Quote:
Originally Posted by KayakerNC
I checked the eBay Classifieds for my area and found the ads to be mostly from the local shelter and the rest were personal sales.
No puppy mills. 
So, no, I wouldn't bother with a "petition". |
Often, "personal sales" are from people who are called "backyard breeders" and some of these breeders are just as bad as the larger puppy mills. The term "backyard breeders" does not represent folks whose dog just happened to have puppies accidentally, or folks who breed their dog several times.
Backyard breeders are using dogs for profit, usually have a number of breeder females and males whose only purpose is to provide puppies for sale. The dogs are kept in filthy conditions, never receive affection, and because they are sometimes noisy and the owners embarrassed of the housing conditions -- they are often kept in old mobile homes or shacks without a/c or ventilation. The windows are painted black so no one can see in and the doors and windows are kept shut so noise doesn't travel as far.
In any case, just because you don't see evidence in your area of this type of traffic, the bigger picture is that puppy mills and backyard breeders in other areas of the country will find ebay as another outlet for their profit, thereby encouraging more breeding. So, if you care to try to eliminate suffering, even though it is not in your small neighborhood, please rethink your decision.