Gems Rat Terriers
Shelbyville, TN
631-834-6376

Gemsrats main page

Health report statistics

We are proud to report that Gems Rat Terriers dogs do not have any of these health problems.

New investigation on New York puppy stores

Unfortunatly due to heavy advertising and dog shows, people still think AKC puppies are the best. They can come from puppy mills and are sold in puppy stores. Read about AKC Truth

Arizona City Mandates All Dogs Sold in Pet Stores Will Come From Shelters. It's a start. . Canada has banned puppy stores and puppy mills! Bravo! Maybe online puppy stores can be shut down also.
We don't need to enable puppy mills and irresponsible breeders to continue their unhealthy breeding. They are filling up our needed shelters and Rescues.

Gems Rat Terriers vows to be a reputable breeder. All dogs are registered and we conform to the NRTA- National Rat Terrier Association's standards of breeding. We abide by their code of ethics. We are breeders because of the love of the breed. We want to offer the public quality pets unlike animals from puppy stores, puppy brokers (Internet puppy stores) or puppy breeders clubs or their so called private breeders. They sell many breeds but don't tell you they are from puppy mills. Sometimes breeders who sell puppies in their homes are nothing but an extention of a puppy mill. A true breeder will show you the parents and have paperwork from a reputable registry that has pictures in their data-base to verify the breeding history. Please be aware that there are several so called pedigree databases online designed for anyone who wants to list parents and puppies. They are not credible and do not track health and histories of breeding lines.

Gemsrats participate in educating the public on Rat Terriers. We also work with select Rat Terrier rescue organizations and other dog rescues. We care about the health and well being of these dogs and take the proper steps in creating the healthiest pets we can with the help of veterinarians and breeders. They make fabulous pets and can be a great companion in any home. A wonderful family dog too!

We never met a Rattie we didn't like!

Our views about the overpopulation of dogs in the USA:

You cannot force people to rescue dogs. It is their choice just as much as it is to have children. Some rescue dogs are from pet owners that decide to give them up because they don't like them anymore, can't handle them or they are sick. Rescue and Shelters should not be for puppy stores, puppy mills and backyard breeders. It is a wonder why you cannot track where a puppy or dog has come from. Are they protecting the puppy stores and puppy mills? I have seen more advertising for people to buy Rescue dogs than advertising bad breeding practices. I also wonder if puppy mills or stores run some of the Rescues so they can stay in business. Most importantly it's a commitment to have a dog. You have to do everything you can to keep them. Of course sometimes you have to give them up. The best we can do as dog owners and reputable breeders is to donate and hope for the best for these rescue dogs. As a reputable and responsible breeder, I believe I am part of the solution. These animal rescue activists must target the mass production of dogs, not those of us who do the right thing. I have no problem donating to those who can stop these inhumane breeders and donate to compassionate people who care for these dogs in legitimate rescues. We need these rescue groups regardless. People are buying puppies from pet stores and the pet stores are telling them they get them from breeders! What they don't say is that the breeders mass-produce puppies (puppy mills). It is very costly to properly breed dogs and by over breeding, they are often neglected. Puppy mills also breed sick dogs to make a profit. Puppy stores and internet puppy stores call themselves breeder clubs, breeder brokers and say they have private breeders. Designed to trick you into believing they come from reputable breeders. They can have have AKC and other registries. Unfortunately it has come to mean nothing and does not protect you from buying a puppy mill or properly bred dog. Many of these registries will register any dog.

We also feel that Veterinarians should get on the bandwagon and not give clearance for mass shipping these puppies. They can be part of the solution also.

ASPCA report on puppy industry

It takes money, time, education and good old TLC to make good and healthy puppies. These are living animals that man created and it is our obligation to provide good environments for them. Educating people and awareness of this problem is the key. If they can make a law to prohibit puppy stores from selling puppies, they can then sell rescue dogs instead. Enforcing healthy breeding practices is also important. We feel that there should be regular and surprise inspections for any one claiming to be a breeder. With responsible and reputable breeders, we can break this cycle of unhealthy dogs and overloading rescues. Prohibiting everyone from selling them without a license; otherwise we are just enabling irresponsible breeders and puppy mills that cause more and more rescues. A rescue dog is not for everyone and it is ignorant for dog rescue activists to think that the public should only seek a puppy or dog from a dog rescue. Rescue activists must be more concerned about where the rescues are getting these dogs and why is it a secret rather than promote the "sale" of them. We all know they are not free. Some people can't afford the problems that come up with rescues, and many people are inexperienced in handling some of them.

©Gems Rat Terriers