@l sap. that is the biggest load of rubbish i have ever heard. Not only are over-bred by idiots for a quick buck, they are also bought by idiots who have no clue of training, feeding and the absolute commitmant these dogs need? you say that only dogs with issues end up in shelters? who put them there? the idiots who buy dogs off idiot breeders who over -breed!!!!!

Oh and for the record....we bred shepards for the military and only one pup that didnt make the grade was sold to an ex dog handler. our dogs were bred to order not profit and i dont breed anymore. i now have two large dogs that i bought from a trusted breeder who knows my capabilities as an owner and he sold all of his pups to well vetted homes. that is how it should be done. anyone who buys from markets is obviously out to buy a cheap dog and without questions asked? if you stop the market selling pups then it might stop people breeding pups to sell there since they obviously cant afford to put an advert in a paper to sell them privately? will it stop endless unwanted pups? No but it stop the pups going through emotional hell which occurs when at these markets?

Sorry L Sap, but if over population was not an issue, we wouldn't have a need for all the shelters & rescues. No, it is total ignorance that keeps the need for our dedicated rescues alive and well. Outside of their natural drives (scent, herding, protection), all pups start out as a blank slate. It is the people that bring them home that make or break them. When the puppy cuteness phase passes, so does any sense of commitment. Many dogs that are dumped or ignored had great potential, but because of environments like flea markets, where lives are a commodity, dogs can be bought cheap, and then simply be disposed of after the thrill is gone. The "its just a dog" mentality is alive and well among societal trash that reinforce eachother's thinking. And they are everyone. The lives of animals need to be treated with regard, respect, and compassion. This flea market environment promotes the complete opposite.

Well said ponygirl...i concur!

Its allowing impulse buying? Dogs are not a pair of shoes etc? buying a pup should be a long drawn out well thought of decision and not be done because of the awwwwww how cute reason. lets see how cute he/she is when its pooped/peed everywhere, chewed ur fake jimmy choo's and kept you up till 4 am howling......then it gets bigger??!

This man drives around in a van advertising "We Buy Puppies" and posts on Craigslist the like. He then sells them at flea markets as "Designer Dogs" in other words MUTTS. Insert the cruelty of being caged up at an outdoor flea market where coincidentally I was last weekend, it was unbearably HOT and all puppies I witnessed were panting just as much as I was dripping with sweat. This is simply inhumane and touches on many legal and ethical topics.

The shelters are full beyond capacity and millions of dogs euthanized in this country daily as a result. Good dogs who were surrendered due to home issues, finances, or because the "Cuteness" of Lil FiFi has worn off. At least when dogs are saved by rescues/some shelters they are vetted, spayed/neutered and adopted out to responsible families where home checks are performed, etc.

Buying a pet at any venue such as the above is nothing more than an impulse buy which adds to the overpopulation of animals and should be stopped.

Keep in mind everyone, this isn't just about puppies, pet-overpopulation and over-crowded shelters (although that is a big problem!) - but the fact is ALL the animals at WW flea market and others around Florida in these extreme temps are suffering, maybe dying. Puppies, kittens, pocket pets, birds, reptiles. They should not be subjected to these conditions just so these people can make a quick buck! Why don't you make a buck some other way than off the suffering of animals???

Oh that's just terrible SW Largo...I never witnessed that...to be honest, I haven't gone to WW for years because seeing the animals there upset me, not to mention it gets too hot for even ME there.