Breeders

Dog Breeders

You may know better than to go to a pet shop for a new puppy, but, should you go to a breeder instead?

PWNJ warns consumers of the pitfalls of purchasing puppies from pet shops, where the overwhelming majority of puppies come from puppy mills, and we strongly urge people who are looking for purebred dogs to contact animal shelters and reputable rescue groups. As many as 30% of the dogs found in animal shelters nationwide are purebreds!

Many breeders, like larger-scale puppy mills, operate their kennels under deplorable conditions. It’s important to remember that dog breeding has become a profit-making activity where the bottom line is quantity – rather than the quality (health and temperament) of the puppies.

A backyard breeder is a person who casually breeds purebred dogs with little or no regard to the breed standard, genetic defects or temperament.

They practice indiscriminate breeding of a variety of different breeds, without proper understanding of the science of genetics, do not screen for hereditary problems nor do they have the necessary pre-breeding health tests performed. Many of their litters are inbred.

A broker is a person who acts as a middleman between dog breeders and buyers. Some unlicensed NJ brokers buy puppies directly from Pennsylvania puppy mills and other sources and transport the puppies over state lines for resale, usually at a huge profit.

Buyers are taking a chance when they go to breeders because they may actually be purchasing dogs from puppy mills! New Jersey is home to dozens of puppy brokers who, masquerading as breeders, regularly con unsuspecting buyers into buying puppies obtained from Pennsylvania Amish puppy mills.

Therefore, due to deceptive advertising and fraud inherent in much of the dog breeding industry, PWNJ recommends that anyone seeking a dog to contact breed-specific rescues or Petfinder.com, where there is an endless supply of purebred and so-called designer mixed breed dogs of all ages who need a home. However, if you've visited animal shelters or contacted reputable rescue groups and still haven't found the dog you're looking for, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) offers this informative fact sheet:

How to Identify a Responsible Dog Breeder