Yes, Massachusetts should follow the same law. These are animals, not commodities to make profits from.

The sale of animals in a pet shops should be outlawed. Dogs do not come from "reputable breeders" as the staff will say when asked. No reputable breeder would ever sell their dog to a pet store. The dogs in those cages come from puppy mills and backyard breeders and by purchasing one, you feed the monster and open the door for another pup to take its place. Puppy mills mass produce dogs and exist purely for profit. The more people buy, the more they breed. Churn and burn operation with zero regard for the life of any of their animals. Mother dogs live only to produce liter after liter in deplorable conditions. Her pups are taken from her at an age when they are most vulnerable to infection and they are crammed into cages and transported all over the country to stores who sell them to unsuspecting customers. It's hard to resist that cute face staring back at you, but when you throw money down for that dog, you've just given your support to the puppy mill who produced that dog. If you haven't seen pictures or photographs of puppy mills, take a look online. Educate yourself. I would hope that after seeing the conditions that these animals are kept in, you would not support any pet store that sells puppies. If you want a dog, cat, rat, guinea pig, whatever, there are plenty of shelters and rescues to visit. Make a difference that way. Save the life of a shelter or rescue dog and be part of the solution.

Why do you think Natick cares about this? It's in California. Where is our local news?

shut down the puppy mills anyway you can, buy from local breeders or dog rescue

Absolutely, Massachusetts and the whole country should finally act to prevent this form of animal abuse.

I once read from one of the animal publications that we put to death over 3-4 million cats and dogs a year. Why are we allowing any breeding at all, or any pet stores that sell cats or dogs at all until all shelter animals have a home? When will we stop believing it is our right to have almost anything available, as opposed to a privilege?
What good is a dog show or a cat show of special breeds desired by adults, when so many including those are left behind in shelters? I don't have the answer - but it sure would be great to ban breeding of any kind, until every shelter animal had a loving, responsible home (ie. fixed, neutered - which is healthy for the cat or dog too). And because the sad few have abused, the greater of us must pay the price - that being said, we need to have stronger laws around found abuse of "owning" pets. These animals have no control over their lives, we do! And we can't abuse that power, but rather choose wisely and kindly.

Yes, Natick should care! The puppy industry causes massive unnecessary suffering. Want a dog? GO TO A LOCAL RESCUE! I recommend Save A Dog in Sudbury. They're the best.

Many people think purebreds can only be found in pet shops and with breeders, but the shelters are full of purebreds. Having "papers" doesn't prevent them from ending up in shelters. So many pets are being abandoned, put down or given away to irresponsible homes where they will just end up on the streets, that breeding should be discouraged. People who want pets are just as happy with an abandoned pet, and too many people who buy purebreds with papers think they are going to get rich breeding dogs themselves.

As long as there are states,especially in the mid-west, that do not OUTLAW puppy mills and mass breeding we will have dogs that are transported here after being raised in horrific conditions. A serious breeder will have nothing to do with pet store operations. I've heard horror stories about sick dogs being sold to families.
Fact is though- the Northeast (because of widespread spaying/neutering) has a dog shortage and many rescued dogs now are from the South- there are great organizations that send dogs north to find new homes- many friends of mine have "southern" dogs.

The two dogs in the photo are mine, Sam and Ginger, and they came from a rescue that brings large breed dogs and puppies to the Northeast from Tennessee. That rescue posts photos all the time of sad examples of adult dogs, purebreds, that are now in need of homes because people underestimated what a St. Bernard would cost to feed, or that a Great Pyrenees is not a "Golden Retriever with white fur." I do think people should always have the option of a purebred dog. But there are other options than pet stores.

As a volunteer at a dog shelter very close to Northboro for 7 years, I have seen many "mother dogs" come in to the shelter from years of being in a cage and having litter after litter from being in a puppy mill. They have such sadness in their eyes yet are still so loving and kind. It takes months for them to relax and begin the rest of their lives with a loving family. Lets do what we can to stop these situations.

Yes it's time to stop this unnecessary cruelty to animals. So honestly what does it mean to have a pure bred anyway? It's sad to see these loving creatures in kill shelters because owners do not understand the responsibility it takes to take care of the cute puppy that grows up.

Aimee, I couldn't have said it better myself. As a dog trainer, of 20 years, I can give my opinion from a socialization point of view. When a puppy arrives at a pet store, the dogs are not handled with care. They are handled like bags of kibble. Keep in mind, this is the first real contact with humans that these puppies have. As far as pet store employees are concerned, they are not schooled in proper handling techniques. Being rough with a puppy at any age can set the stage for aggression towards humans. Never mind the stresses of traveling up to that pet store from the midwest. The Amish are the largest producers of puppymill puppies in the US. They aren't exactly loved or handled with care.
When a puppy arrives at a pet store, the store allows as many people as possible, including small children, to handle the dog. "Oh, I want to see that puppy", so they take him from the cage and let strangers handle the dog. This severely stresses the dogs out. When you are a 7-8 week old puppy, constant handling by strangers can cause all kind of psychological problems for those dogs.
Not only should we ban selling puppies at pet stores, but these specialty places like "Pick-A-Pup" and "Puppies Galore", should be closed down and the owners fined.
For the people who think they are "saving the puppy" by purchasing it away from that enviroment, you are only allowing the puppy mills to stay in business. ADOPT a shelter pet or go to a reputable breeder.

Okay maybe I should have written my comment differently -- I know people are passionate about their dogs -- but if this is such an important issue why didn't you interview Natick dog owners and visit pet stores in Natick. Again, where is my Natick news?

I couldn't agree more. So many people who purchase from pet stores have excuses. They want the latest trendy dog, they have allergies and want a particular breed, they don't "have time" to do the research.

You can get so-called hypoallergenic poodles, bichons, etc from shelters. You can get purebreds. You can get puppies. You can get house-trained dogs. Most importantly, you will get a dog who is grateful for every second he has with you.

My dogs come from either the Animal Rescue League of Boston or situations where families can't take care of them anymore due to change in status such as moving and/or Divorce. My most recent adoption is from Pine Ridge Animal Shelter of Anna's Place, Dedham, MA; a pet rescue and adoption center and part of the Animal Rescue League of Boston. There is no reason at all to support Pet Stores. AND, with all the hurricanes and other weather situations, many animals are turning up homeless. For example: Hurricane Katrina. Plenty of animals to be adopted out there!!!!

My last 4 dogs were adopted or resuced. I have 2 now, one rescued, one adopted. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I volunteer for a particular breed rescue and I cannot tell you the horror stories of dogs that have come from pet shops. They usually come from Puppy Mills and are not normally in very good health. Pet shops do not screen families who buy a dog - there is no counseling given, no attempt to educate about the breeds, etc. There are so many great dogs (cats too) available from shelters or breed rescues. If you feel you need a puppy, then at least go to a REPUTABLE breeder. If you do not know of one, a local vet or a breed rescue organization can assist you - or at least they may know of places not to go to.