runamuk - actually I think any way of trying to weed out the puppy mills is a start... I do not see a lot wrong with those surveys - not everyone who buys a puppy is even going to know that they exist. And if someone was simply "after you" - well they have to leave a viable contact email address or their complaint would not be considered - that is how these things work.
And the breeders/rescue organizations that do things the right way will be so noted... I am sorry - but I take a very dim view of the rampant careless breeding-only-for-profit-from-as-many-litters-as-possible that is going on all around us. Just this past week a "breed rescue" in this area that was more of a puppy mill was
finally shut down. Filthy conditions... sick dogs - and yet the woman in charge was incensed that her rights were being violated and was sure that "jealous breeders" had passed along false rumours. Only - her place was like a concentration camp for dogs. She saw NOTHING wrong with it. Piles of feces? Puppies near death from bad flea infestations? Nope - nothing wrong with that - at all...
I helped a friend take her puppy to beginner's obedience this past week... and was dismayed to see a truly badly constructed, fearful and anxious Golden puppy with a large white patch on its chest wobbling around in an odd way. The owner insisted it was from championship lines - and the "breeder" had shown her pictures of the parents on the Westminster website. Yeeeeah riiiight. He paid almost $3000 :new_shocked: for a puppy that already seems to have problems - and is most definitely NOT from any caring "championship" breeder.
Another pup there was sweet and friendly... I thought it might have been a pet-quality Portie or some poodle cross... so we asked politely as we visited with him. Well - this one was a "registered" Australian Black Labradoodle (I kid you not!) and cost that person $2500. She got him from a "well-established" breeder who had bred Australian Black Labradoodles for over 20 years and won many Best in Shows with them. I wish I could have seen the look on my face... at least he was a sweet, bouncy guy...
If such surveys etc. would help shut down a massive sighthound and large breed "rescue" set up in California that lists dogs on Petfinder - including massive amounts of large breed cross (think borzoi x deerhound or Great Dane x wolfhound) PUPPIES that they
produce - and yet they claim to be a Rescue only - GREAT! Puppies from this joint have been filthy, sick, wormy, disturbed, unsocialized, frightened and never handled extensively or ever put on a leash - despite all assurances to potential buyers that all puppies are healthy, well-socialized and assorted other mumbo-jumbo crap these "breeders" spew. Two entire websites are dedicated to documenting the horror stories that have come out of this place - and yet they carry on under the guise of rescue and a celebrity connection... should they be outted and complained about? YOU BET. I see nothing wrong with trying to shine a spotlight on such "dog-lovers"...
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Those who do not want anyone to own dogs do not need to bother with such a list or surveys -they have ample access to "names" etc. via breed organizations/vets/dog sports clubs etc. Not that any of that will help them in their extremist quest...