Puppy Auctions

NGRR is strongly opposed to pet auctions of any type, especially those advertising Golden Retriever puppies. While the intent may be good hearted and charitable,  and the cause worthwhile, auctioning off a pet of any type or breed encourages impulse adoptions without thinking through the consequences or repsonsibilites for the adopting family. The result is typically a bad outcome for both the pet and the family (an ignored animal,  reluctance to provide basic vet care, inadequate exercise, etc.) all of which can lead to bad behavior on the pet's part through no fault of its own. 

In many cases the pet comes from a disreputable breeder, (in the dog world, also know as a puppy mill)  who advertises low cost animals but has raised the animals in extrememly poor living conditions without regard to health or genetic dispositions.   The only guarantee  for the adopter is that if they get a sick or problem  animal, they get a replacement animal, not  a refund.  Certificates of pedigree are frequently false.  See below for  NGRR's strong position against such breeders.

NGRR on the other hand, thoroughly screens each adoption applicant, including visiting the home to assure the dog 's new home will  be loving and secure.  We screen the dogs, evaluate them medically, assure they get all shots and a vet check up,  and then try to match the best dog to qualified applicants by looking at whether the dog is good with children, good with other pets, etc. 

A pet auction ignores all of this and almost guarantees a bad outcome: the animal's health may be suspect; the winning ticket holder may have absolutletly no intention of caring for a new pet ; even if the raffle winner is willing to care for it, the animal may be a bad match for the circumstances, etc.

When NGRR hears of an auction involivng Golden Retrievers, we contact the sponsor of the lottery and try to talk them out of it, citing many examples of bad outcomes.  If after our pleading, they still insist on going ahead with it, we try to convince them to at least tell the winning ticket holder that we will take the dog with no questions asked, at any time.

Here are other articles on this subject:

Article                  Comment

Pets as Prizes       A well written article by the Humane Society

Puppy Auctions     A warning by Morgan Lance