Four years ago, I wrote about emails I received about a litter of puppies, and a swamped rescue group. I doubt the situation has changed much. I just checked Kijiji – still lots of pups for sale for high prices.

“Jesus, it is raining puppies! Here’s  pictures of the 10 puppies All Breed Canine Rescue got.  Three of the litter went to another rescue group. ABCR is just about going crazy. They already had the pair of Shelties and 2 other dogs (one with severe runs) just pulled out of the pound and at the vet’s.

When the hell are these ‘breeders’ going to figure it out? The economy in this area sucks! There is no money to buy all the puppies backyard breeders are producing. It just drives me insane to think about all the little guys we don’t know about that end up ‘out behind the barn.’ Every time we get one shut down another pops up.

Kijiji should be banned from advertising puppies for sale. It has become the new ‘pet store’ for selling puppy mill dogs.

I have to think – at least we saved these guys! But we need to find forever homes for them, as quickly as we can. The quicker we can get these puppies adopted the better, then ABCR can use the adoption money to pay most of the vet bill that will be run up with the medical treatment that they need. This addition will make 16 to 18 new puppies in ABCR’s system.”

Puppies who didn’t sell

An email from a person who rescued these pups: “There was 13 puppies in this litter. The farmer was going to ‘dispose’ of them if we did not take them. When they were picked up they were all in a horse stall that was covered with feces. They had no food or water. They all need medical attention – neutering, deworming, flea treatment and all vaccinations. So if you can possibly help out with any sort of donation it would be greatly appreciated!”

The pups were being ‘disposed of’ because they hadn’t sold. They probably were advertised for a few hundred dollars, probably without any shots. Without takers, the farmer/backyard breeder isn’t going to keep them. So they die, and when he figures the market has picked up again, there will be more puppies for sale. If they don’t sell either – well, bullets are cheap.

Kijiji is a wonderful resource for puppy millers. It needs to stop. When pet stores, for the most part, stopped selling puppies (other than providing space for shelter animals), it dried up the major market for commercial puppy millers. Kijiji has filled that gap. It’s time to stop.

From my St. Thomas Dog Blog, Feb 9th 2011