compare it to the quality of life puppy mill owners give their dogs.

Summers said to always check local shelters and consider adoption when first looking for a pet.

"There are all types of dogs at shelters that need loving homes," she said.

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Puppy Mills breed misery, boycott pet stores that sell puppies. Adopt! Don't Shop