my daughter works there and every puppy is vet checked when they arrive. just recently one had a heart murmur so couldnt be sold so she took it home. these people do care. my daughter knows this animal would have been put down and has left herself with years of vet bills . you know some things just don't show up straight away but i do know they never ever sell any puppy they know has something wrong with it.
I have met the "CEO" as her own two dogs walked around the shop. One was a tiny long-haired chihuahua that was cowering when I tried to talk to it and not clean. As there is a sign on the door that other animals are not allowed into the shop due to the pups not being fully vaccinated, obviously her dogs are allowed to wander freely on the floor. I then tried to speak to the "CEO" about her dogs and was met with an attitude of disdain and dismissal.
The shop is serviced by very young, yet friendly staff. I feel for them.
I was also told "we only buy from reputable breeders. If so, then this should be transparent as there is no way to check the truth of this claim.
Australia's top show breeders charge $1500 - 2,000 for a Pet with papers, vaccinated and often desexed. The lines of these pups can be traced back for generations and the pups are bred to breed out defects. They are able to be found online with their locations and history. They are also strictly regulated.
I find it impossible to understand how a mixed breed pup can have a price that exceeds the prices charged by Registered breeders of purebred show dogs. $1500 - 2500 for a mixed breed with no papers? No better than puppy farming in my opinion. Profiteering. Unethical. Having a "family business" does not mean it is ethical, moral or transparent in its' practices.
The owner of the shop should have looked after the dog. Done the right thing. It was her legal and moral responsibility. Take care. The culture is not condusive to fair and supportive management of the young girls who work there. There are quite a few things they are "not allowed" to do that I am sure are against Australia's Fair Trading Laws, just supporting rules put in place by the CEO.
Purchased our first puppy from the Puppy Palace. A beautiful Labrador we named Gabby. They were very cautious about touching and holding the animals. I hand picked her from a litter of boisterous brothers so she could come and learn to be a member of our family. Gabby like all of the doggies at the PP that day were in large open pens. Most were with their litters except for one that had been placed with another litter so it was not by itself (his brothers and sisters had already found forever homes). Their accommodation was clean and certainly not cramped. The puppies smelled wonderful. The staff were young but not ungracious, rather quite patient. Gabby came age appropriately vaccinated. She was micro chipped. She had papers showing her lineage. The PP offered wonderful support to us and I have no regrets.
No, Gabby did not come from a private breeder. She was chosen for her temperament (and because she was gorgeous) and with the assistance of a research colleague we quickly trained her to identify the early signs of diabetic hypoglycaemia for my young daughter who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was a toddler only a couple of years before. (At this time this was all new research, but the science is sound and has now been published).
Gabby learned quickly and proved exemplary in her role of "hypo-sniffer". She slept vigilantly next to my daughter and helped me to keep her safe. Gabby was a guardian, a companion and a member of our family. She lived with our family for 12 beautiful years. When she succumbed to cancer 2 years ago, my teenage children and I were devastated. BUT, she left behind a legacy of unconditional love and we are her lucky benefactors.
It is easy to point venomous comments in an attempt to educate others about the vile world of puppy farms. They are horrible places and I look forward to a day when they are wiped clean from Australia (or anywhere) but be careful to make sure your remarks are on target and accurate.
Like humans and other animals, there are no 'guarantees' about health or even behaviour. Some conditions are genetic and preventable, some maybe not. I have seen horrible diseases and ailments present themselves in humans and there may have been no underlying cause or genetic predisposition. Dogs and humans are not the same, I know, but you see where I am going with this.
