I've just got back from holiday in Spain and I was absolutely appalled to see puppies being sold in Carrefours Supermarket, Torrevieja. They were in glass tanks with lids and there were lights set into the lids. At the back of the tanks there was a strip at the bottom about 3 inches wide running the length of each tank of perforated metal, which was the only air supply to the tanks. All the puppies were panting and one poor little shih tzu had it's nose pressed up against the metal trying to get some air. There were 2 Dalmations, 2 Maltese, 2 Shih Tzu and a Bulldog. This is the second time I've seen puppies for sale in Carrefours. When I went last year they had  2 Cockers, a Pug, 2 Bichon Frise and 2 Shih Tzus. When I complained to the manager on that occasion, I was assured that once the puppies were sold they wouldn't be having any more. Patently a lie. The tanks are the size that you would normally see fish in, about 2ft 6in by 1ft 6in by 2ft high, so you can imagine how close the lights were to them. This practice raises several questions in my mind. What happens to the puppies when the shop is closed? How are they excercised? (my guess would be, not at all), Have their parents had the necessary health checks relevant to the breed? Anybody got any suggestions what can be done to stop this practice.

It wasnt that long ago that puppies were sold in Uk petshops (are some still? I dont know) but cant imagine anyone babysitting them overnight ......

The question to ask is WHO sells these puppies to petshops? :o(

It's illegal to sell dogs on retail premises in the uk now under the welfare of animals act. What I mostly object to is the fact that these puppies are being kept in small glass tanks with very little air and hot lights a couple of feet above them, with no way of getting away from the heat given out by the lights.

I don't think it is illegal to sell dogs on retail premises, the animal welfare act just states that the premises have to be licensed by the council. There is a large pet store in my area which rents out a back room to a comapnay that sell puppies. The conditons are like that described in Spain by the OP but the glass tanks are larger, there is no natural light, no fresh air and in the summer the room is boiling and full of noisy kids ataring at the poor pups :-( I think it is terrible that these poor pups are kept like this and they must come from puppy farms as I can't see where else they get them. The prices they charge are ridiculous, £700 for a Rottie with no health checks, vacs or history!
Edit to add the info from the DEFRA site:
The Pet Animals Act 1951 (as amended in 1983) protects the welfare of animals sold as pets. The Act requires any person keeping a pet shop to be licensed by the local authority. Before granting a licence the local authority must be satisfied that the animals are kept in accommodation that is both suitable and clean; that they are supplied with appropriate food and drink; and are adequately protected from disease and fire. The local authority may attach any conditions to the licence, may inspect the licensed premises at all reasonable times and may refuse a licence if the conditions at the premises are unsatisfactory or if the terms of the licence are not being complied with.

Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the law in this area and anyone who has reason to believe that a pet shop is keeping animals in inadequate conditions should raise the matter with the local authority who will decide what action to take within the range of its powers.

Under s.2 pets cannot be sold in the street, including on barrows and markets.
Pet sales
There will be new regulations on pet vending.  At present, we are considering making the following changes. These will, of course, be subject to public consultation and Parliamentary approval.

Animal wefare act 2006: Pet shops should continue to be licensed with renewal every three years rather than annually, with inspections on a risk managed basis.
Local Authorities will issue licences and will have powers to inspect, and to withhold or revoke licences.
Businesses that use internet sites for selling should be licensed in the same way as conventional pet shops.
Pet shops and commercial premises where animals are kept prior to sale will be subject to a code of practice, approved by Parliament and enforced by the Local Authority.
A member of the management of a pet shop or animal internet selling site should have a suitable animal welfare qualification (for new entrants only).
Written advice addressing the welfare needs of the animal being sold will be made available to buyers at pet shops and on internet selling sites

How do the well known puppy supermarkets and Pet shops still sell them then?

Like Dogs4Us etc
Who in their right mind would sell to a store where they have no input to vetting of new owners etc ? :o(

I'm sorry, I did mean to say it's illegal to sell dogs on unlicensed premises. You would wonder how some of these establishments do manage to get a licence. OK, most local authorities will make sure the puppies physical needs are taken care of, but no thought is given to their mental needs, or where they have come from, or indeed where they are going. I would find it hard to believe that somebody who works in a shop would take the same trouble to home a puppy as a bona fide breeder who has cared for the bitch through pregnancy, whelped her and lovingly reared the puppies. I'm quite sure these places don't vet potential owners.

> Who in their right mind would sell to a store where they have no input to vetting of new owners etc ?

But there's people out there who still go by the old wives tale that a bitch should have puppies before she's spayed, people who mate their bitches at their first season, people who do back to back matings etc.etc.etc.   so nothing would surprise me re: selling puppies in  shops.    Personally I would like to see a ban on ALL animals being sold in shops.

hi, living in spain and been a dog lover myself...this is one of the hardest things to just walk by when shopping.  the carrefour at malaga also has a pet shop at its doors, most pet shops in every shopping mall has the same wall to wall/floor to ceiling of glass cages with different dogs/cats/rabbits, and even red squirells or white hedgehogs and chipmuncks for sale at ridiculas prices..... i think they are trying to get a law passed on this crulety as the cages do get hot in summer....as for the night i was assured all go to the managers house when the shop is closed and put in runs/kennels, but im not too sure i believe all of them do...

There's a pet shop in I know of that sells puppies and kittens and they are left in their cages unattended from 5pm Saturday until 9.30 Monday morning :-(

What! Here in the UK?
Surely thats for the RSPCA to get to grips with.....pronto.

Karen :(

RSPCA job, get them out as soon as possible. Also report the shop to the local council.

Thats horrific!

You would think in this day and age in the UK that this sort of situation just wouldnt be possible! I can kind of see it happening in Spain (no offence to our spanish poster!) but in the UK, with the new animal welfare bill, you think it wouldnt happen.

Shocking.

Breaks my heart to think any animal should be treated like that. Would like to add-who would buy a puppy from this kind of place?On second thoughts id find it hard to walk on by. I know its totally the wrong thing to do but if you walk past and see some poor animal in distress you just want to take it out that situation dont you? Truly awful. Spain arent that far behind us so hopefully a law will be passed there aswell. Cant believe in a hot country like that animals are put in glorified fish tanks, not exercised, not socialised. Has brought a tear to my eye

The last time i went to blackpool there was a pet shop, selling puppies.
Heartbreaking...
this was only perhaps only about 2 years back...

So sad

Donna x
(and my boysx)

I was in there on Saturday, only because my 17 year old daughter begged me to go in and then cried because I wouldn't buy the mongrel pup that was left :-(

I know they were fined a couple of years ago for having dead animals and live animals in dirty cages but would expect them to be regulated now but know the person who works in the same building who tells me nobody comes in on a Sunday.

Have tied the RSPCA but is just a recorded message so will try again tomorrow.

A neighbour of mine about 5 years ago brought a pomeranian called him Bear. When she told me that she got him from a dog supermarket near Manchester I just assumed she was joking !
Sadly Bear didn't last long as he ended up biting her young son so she got rid of him. Has herself a funny looking Alsatian now !!

There's a pet shop near me that sells puppies and all sorts of other exotics etc.

They did keep losing their licence but always seem to get it back :(

There is a pet shop near me that sells kittens and puppies. They get the kittens and puppies off back yard breeders/accidental matings for free, then sell the animals in there shop. They know nothing about where the animals have come from , or even the breeding.
If you ask them what breed the pups are, they laugth and say they have no idea. the  pups go for £50 each and the kittens £25 each.
Most of the time the pups are not even 6 weeks old. it is all too easy to assume that the animals on the premises are not seen to on sunday as the shop does close at 5.30pm sat and does nto open till 9am monday. However i know that some one does go in on the sunday and feeds and waters the animals. Does nto make it right, but obviously is enougth to stop them being closed down.

Our local P-A-H sells small animals ie rabbits, chinchillas, rats, hamsters. This topic has made me think that the selling of any animal is probably wrong. I know its not as easy to come by a person selling hamsters for example privately but can we really condone the selling of any animal in a retail type environment??

I hate to say it but it doesn't surprise me, it wasn't that long ago they were selling them on the streets & in markets in the boiling heat & I've seen recently that you can buy them online & put them in your virtual trolley :-( 

I don't think this is just in Spain though as I've seen it in many countries. 

There are pet shops in Crewes Hill that sell puppies ,from the smallest to Great Dane puppies at more than what a breeder would sell for.OH has banned me from going near as I get very upset at the poor dogs in those small pens,it is the look on their faces which still haunts me - what hapens to them when they are no longer cute cuddly puppies and no one wants them?

> Our local P-A-H sells small animals ie rabbits, chinchillas, rats, hamsters. This topic has made me think that the selling of any animal is probably wrong. I know its not as easy to come by a person selling hamsters for example privately but can we really condone the selling of any animal in a retail type environment

I think caged species (other than exotics like reptiles) are rather different as they will simply be changign address but still living in their cages.

Very different to Cats and Dogs, and larger livestock in my opinon

Both my sister and I used to live in Enfield...she recently went back and visited THAT shop in Crews Hill with the friend she was staying with to buy some dog food...I couldnt believe it when she told me they were selling puppies........

I think caged species (other than exotics like reptiles) are rather different as they will simply be changign address but still living in their cages.

Very different to Cats and Dogs, and larger livestock in my opinon


But in the shop they are under bright lights. In very small cages. And ive often seen hamsters that should be only animals in cages with other hamsters, which would cause fights etc.
I agree that it is not as bad as animals that need a lot more human interaction/exercise etc but still not sure if it right

Then certainly the Licensing must be tigher to ensure the animals are kept in optimum conditions as they would be expected to live once sold.

Of course licensing should be tighter. So tight that puppies should never be allowed to be sold from a third party ie pet shops

That I agree with, what I was refering to was licensing over conditons for caged animal species.

There is shop in Washington, Tyne and Wear that sells puppies and kittens from the most appalling cages you could imagine. The cats do at least have a scratch pole to play on but the dogs are confined to a small cage, allowed out to "exercise" in an area that is at the uttermost 2 sq yds in front of their cage and amongst the cages of birds, rabbits, guinnea pigs ect. There is no natural daylight due to the location of the shop. The last time I was in they had a border terrier on sale for £190!! without papers or vacs. I try not to think about where these poor animals are when the shop is closed for the night. People who supply these shops should be banned from keeping dogs ans cats for life as they obviously dont care about the animals. The RSPCA is, as far as I know, running a campaign to make it illegal for pet shops to sell dogs and cats but of course the government is dragging it's heels. Local councils have the right to ban these shops but they choose to ignore it or pay the usual lip service and tell the shop owners to clean up their act. It's only us who care it seems.

To be honest i am shocked that this goes on. If somebody would have asked me before i read this, i would have assumed selling puppies and kittens from a shop would have been outlawed.....how wrong i was i?!! ;-)

I honestly thought the same. I had no idea that there are shops in the UK which sell puppies and kittens. It's disgusting! No wonder there are so many poor animals dumped when they are no longer wanted.

Yes me too!! i had know idea this was going on in this country, how very sad for the poor animals :( anything to make money!!!!

> People who supply these shops should be banned from keeping dogs ans cats for life as they obviously dont care about the animals. The RSPCA is, as far as I know, running a campaign to make it illegal for pet shops to sell dogs and cats but of course the government is dragging it's heels. Local councils have the right to ban these shops but they choose to ignore it or pay the usual lip service and tell the shop owners to clean up their act. It's only us who care it seems

When the Government changed the law ans introduced the Breeding and Sale of Dogs Act it specifically included a paragraph that stated no commercial breeder (those needing a License) could sell a  puppy under 8 weeks except to a Pet shop or Scottish Rearing Establishment (a posh name for a pet dealer).

The government do not want to stop commercial dog breding, they see it as a legitimate business.

In a supermarket near to where I live (in Spain) they have an offer on that if you buy a bag of animal food you get a puppy/kitten for free.  These are clearly the 'mistakes' from the puppy farms as they are not pure breeds.  I have to look (right or wrong) everytime I go in there but have to walk away sharpish.  I do believe they are taken out overnight though as when I have been in there when it has just opened the 'tanks' are empty.