Tuesday, April 6, 2010

The worth of a dog

The original price for this "Golden" pup was $2000 at one of Toronto's few remaining don't give a shit pet stores that still sells puppies.

At a few weeks old, it got reduced to $1500.

It's final sale price was $126.

The sales tactic at this particular store is to tell anyone who will listen that if the pup doesn't sell at this point, it will likely be euthanized. Who knows if this is true or not.

So, this pup was sold on a Saturday.

Two days later, on Monday the pup was dropped off, along with its original bill of sales, at Toronto Animal Services South, owners saying something about getting in over their heads.


One day soon, this pup will hopefully find itself in a home which values it more than mere merchandise or an impulse buy and in that home it will be priceless.

For adoption information on this "Golden Retriever" (more likely Yellow Lab - thanks Jo Anne) pup and other dogs (and cats and other animals), please visit Toronto Animal Services.

16 comments:

selkiem said...

God, I wish they would make it illegal to sell animals in bloody pet stores. Poor little guy.

pibble said...

Marked down, just like a pair of shoes. I agree with Selkie; pet shops should be illegal, period. Poor fellow. He's adorable.

YesBiscuit! said...

For $2000 I expect the puppy to be house trained, leash trained and proficient in most spreadsheet software.

Laura HP said...

What a sweet face. People suck sometimes.
I wish pet stores couldn't sell any animals - dog, cat, bird, hamster, whatever. Then everyone would have to get their animals from either a breeder or a rescue. Wishful thinking, but it'd be nice!

Amy said...

Pet stores should not be allowed. Period. What a crappy start to life for this little guy. Hopefully, things will turn around for him and someone who truly wants him will adopt him and love him like he should be loved.

Heather Houlahan said...

I hope the store posted a loss on this shopworn merchandise.

Think of the bargain-hunting purchaser as a necessary link in the chain that took him from puppymill to deli case to ill-considered home to the place where someone will actually give a rat's ass about matching him with someone who can meet the needs of an energetic Lab puppy.

The purchaser got a relatively cheap lesson in impulse control, and the pup got sprung from Hell.

I see no reason to protect the pet store by withhold its name, btw.

Lynda said...

I have a really really BIG problem with Pet Stores selling puppies. I don't shop at any stores that sell animals.

Glad this particular pup is no longer there and I hope he gets by a nice family that can give him what he needs.

borderjack said...

Funny thing - before I read this post, I had made up my mind to start writing to the major shopping malls that lease to pet stores. Why? I can't believe that PJ's Pet Centres is in the major malls: Sherway Gardens, Yorkdale - and the reason this came to mind: I was walking through Yonge-Eglinton Centre the other day and had no idea there was one there too. The Sherway Gardens one seems kind of tucked away....I figured the only real power I have is as a consumer. I already don't buy food/supplies from stores that sell live animals. So now what? I figured I can tell the shopping malls - PJ's landlords - that I'm not spending my $$$ at any store in their mall if they house places that sell live animals and that cannot guarantee in writing that those animals don't come from puppy mills. Who knows what clauses are in those leases about first rights of refusal on renewal, etc...., but maybe there's a chance that, if enough people voice their thoughts, landlords might look to "better" tenants. If a tenant is bad for business or the mall's reputation...? Two things are certain: at $126, the pet store didn't profit from this dog, and as a beautiful, popular-breed dog, he'll likely be adopted before I hit "Leave your comment"....but i don't want them profiting from the suffering of any animals...

The only question that I can't answer is that likely, PJ's (or others) would still find a place to go, and it would have to be a pretty sizeable movement to put them out of the live animal business. Sorry Fred, I'm using your valuable space now to ramble. These things make my head spin at night.

Social Mange said...

What do dopey people think happens to the animals in pet stores when they pass their "best before" date?

Time to enlighten them.

They DIE, morons.

Anonymous said...

This started out looking like one of your fictitious pieces that are actually only sort of semi-fictitious. But it turned out to be true. But this one will have a happy ending.

A pox on the others involved.

Anonymous said...

I think your title is slightly off. The price of a dog and the worth of a dog are two quite different things...

Anonymous said...

borderjack - Yorkdale's PJ's closed about a year ago. The mall didn't renew their lease apparently.

Martha said...

What a sweet boy
Let us know the outcome

Heather Houlahan said...

Borderjack, fuggedabout the mall management.

Contact the home offices of the STORES in the malls that rent to pet stores.

Tell them you won't shop at that mall while they rent to the pet store and explain, very briefly and without excessive drama, why.

Send copies of your letters to the mall management, but the important ones to contact are the corporate masters of the other stores.

borderjack said...

Thanks Anonymous and Heather.


Anonymous: I stopped going to Yorkdale b/c of the PJs, Sherway too. I got a gift certif from Sherway for Christmas and saw the PJs still there.

@Heather: I always keep the drama out of my letters. Experience has taught me that a clean, civil, just-the-facts and simple, matter-of-fact, here's-why-I'm-concerned, approach is best. You get taken more seriously.

borderjack said...

P.S. Heather - I forgot to mention, I like your idea. It's a helluva lot of letters, but I like it.