PET STORES

Too often in our business (dog training) we see the anguish of pet owners who discover they’ve been sold a puppy-mill-bred dog (“How Sick Is That Doggy in the Window?” by Nicole Yorkin, Dec. 3). Aside from the high veterinary bills to resolve physical ailments, these owners often face the frustration of loving a dog that has serious “mental” problems.

A dog that is inbred or that has been separated from its litter too early may have developmental problems that cannot be overcome, even with the finest professional obedience training. The unending nuisance of having such a pet, the destruction to irreplaceable property and the disappointment of not having a loving and responsible companion cannot be calculated in dollars.

We strongly encourage people to obtain dogs only from knowledgeable, qualified and responsible breeders.

RICHARD AND JUDY KARL, North Hollywood