The other day, I went to a pet store with a couple of friends. This pet store is known for having a wide variety of adorable puppies, and some people go just to browse the large selection and pet them. I used to love going to this store, and when it came time for my family to get a puppy of our own, we admittedly stopped in after our searches at local shelters came up short.
When my family and I first went, we noticed that the comments the worker made about the dogs were slightly concerning. My dad had mentioned wanting a beagle, and when my mom commented that she didn't want a beagle because it would be too loud, the worker suggested with a slight shrug to cut the dogs vocal cords. While yes, this is an option for dog owners, there are some potential risks for the dog, such as the buildup of scar tissue. My family and I simply figured that if the dog would not be the right fit for our family, why not get a dog of a different breed?
Also, when we asked the same worker if a certain dog was a boy or a girl, he told us it could be whatever we wanted it to be. Shortly after that, we left. I didn't return until the other day.
I figured it would be different when we went back, considering it had been about 7 years since my family went looking for a dog. When I got there, I quickly learned that I was wrong.
The workers pushed the dogs around, shoving them out of the way when cleaning the pens and snatching the dogs up when it was time to bring the dogs into the back or into one of the pens where customers play with them. They acted like it wasn't a big deal at all, and while to some it's not, it just seemed off. These were animals they were selling, not cars.
I'm not saying that all pet stores treat their animals the same, and I'm not trying to tell you to not get a dog from a pet store, but I would encourage exercising caution and researching where you are planning to get a dog from. I promise you won't regret it.