(Media-Newswire.com) - Thanks to the efforts of local animal advocates, nearly 50 Chicago area pet stores have signed The Humane Society of the United States' puppy friendly pet store pledge — committing not to sell puppies, but instead support local animal adoption programs or provide literature that helps customers learn how to locate a reputable breeder. The HSUS applauds these independent retailers because their actions prove it is not necessary to support the cruel puppy mill trade to operate a successful pet-related business.

"These stores have set a positive example of corporate responsibility for other businesses to follow," said Stephanie Shain, senior director of The HSUS' puppy mills campaign. "Pet stores that profit from the cruel puppy mill industry need to step up and do the right thing by stopping their puppy sales. Shelters and rescues are brimming with all types of dogs in need of homes."

Store owners and managers who sign The HSUS' pledge receive a placard proclaiming, "We love puppies; that's why we don't sell them," to display in the store, as well as materials about adopting a dog or finding a responsible breeder. The HSUS encourages shoppers to purchase pet supplies at stores displaying the puppy-friendly sign.

The independent retailers in the Chicago area that have most recently signed the puppy friendly pledge to not sell puppies are:

Animal Feeds & Needs ( Arlington Heights )
Bark Bark Club ( Chicago )
Barker and Moewsky ( Chicago )
Bentley's Corner Barkery ( Arlington Heights )
Birds and Beasts Pet Shop ( Crystal Lake )
Cody and Carl's Blvd ( Barrington )
Dog-A-Holics ( 2 locations Chicago )
Doggy Style Pet Shop ( Chicago )
Earth Pups ( Chicago )
Famous Fido ( Chicago )
Fetch! Dog Boutique & Spa ( Chicago )
Follow Your Nose ( Evanston )
Four Legs Pets ( Algonquin )
Groomingayle's Pet Salon ( Glenview )
Kriser's Feeding Pets for Life ( three stores in Chicago, Park Ridge and South Barrington )
Liz's Pet Shop ( Chicago )
Orland Pk Boarding Kennel & Natural Pet Food Center ( Orland Park )
Pans Pet Place ( Morton Grove )
Parker's Pets ( Chicago )
Paw Lickin' Good Treats ( DeKalb )
Pawprints of Richmond, Ltd ( Richmond )
Pet Central Inc. ( McHenry )
Pets Etc ( Naperville )
Reeses Barkery & Pawtique ( McHenry )
Ruff Haus Pets ( Chicago )
Suburban Pet City ( Oak Park )
Tails in the City ( Chicago )
The Animal Store ( Lincolnwood )
The Barking Lot ( Chicago and Deerfield )
The Dog House of L.G. Ltd. ( Long Grove )
The Houndry ( Chicago )
Thomas Tails ( Crystal Lake )
Three Dog Bakery ( Chicago )
VIP Pet Salon ( McHenry )
Wet Nose ( Geneva and Oak Brook )
Wicker Pet ( Chicago )
Wigglyville ( Chicago )
Policy Helps Dogs Across the United States

The majority of pet stores that sell puppies carry dogs from puppy mills, which are mass production facilities that churn out large numbers of puppies under inhumane conditions. The breeding dogs at puppy mills spend their entire lives in cramped cages or kennels with little or no personal attention or quality of life. Consumers who purchase puppies from pet stores or over the Internet without seeing a breeder's home firsthand are often unknowingly supporting this cruel puppy mill industry.

Facts

About one-third of the nation's 9,000 independent pet stores sell puppies.
The HSUS estimates that 2 million to 4 million puppy mill puppies are sold each year in the United States.
Documented puppy mill conditions include over-breeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor food and shelter, crowded cages and lack of socialization.
Dogs kept for breeding in puppy mills suffer for years in continual confinement. They are bred as often as possible and then destroyed or discarded once they can no longer produce puppies.
Pet stores and online sellers often use attractive Web sites to hide the truth and to dupe consumers into thinking that they are dealing with a small, reputable breeder.
Reputable breeders never sell puppies over the Internet or through a pet store and will insist on meeting the family who will be purchasing the dog.
Puppy mills contribute to the pet overpopulation problem, which results in millions of unwanted dogs euthanized at shelters every year.
To learn more about puppy mills, visit humanesociety.org/puppymills.


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

Very good post the pet store I use does not and will not sell puppies or kittens. They will and do however have posters for dog and cat rescue centres that they have checked out themselves...Jill

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[Justice for Lyle)