Puppies and Pet Store Rip-Offs: Don't Let This Happen to You

What You Should Know Before Getting a Pet

In my experience as an animal shelter volunteer and as former dog groomer, as well as reading numerous posts on pet forums and elsewhere on the internet, I have come across an all too common problem: many new puppy owners have been the victim of pet store rip-offs. It is only when visiting the groomer, pet store, or vet when many pet owners realize they didn't get all they paid for. Many owners have bought puppies under the wrong breed label, thought they were paying for shots which the pup didn't get, and have encountered many unexpected, costly problems such as poor health conditions, behavioral problems, allergies, deceptive language from sellers, "hidden fees", and extra expenses for care. It is then when many of these pets end up in the animal shelter.

Adorable animals are often sold where ignorance is the best customer. Cute puppies can literally sell themselves to unsuspecting buyers who will unknowingly pay an extra high price to bring home a handful of problems. An informed customer is the best defense against pet store rip-offs. Prior knowledge also protects buyers from legal troubles. It's hard to tell if pets are sold using deceptive methods on purpose; it's unthinkable that anyone is knowingly contributing to the problem of homeless pets. Perhaps sellers are also ignorant. More likely, stores are giving in to the motto of the customer is always right and therefore must know what they want. Stores are also careful not to say anything that might seem like they're trying to talk anyone out of a sale. So before you buy a pet, ask yourself, do you really know what you're paying for, and can you tell if you're getting it?