Read Online Clark's Big Book of Bargains by Clark Howard - Free Book Online
Authors: Clark Howard
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that probably doesn’t have much of a future and create a loving home environment.
Most of the complaints I get are from people who buy dogs, either from a pet store or a dog breeder or broker. A lot of the people who pretend to be breeders actually are just brokers, selling the dog on behalf of a breeder.
I had one caller who had some serious problems with a pedigreed puppy he bought from a pet shop. The dog turned out to be sick and didn’t have the proper papers. The pet store told him that his papers were simply lost, and that they didn’t have any knowledge of the puppy’s illness. The pet shop owner was conveniently absent whenever he went back in to discuss the problems with his dog, and his calls were not returned. Finally, he spoke with the mall management office where the shop was located, and was able to get some pressure put on the pet store. He received a credit for the missing paperwork, but still had to shell out big bucks to make his dog well again. This pet store was likely buying from a puppy mill, where dogs are kept in deplorable conditions and bred for the sole purpose of a quick profit. They are often taken away from their mothers early (less than eight weeks), and might be abused or neglected.
A real dog breeder is someone who loves animals, and because they do, they will take the dog back and give you a full refund if it doesn’t work out for you. They won’t want an animal to be in a situation that isn’t best for the animal. Brokers and pet stores have the opposite policy. All sales are final, as soon as you purchase the dog. No refunds. That’s how you’ll be able to tell someone who is a fellow animal lover versus someone who is a lover of money. If you can’t bring the animal back for a full refund, that’s the wrong place to buy.
It’s always tough to have to return an animal, but it happens. Sometimes a dog that seems perfect in the shelter isn’t a good fit with the rest of the family. Maybe he’s too destructive, and training can’t fix the bad behavior. Or maybe he doesn’t get along with your child or another pet.
If it isn’t going to work out, try to decide as soon as you can, because it’s not fair to the animal to keep it six months, let it get comfortable in its new home, and then return it. A relative of mine took in a dog that someone else had been unable to make a good home for, and it turned out the animal had psychological problems. She tried, but it didn’t work out for her either. She returned the animal in two weeks.
Regardless of where you get your new animal, take it to the veterinarian right away, to make sure it is healthy. If a dog has advanced heartworm or hip dysplasia or some other serious illness, it’s best to find out right away.
Before you adopt a dog, do some advance planning to increase your chances of success. If you have children or plan to, don’t buy a breed of dog that doesn’t live well with children. If you’re not sure if you are a dog person, pet-sit for a friend’s dog while they’re on vacation.
Look over your budget and make sure you can afford the cost of food, annual shots, heartworm prevention, flea control medication, and an occasional trip to the vet to treat an illness. Pets can be expensive, and if you’re not willing to shoulder the expense, don’t get one.
Never buy a pet for another person as a gift, because that’s a recipe for failure. They may not like the kind of dog or cat you think they would like. Many shelters prohibit taking a pet for someone else, even for a child, for just this reason. It’s why a lot of rabbits are brought to shelters after Easter and a lot of kittens come in after Christmas. If you want to buy your child a pet as a gift, buy him or her a stuffed dog or cat to represent the gift, then take your child to the shelter to pick out a pet they click with.
With other kinds of animals, such as birds, find out how long this kind of animal usually lives. Some varieties of parrots, for
Most of the complaints I get are from people who buy dogs, either from a pet store or a dog breeder or broker. A lot of the people who pretend to be breeders actually are just brokers, selling the dog on behalf of a breeder.
I had one caller who had some serious problems with a pedigreed puppy he bought from a pet shop. The dog turned out to be sick and didn’t have the proper papers. The pet store told him that his papers were simply lost, and that they didn’t have any knowledge of the puppy’s illness. The pet shop owner was conveniently absent whenever he went back in to discuss the problems with his dog, and his calls were not returned. Finally, he spoke with the mall management office where the shop was located, and was able to get some pressure put on the pet store. He received a credit for the missing paperwork, but still had to shell out big bucks to make his dog well again. This pet store was likely buying from a puppy mill, where dogs are kept in deplorable conditions and bred for the sole purpose of a quick profit. They are often taken away from their mothers early (less than eight weeks), and might be abused or neglected.
A real dog breeder is someone who loves animals, and because they do, they will take the dog back and give you a full refund if it doesn’t work out for you. They won’t want an animal to be in a situation that isn’t best for the animal. Brokers and pet stores have the opposite policy. All sales are final, as soon as you purchase the dog. No refunds. That’s how you’ll be able to tell someone who is a fellow animal lover versus someone who is a lover of money. If you can’t bring the animal back for a full refund, that’s the wrong place to buy.
It’s always tough to have to return an animal, but it happens. Sometimes a dog that seems perfect in the shelter isn’t a good fit with the rest of the family. Maybe he’s too destructive, and training can’t fix the bad behavior. Or maybe he doesn’t get along with your child or another pet.
If it isn’t going to work out, try to decide as soon as you can, because it’s not fair to the animal to keep it six months, let it get comfortable in its new home, and then return it. A relative of mine took in a dog that someone else had been unable to make a good home for, and it turned out the animal had psychological problems. She tried, but it didn’t work out for her either. She returned the animal in two weeks.
Regardless of where you get your new animal, take it to the veterinarian right away, to make sure it is healthy. If a dog has advanced heartworm or hip dysplasia or some other serious illness, it’s best to find out right away.
Before you adopt a dog, do some advance planning to increase your chances of success. If you have children or plan to, don’t buy a breed of dog that doesn’t live well with children. If you’re not sure if you are a dog person, pet-sit for a friend’s dog while they’re on vacation.
Look over your budget and make sure you can afford the cost of food, annual shots, heartworm prevention, flea control medication, and an occasional trip to the vet to treat an illness. Pets can be expensive, and if you’re not willing to shoulder the expense, don’t get one.
Never buy a pet for another person as a gift, because that’s a recipe for failure. They may not like the kind of dog or cat you think they would like. Many shelters prohibit taking a pet for someone else, even for a child, for just this reason. It’s why a lot of rabbits are brought to shelters after Easter and a lot of kittens come in after Christmas. If you want to buy your child a pet as a gift, buy him or her a stuffed dog or cat to represent the gift, then take your child to the shelter to pick out a pet they click with.
With other kinds of animals, such as birds, find out how long this kind of animal usually lives. Some varieties of parrots, for
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