Buying puppies from the flea market or swap meet?
Kathy L asked:
Are the puppies sold there from puppy mills or are they from breeders? Are they usually up to date on shots, etc? My mother is considering to buy a puppy from there, most preferably a lab. Do you think it is a good idea? I want to make sure that the puppy she buys does not come from a puppy mill.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, February 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Dogs.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Are the puppies sold there from puppy mills or are they from breeders? Are they usually up to date on shots, etc? My mother is considering to buy a puppy from there, most preferably a lab. Do you think it is a good idea? I want to make sure that the puppy she buys does not come from a puppy mill.
March 2nd, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Reputable breeders would never sell at a place like that so I am tempted to assume that those pups would be from puppy mills or irresponsible back yard breeders in it for a quick buck.
Why don’t you visit a shelter instead… It’ll be an extra special pup you get from there as you’ll be saving his life.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:14 pm
They are generally puppy mill puppies or Backyard breeders. People who do it for the money or have had oops puppies. Never buy a puppy that has not had at least it’s first set of vaccines and sat least 2 dewormings. Never buy a puppy that is less than 8 weeks old. Make sure the puppy comes with a health certificate and a health guarantee at least long enough for you to get it to a vet, not the breeders vet, to have it checked for any illnesses. If they are asking for an amount of money that seems rediculously high or “too good to be true” run away fast!!!!
March 7th, 2009 at 7:41 am
95% chance they’re from puppy millls…why take the chance, just call breeders.
March 9th, 2009 at 5:43 am
they most likely do come from a puppymill, just look at the health of the puppy i dont think you should buy one!!!
i think you should adopt a puppy from a shelter… they have amazing dogs and puppys.. even labs
March 9th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I would guess that many puppies sold at these places would be sold by breeders and not from puppy mills, however I guess it does depend. You would need to research it a lot and ask a lot of questions. Also, I wouldn’t really count on the puppies having their shots, although it is possible. I think it could be a good idea, it just depends on the kind of people selling the dogs and all of that. I think you could probably feel the people out and find out if they are good people or not. Good Luck!!
March 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Most of the dogs sold at flea markets are byb’s looking for an outlet to peddle their dogs. I have heard some whoppers as far as what these people will say to sell their dogs. I watched one couple check out a puppy with an obvious skin disorder, and the seller spin a story about how it was a puppy rash and very normal. Thank God they didn’t get the pup.
When I started asking questions, he wouldn’t talk to me….
March 13th, 2009 at 3:43 am
Purchasing a puppy from a flea market, pet store, or “swap meet” is just asking for an unhealthy, hastily bred dog. *AKA - a “puppy mill” dog.* Labarador Retrievers, in particular, must be very carefully bred to ensure genetic disorders such as Hip Dysplasia are not passed on to future generations.
If your mother is dead-set on a purebred, find a reputable breeder that has documentation on ALL of their dogs. If the dog can be mixed-breed or not papered, take your mom to the local SPCA and Animal Control to find a great dog that needs a home!
Good luck on your search!
March 15th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
It depends. I’ve seen family bred and raised puppies sold at places like that but I think more often they are puppy mill puppies. Ask the seller if the puppies where the puppies were born. Also, ask them if the puppies have had their shots (ask for the paperwork)
I wish you luck finding your new puppy!
I think you are better off trying to find a breeder that you can go to their facility (or house) and look at the puppies. Then you will know exactly where they came from.
Another idea is adopting a puppy. Have you looked on Petfinder yet? If not, here’s the address:
Personally, I think rescued/adopted dogs are the best
March 18th, 2009 at 4:17 am
They are from Back Yard Breeders.
March 21st, 2009 at 1:30 am
Gr-8 RESPONSIBLE QUESTION>!!!
I can’t wait to see the answers you’ll get. Mostly from mills I’ll bet. Will they provide innoculation records? (I’ll bet not). I don’t think there’s any way you can make SURE.
Why doesn’t she RESCUE a puppy from a shelter or vet?
March 23rd, 2009 at 1:54 am
Definitely not a reputable breeder!
A true reputable breeder will almost never have puppies available. Simply because each of their litters are planned and the puppies have been spoken for well before they are born. A breeder will have a waiting list of potential owners that have already been pre-screened by the breeder and have given a non-refundable deposit to secure their chance to own a puppy.
Breeders also would never sell their pups at a pet store or swap meet. Those people selling at the flea markets aren’t perminant, they lease a space to sell their goods to the public. After the pups are sold, how sure are you that you will be able to track down the seller if a health problem were to arise with your new pup!
Steer clear of those sellers.
March 24th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Puppy mills sell dogs at flea markets. A reputable breeder would not do that because most are picky where their dogs go. If your mother doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a dog..I am assuming this because she is considering buying from a flea market. she could put her money towards adopting a dog or puppy from a shelter. All shelters have the dogs up to date on shots and wormer..etc and most have them spayed or neutered before they will let them go. There are a lot of good dogs sitting in a shelter hoping that special person comes and gives them a loving and safe home. If more people would go to the shelters to find their new best buddy, maybe these despicable back yard breeders would disappear.
March 25th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
You can find a lab or lab mix puppy at literally a thousand shelters across America. They are the most common breed found in rescues, shelters, and pounds. Here-
=&preview=1&exact=1&animal=Dog&preview=&zip=07852
18,777 Labs and Lab mixes available for adoption on Petfinder. Flea market pups aren’t worth their FLEAS. Don’t support puppy mills. Save a life and ADOPT. Thank you.