The Dog Merchants

February 22, 2016
Journalist Kavin (Little Boy Blue) takes on the industry of dog breeding and selling, interviewing puppy mill operators, hobby breeders, shelter operators, dog auctioneers, and others—all of whom swear they prioritize the welfare of the dogs they deal. Kavin portrays some businesses in a negative light, especially those immersed in breeding and showing purebred dogs (Kavin herself owns two mixed breeds). This undermines the stated goal of “mov the conversation forward so that all dog lovers can understand exactly what we are buying into.” The book will inevitably raise the hackles of breeders who believe they are being depicted unfairly. But those who are breeding and raising dogs responsibly will find validation in their endeavors—and consumers seeking to buy or adopt dogs will benefit from the information Kavin has gathered as they make their decisions.

April 1, 2016
A hard-hitting exploration of the idea of "dogs as a product." Freelance journalist Kavin (Little Boy Blue: A Puppy's Rescue from Death Row and His Owner's Journey for Truth, 2012, etc.) compares the experience of attending America's biggest legal dog auction to what it might be like watching orphaned children auctioned based on looks. To compound her outrage, her own beloved mutts, whom she thinks of as family, would be considered worthless. The recognition that, "like that big case of meat in the supermarket, [the auction dogs] are ultimately a product" inspired her to investigate the $11 billion global market. Kavin estimates that "some thirty million pet dogs are brought home around the world each year." To think of one's dog as a product to be bought and sold for profit is repugnant to pet lovers, but for the author, it also opens the possibility of using collective bargaining power as clout to force a higher standard of their treatment, using "the only language everyone in the dog industry understands: the language of money." Despite the size of the industry, many of the worst offenders are "small players in the big global web," and our cumulative decisions as consumers are important. It's clear that Kavin has meticulously researched the industry, and she notes that in terms of salability of a particular dog, appearance usually matters more than temperament. "The majority of breeds...were developed just like today's Louis Vuitton scarves or Jimmy Choo shoes or Fendi clutches," she writes, in order to "visually announce a person's economic standing." Televised competitions compound the problem. To counter this, Kavin helped launched the website dogmerchants.com, an encyclopedic database that will serve as a "repository of information about pooches and the people who sell them." A scathing indictment of an industry run amok; belongs on every pet lover's bookshelf.

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Starred review from February 15, 2016

The common theme among breeders of registered American Kennel Club champion dogs, large-scale commercial "puppy farms," backyard hobby breeders, dog rescue groups, shelters, dog auctions, and pet stores? Money. Kavin, a journalist and author (Little Boy Blue), presents a fascinating journey that begins with her attending a dog auction in Wheaton, MO, then on to tours and inspections of a wholesale distributor of dogs to pet stores, mostly Petland. The author doesn't shy away from the horrors of filthy, overcrowded puppy mills; she also covers the myriad kinds of rescue groups, from well-organized types to sketchier one-person operations posing as legitimate organizations. She takes on shelters with the same sharp eye, pointing out the challenges they face. Also discussed is the influence of the annual Westminister Dog Show on breed selection and Internet sales, in which buyers simply point, click, and pay without ever seeing a puppy. The book's primary focus is an investigative examination of the business practices of dog sales, and it is clear that Kavin's intent is for conscious consumers to use their pocketbooks to force all breeders to produce healthy dogs that are ultimately good family members. VERDICT Essential reading for all dog lovers, this balanced work will become the standard on this topic.--Susan Riley, Mamaroneck P.L., NY

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