Vet fined over pet store puppy death

[skunkstripe]

This is a terrible story about a poor puppy who never had a chance. Not only was "Philly" born in a puppymill, the pet store in New Jersey that he was taken to to be sold had the practice of routinely giving customers antibiotics along with puppies that they sold. :mad: This story made the news because a veterinarian got "caught in the middle of it" by allowing people without a proper license to dispense antibiotics. Hopefully the fine of $6000 will be enough to make him think twice before getting mixed up in something like this again.
But if anyone is looking for a story that will help convince someone NOT to buy a puppy from a pet store - well I don't see how anyone could after reading this.

A state licensing board has fined a local veterinarian $6,000 for misconduct and poor record keeping in connection with the death of a puppy sold at the Pet Paradise store.

The veterinarian, Jonathan Bach, said he simply got "caught in the middle" of a history of management problems at the Route 9 pet store.
News story here: http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080124/NEWS01/801240561

While Tammy was reviewing the paperwork accompanying the sale with my husband, she handed him a package of pills that Tammy said were antibiotics for the puppy. My husband questioned why she was giving us antibiotics for a healthy puppy. She told my husband and me that Pet Paradise gives antibiotics with every sale just in case the puppy has a “cold." Again my husband asked about the health of the puppy because we didn't want to purchase a puppy with a “cold." Tammy again assured us this puppy was healthy. Then she said please don't give a puppy a bath before it is examined by a veterinarian. We also found this advice to be odd and again said that we were concerned that this puppy was sick. Tammy again assured us the puppy was healthy.

The more detailed version offered by the puppy buyers here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/215/ripoff0215382.htm

[applesmom]

What a senseless tragedy! This story points out just how naive pet store purchasers are, and how far the pet stores will go to take advantage of their lack of knowledge.

Either way, that poor puppy never had a chance!:mad:

[Monkey]

God this makes me so angry... I remember this december a petstore had little mini pinches in the store and it was cold they had a flat towel to sleep on and they were shaking. When I mentioned that tot he clerks he was, oh but they have a blanket.. if that was a blanket, tasha is a puppy.
Im so tired of these stories I mean, howcome people don't know by now..

[wunderhund]

There are many, many cases just like this happening every week around the United States. I hope that with the big fuss this family is making, something will come of this, beyond fining the vet. But I doubt it will make a big impact. One puppy selling pet store shut down, just leaves a spot open for another one to open up. As long as there are uneducated people buying a dog for the first time, there will be stories like this. If Philly's death accomplished anything, it was that it made one family do their research. And hopefully this family will pass on their knowledge gained to others, so that more people will become educated about the inhumane practises of puppy-mills and pet stores who sell those puppies.

[Python]

God this makes me so angry... I remember this december a petstore had little mini pinches in the store and it was cold they had a flat towel to sleep on and they were shaking. When I mentioned that tot he clerks he was, oh but they have a blanket.. if that was a blanket, tasha is a puppy.
Im so tired of these stories I mean, howcome people don't know by now..

Providing warmth for these puppies would cost...money!!! Which means...loss of profit!!! These stores see puppies as a commodity, a means of making money, no more, no less:mad:

Then along comes Joe Public, often on impulse without a thought about where the animal came from, hasn't done any research into whatever breed the dog is, how a dog will impinge on their social life, what diseases or illnesses it may be carrying and tragedies such as these happen but hey! It's only a dog/cat or whatever:(

[melissa2007]

Very tragic story,hopes it makes people think twice before buying from a Pet Store.
I would be much better if pet stores were only able to adopt out rescue dogs that needed homed, I know some pet stores do this but really they all should.

[sheplovr]

Horrible story.!! Might alot learn a lesson going into Pet Shops to look at animals to purchase? Hope so??

[Bailey-lover]

THATS HORRIBLE!!!

One of the pet shops I go to sells them. Last time I went they had labradoodles for $900 and they were selling RSPCA Tooth brushes for dogs and I bought one! But if they care about the RSPCA why sell designer dogs! And they had kittens in little windows and the pups in cages!!! I hated it one pup was bashing up the other NOT PLAYING! And I got so annoyed I went to the counter and said the pups are hurting each other guess what the lady said!? " They'll be right " So I get mad went over there put my hands in and split them up the poor little pup was sore! I just had it and walked out! I should said more but I knew I would end uP! SCREAMING AT THE LADY AT THE COUNTER!

[Dusty]

Here in the UK puppies are no longer sold in petshops thank goodness. Infact most pets like rabbits, guinea pigs, birds etc., are no longer sold in that way either. Puppy farmers usually advertise in Freeads, papers etc now. That was a very sad tale of that pup..and the petshop owners seem to have got away with it again, and go on selling these unfortunate animals. Owning a dog or any pet should be considered first as we all know here, and not bought on a whim!!!