Puppy mill puppies. Sorry to compare them to a product, but that’s how they’re treated. No one should purchase a puppy from a pet store, EVER. This now extends to online brokerage websites like greenfield and puppyspot. They’re like Amazon, a few clicks and a puppy will be sent to your door, and these puppies are coming from the exact same place as the pet store puppies. Because of people’s need for instant gratification, these facilities with hundreds to thousands of breeding animals persist. They are the best cash crop you could hope for.
Never believe a store who claims they only sell puppies from responsible breeders. No, not even if the owner has visited the breeders and “know” they’re good! By definition a responsible breeder would NEVER send their puppies to a pet store. Even pet stores that claim to only have rescues need to be scrutinized because some mills will use a shell rescue to “puppy launder”. “Licensed and certified breeders” should be a red flag - depending on the state, a breeder only needs to be licensed if they have a large number of dogs, are selling to brokers to go to pet stores, or to people “sight unseen” (online). YMMV depending on the state.
People sometimes justify their purchases as “saving” puppies from a pet store. But that is still investing in the industry and funding their operations by giving them profit. Legislation hasn’t stemmed the tide. Only a loss of profit will make mills move on to another hustle.
So please educate yourself and anyone you know who loves dogs and might ever be tempted to purchase a puppy from a pet store or online. Either adopt from a responsible rescue, or purchase from a responsible breeder.