Investigation ties Petland to puppy mills

[PoseidonsMom]

No surprise here, but it's been confirmed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27822309/

[Samsons Mom]

good, now lets such down the rest of them. im glad the poodle found a forever home

[PradazPurdy]

Yea, definitely not a surprise!

[Randi]

Yeah, before I knew any better I actually worked at a petland.... I learned very fast that they were corrupt. I only worked there for a little over a month before I got into an argument with the Owner about the animals and how I was disgusted. We were told to tell the customers the puppies don't come from puppy mills, they come from "USDA certified breeders" little do most customers know that and puppymills are one in the same. So many puppies were so ill or had ear mites when they came in they were put in isolation for up to a week before being put in the little cages. It makes me sick to even think about it. Almost all of them had breathing problems or Kennel Cough, so much that they had a nebulizer box to give the puppies treatments at least once a day so they appeared healthy. Also if a puppy wasn't sold after being marked way down it would suddenly disappear one day. When asking where it went we were always told it was sold when we weren't working. Then the manager slipped up and told the lady that grooms the dogs that if this shih tzu wasn't sold by the end of the day he would have to "go to college". Take that anyway you want to take it. But we both took it as, it was going to the veterinary college upstate  Poor pups.

[aquagirl900]

That's just wrong...we have a couple stores here with a couple different pups...one of them takes pups from rescues and has them on display in their stores...another has pups from local breeders..."designer pups" but they went out of business..i was sad too cuz that was my "fish store"...I had to stop going there...and another one gets pups from what I suspect is a puppy mill...bichons, poodles, chis, etc...

[boxerma]

I just heard a little piece on the news advertisement about a 'large pet store' chain.     I never got to watch it, so I'm assuming this is what they were talking about. 

[Bugsys Mom]

Not surprising at all. 

[blynn03]

OMG.....I SOOOOOOOOO want to send this link to my coworker.  But I just can't....

[Samsons Mom]

OMG.....I SOOOOOOOOO want to send this link to my coworker.  But I just can't....

pssh. i would! i would just say "thought id give you a heads up before you go get your petland dog" once he see this hes probly going to feel stupid.

[blynn03]

Nah....he already knows they get puppy mill dogs and apparently doesn't care.  I really don't think it would change his mind...it would just make him angry.  Dog differences aside, he's a good guy....so that's why I can't.

[BoxerWB]

Brandy - What about giving him Randi's first hand account of how horribly the pups are cared for in the store? (Minus what happens if they don't sell, since that'd give him an "I'm rescuing it" argument.  )

[ltournat]

Glad we don't have PetLand here.

[McLovin]

We got Cassius at Petland (obvs before we knew any better). A couple days after bringing him home we did some research on the registration/pedigree forms that came with him and found out that his breeder was in one state (don't remember which one) and that he was neutered in another. Definitely raised some questions. It still breaks my heart to think that he ever had to live in those conditions

[Newcastle]

In the interest of fairness, PetLand has responded:

http://tinyurl.com/5jhjgf

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio, Nov 21, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- At Petland, healthy, happy, well-socialized pets within our care are our number one priority as they have been for 41 years.

We do not support substandard breeding facilities and we provide each Petland store with "Humane Care Guidelines," that were developed in conjunction with the U.S.D.A. to assist with breeder facility inspections as it pertains to pet selection.

Reports such as those posted on the HSUS web site surface every year around the holiday season in conjunction with their annual fundraising efforts. Unfortunately, we were not interviewed or consulted nor were we a part of any of the editing process. This is sensationalism at its best. HSUS has a history of publicizing false information in an effort to raise money. They do not operate a single pet shelter or pet adoption facility anywhere in the U.S. To the contrary, over the last 10 years, Petland has adopted out more than 270,000 homeless puppies and kittens nationwide.

Additional information to understand about HSUS:
1. During 2006, HSUS contributed only 4.2 percent of its budget to organizations that operate hands-on dog and cat shelters. In reality, HSUS is a wealthy animal-rights lobbying organization (the largest and richest) that agitates for the same goals as PETA and other radical groups.

2. HSUS raised money online with the false promise that it would "care for the dogs in the Michael Vick case." The New York Times later reported HSUS wasn't caring for Vick's dogs at all. HSUS president Wayne Pacelle told the Times that his group recommended that government officials "put down" the dogs rather than try to adopt them out.

3. HSUS senior management team includes a former spokesman for the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), a criminal group designated as "terrorists" by the FBI.

4. Less than 12 percent of money raised for HSUS by California telemarketers actually ends up in HSUS's bank account. The rest is kept by professional fundraisers.

5. HSUS raised a reported $34 million in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, supposedly to help reunite lost pets with their owners. Little of that money was spent for its intended purpose. Public disclosures of the disposition of the $34 million in Katrina-related donations add up to less than $7 million.

As reported by Center for Consumer Freedom, http://www.consumerfreedom.com

About Petland
Petland is the retail pet industry leader in the area of animal care with ongoing staff training programs, in-store animal husbandry systems and community service programs aimed at placing homeless pets and promoting the spaying and neutering of pets in the community. At Petland, our pet counselors are experts at matching the right pet with the right person. We carry a wide range of pets including mixed breed and register-able puppies and kittens, tropical fish and birds, reptiles and small animals. Some of our puppies and kittens come from local animal shelters, pet rescue groups and from members of the community. Petland also offers upwards of 6,000 pet supplies. For more information, visit www.petland.com.

SOURCE: Petland

[DM_Boxers]

I saw this on the news a few weeks ago.  There is a local pet shop (mom/pop type) that purchase puppies from local BYB's and sell for double.  Local police which are also the animal control where I live are trying to get them to stop selling dogs at their business.