Best place to buy a puppy in the SW suburbs of chicago? Petland vs Happiness Is Pets?

I've gone to Petland and they have great packages when it comes to purchasing a puppy. They have financial aid and let you pay for accessories over a period of time, plus free vet visit. I haven't seen Happiness Is Pets, but I'm wondering how good they are when it comes to prices of puppies and any deals/packages they have? Which is better? Or is there a better place other than these two?|||So the choices are puppy mill or puppy mill? How about we add one, SHELTER. Better yet, we could even add another RESPONSIBLE BREEDER. Price should not be the major consideration when getting a dog. How the breed/mix fits your life and whether you are ready for a dog are MUCH more important than what you pay for it (an insignificant cost in the long run). PLEASE do not buy a puppy from either store. No matter what they tell you, the dogs come from puppy millers/farmers or bybs. They are NOT from good local breeders, they are from people who don't give a damn about the dogs they own or the puppies they make. Think about it, if they really cared about the dog, would they let it go to the first person who came up with the money? Would they let it go without getting to know the person? Without being able to hear about the puppy and make sure it was being treated right? Wouldn't they care if it ended up in a shelter or pound? REAL breeders do care about all these things and more.


Puppy mills:


http://stoppuppymills.org/


http://www.prisonersofgreed.org/


http://www.almosthomerescue.org/petstore鈥?/a>





Identifying a responsible breeder:


http://members.tripod.com/antique_fcr/go鈥?/a>


http://www.bonafido.org/backyardbreeder.鈥?/a>|||Yuck!!





Neither!!!! Petland is disgusting, and Happiness is Pets is not any better.





Find yourself a reputable breeder and go from there.|||Many, many much better places.





Any and every pet store gets puppies from puppy mills, no matter what they say.





Look in shelters near you, or find a responsible breeder--they don't sell to pet stores.|||BOTH are HORRIBLE places to get puppies. Why? See www.petshoppuppies.org. Go to a rsponsible breeder, or adopt from a rescue or shelter. A responsible breeder will:





1) be breeding to the breed's standard..no teacup, micro, mini, imperial,


king, or other goofy term for runts or oversized dogs. No intentional


"rare", meaning unaccepted by the breed standard, colors either.





2) will be actively showing or working the parents.





3) will have genetic health testing done, such as OFA or PennHip, CERF,


VonWillebrand's, etc.





4) will give you the results of that testing in writing





5) insists on spay/neuter for pet pups.





6) has a contract citing the spay/neuter clause and also offering to take


back the pup at any time for any reason for the rest of its life.





7) is open, honest, and available to the new owner, and can talk aobut their


breed for hours.





8) does a home check before placing a pup, and will turn down homes that


might not be suitable for a pup of their breed.





9) does not put money above the well-being of their animals.





If the breeder you are considering doesn't fit these guidelines, find a


better breeder. You are more likely to get a mentally and physically


healthier pup from a responsible breeder.