Thanks to the efforts of
local advocates, over 60 Seattle area pet stores have recently signed The Humane Society of the United States' puppy friendly pet store pledge — committing not to sell puppies, and instead support local animal adoption programs and provide literature that helps customers learn how to locate a reputable dog breeder. We applaud these retailers because their actions prove it is not necessary to support the cruel puppy mill trade to operate a successful pet-related business.
"These stores have set a positive example of corporate responsibility for other businesses to follow," said Dan Paul, Washington state director for The HSUS. "Pet stores that profit from the cruel puppy mill industry need to step up and do the right thing by stopping their puppy sales. I am thrilled to have wonderful local advocates working in our area to increase the public's awareness of puppy mills."
Store owners and managers who sign The HSUS' pledge receive a placard proclaiming,
"We love puppies; that's why we don't sell them," to display in the store, as well as materials about adopting a dog or finding a responsible breeder. The HSUS encourages shoppers to purchase pet supplies at stores displaying the puppy-friendly sign.
The independent retailers in the Seattle area that have recently signed the puppy friendly pledge to not sell puppies are:
Mud Bay – (all locations)
The Pet Stops Here (Bellevue)
Walker's Healthy Pet (all locations)
Next to Nature (all locations)
Smiley Dog (Edmonds)
Simply Paws (Federal Way locations)
The Pet Market @ Dash Point (Federal Way)
Pet Country (Kent)
Denny's Pet World (Kirkland)
Dooley's Dog House (Kirkland)
Heads to Tails Grooming Spa (Kirkland)
All The Best Pet Care (all locations)
Dog Daze Natural Pet Market (Puyallup)
Eastside Dog (Redmond)
Paws Café (Redmond)
Pet Pros (Renton)
A Dog's Dream (Seattle)
Animal Talk (Seattle)
Crown Hill Pet Supply (Seattle)
Fido-N-Scratch (Seattle)
Great Dog Daycare & Shoppe (Seattle)
Mes Amis (Seattle)
Pet Elements (West Seattle)
Petapoluza Pet Supply (Seattle)
PJ's Paws and Claws (Seattle)
Wally Pets (Seattle)
Zak and Zoe (Seattle)
Lucky Dog Outfitters (Tacoma)
Purdelight's Grooming and Pet Boutique (Tacoma)
Wag Pet Market (Tacoma)
Beastie Boutique (Vancouver)
Natural Pet NW (Vancouver)
The Whole Pet Shop (Woodinville)
Facts about puppy mills:- Approximately one-third of the nation's 9,000 independent pet stores sell puppies.
- The HSUS estimates that 2 million to 4 million puppy mill puppies are sold each year in the United States.
- Documented puppy mill conditions include over-breeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor food and shelter, crowded cages and lack of socialization.
- Dogs kept for breeding in puppy mills suffer for years in continual confinement. They are bred as often as possible and then destroyed or discarded once they can no longer produce puppies.
- Pet stores and online sellers often use attractive Web sites to hide the truth and to dupe consumers into thinking that they are dealing with a small, reputable breeder.
- Reputable breeders never sell puppies over the Internet or through a pet store and will insist on meeting the family who will be purchasing the dog.
- Puppy mills contribute to the pet overpopulation problem, which results in millions of unwanted dogs euthanized at shelters every year.
- Over the past three years, 16 states have passed laws to crack down on puppy mills.
To learn more about puppy mills, visit
humanesociety.org/puppymills.
