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The
Story of Shelby
The Pet Store Pup
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Who
could resist this face? Not many and not a gal named Kelley. She saw
this little darling at a popular chain pet store in Burnaby BC. Read
Kelley's story below, there are many more like hers, this is the sad
truth about pet store dogs. |
Kelley's story says
it all:
In February 2004,
I purchased a female Berner from the pet store. From day one, there has
been health concern after health concern.
The vet I took her
to for her first exam was suppose to be "free." Hundreds of
dollars later I discovered that Shelby had colitis. This diagnose didn't
come without extreme anxiety, initially the vet told me he thinks she
had parvo. I felt like a walking wallet so I quickly did some research
to find a good vet. Day one of having this puppy and already no support
from the pet store.
A couple days after
purchasing Shelby she got an eye infection. Then she was diagnosed with
mange. I contacted the owner at the pet store store. He said it was impossible
that she had mange because he gives all the puppies a dose of medication
so they won't get mange. In my opinion this guy doesn't have a clue what
he is talking about.
I will be the first
to admit that I made a BIG mistake by purchasing Shelby from a pet store
and let me say that Shelby and I have gone through hell since we found
one another. The pet store owner doesn't give a crap all he cares about
is his cash register and that it is full of money from selling puppies.
The mange, eye infection
and colitis turned out to be the least of my worries. At six months of
age, she was diagnosed with HD. Then ED and then she got a bladder infection.
In October 2004, she had a TPO. December 2004 she had a fragmented coronoid
process on her elbow and a vaginectomy in the hope that it would help
her chronic bladder infections.
Shelby is doing well
on her operated hip however, she has moderate HD in her left hip also.
Her elbow isn't doing so well, she has arthritis and the vaginectomy was
not helpful at all. I am current treating her with the support of a holistic
vet for her bladder infection. Shelby attends hydrotherapy twice a week
for rehab purposes and has a chiropractic adjustment once per month.
Aside from all the
supplements I need to purchase for her joints, etc. With all her operations
and vet visits for one thing or another she has cost well over $10, 000.00
at 19 months old. This entire experience with Shelby disgusts me. Hopefully
there is a special place in hell for all these people. I find it absolutely
appalling that these people don't stop to think for one moment about the
welfare of the dog they are breeding and the puppies that they have. Whoever
said that "money is the root of all evil" hit the nail on the
head in respect to pet store owners and puppy mills.
The most disgusting
thing about this entire situation is that when I advised the pet store
owner about all Shelby's conditions, he offered me a new puppy. There
is not chance that I would ever give her up, not for anything in the world.
Just for fun I asked him if I brought her back what he would do with her.
His response was "I will resell her." I asked him if he would
advise the potential buyers of all her health problems. He did not respond
to my question. As if anyone is going to buy a dog from a pet store that
is almost a year old (at the time this conversation took place). I asked
him to pay for her surgeries. He would not do this and explained that
he would only be willing to replace her with another puppy.
I have attempted to
get info about Shelby's parents and the breeder she came from. I have
been told by the pet store that there is no way of finding out as she
came through a broker. I was in contact with a lady from the BMDCQ and
she thinks that Shelby came from the largest puppy mill in Quebec. This
much I do know, Shelby did come from Quebec.
All I can say in closing
is that puppy mills, greedy pet store owners and spending $10,000.00 in
medical expenses should be reason enough for nobody to ever purchase a
puppy from a pet store.
Thank you from reading
my story.
Kelley
Shelby is a lucky
dog, many people wouldn't have gone to the lengths that Kelley has, she
has little recourse for what happened to her and we hope by reading her
story, she will save someone else from the pain and heartache she has
suffered.
Photos of Shelby and
her surgeries:
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