ohmidog!

The Humane Society of the United States reports more than 2,000 pet stores have signed its Puppy Friendly Pet Stores pledge.

In all, 2,003 stores in all 50 states have agreed to  take a stand against puppy mills by refusing to sell puppies.

“These stores have made the responsible decision to pledge not to sell puppies now or in the future, and some of them have even transitioned from selling commercially-raised puppies to an adoptions-only model,” said Melanie Kahn, senior director of The HSUS’ puppy mills campaign.

Of the 9,000 independent pet stores across the country, the majority get their dogs from puppy mills, according to the HSUS.

Lasts week, The HSUS released its third annual investigation of pet stores, linking dozens of pet stores in the Chicago area to more than 2,000 puppies shipped from puppy mills.

“Again and again, such stores have been found to be misleading consumers with stories about getting puppies from responsible breeders, when in fact puppy mills are a key part of their supply chain,” the HSUS said in a press release.

But increasingly, it added, owners of pet stores are realizing they don’t need to sell puppies to run a successful pet-related business. In October, the HSUS worked with two pet stores in Wyoming to help convert them completely from puppy sales to supporting local shelter adoptions.

The HSUS encourages shoppers to purchase pet supplies at stores displaying the Puppy Friendly Pet Stores sign, which states, “We Love Puppies, That’s Why We Don’t Sell Them.”

A list of all the participating stores is available at humanesociety.org/puppystores.

The HSUS estimates that 2 million to 4 million puppy mill puppies are sold each year in the United States; meanwhile 3 to 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters each year for lack of homes.