Hope was rescued from a puppy mill by the group Hearts United for Animals.
For her story and more, visit www.prisonersofgreed.org.

*****************************************
May 2010:
Watch the video: https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3129

April 2010: PETA recently investigated Sun Pet Ltd., a wholesale animal dealer that supplies animals to numerous PETCO and Petsmarts. They have provided this information to law-enforcement officials and can only disclose part of the results at this time, but they write, "PETA'S investigator documented cruel, extremely crowded, and filthy conditions that forced animals to eat, sleep, urinate, and defecate all in the same tiny space as well as the violent killing and rough handling of birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, mice, and rats. One female worker put live hamsters in a bag and bashed them against a table in an attempt to kill them--a crude process that did not kill them outright. A supervisor trained PETA's investigator to determin animals' genders by forcefully squeezing their abdomens 'like a...PlayStation controller handle'--to make their genitals 'come out.'" We know that you may have to go miles out of your way to avoid shopping at these stores, but please buy from supplies-only stores whenever possible. Also, don't let Petsmart and PETCO ignore this! Tell them to stop selling animals. You can reach PETCO at 1-888-824-7257 and Petsmart at 1-800-738-1385.



April 2010: Born Free USA has developed a Pet Supply Locator. Go to www.findpetshops.com to find ethical pet stores that sell pet supplies but do NOT sell live animals!

www.findpetshops.com

******************************************

Update March 2010: Great news! Due to the negative influence PETLAND was going to have on the Columbus Pet Expo as a sponsor, the organizers have refunded Petland's $4,000 and are going to have the expo without them. They reaffirmed their commitment to helping homeless animals get adopted by supporting non-profit rescues and shelters. YAY! The organizers say that this has had a significant impact on their budget, so if you live anywhere near the Columbus area, please go to www.columbuspetexpo.comand learn more about it, then check out the expo! Our thanks to everyone who complained about Petland and to the organizers for saying NO, THANKS to Petland.

March 2010 The following message is from Columbus Top Dogs. It is no longer necessary to email or call the expo organizers (except to say THANKS) or sign the petition, but this is what started everything:

Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~

The Columbus Pet Expo is gearing up for their 16th year of educating and entertaining pet lovers throughout Central Ohio. This year's Expo will be held March 26-28, at the Franklin County Veteran's Memorial in Columbus, Ohio.

As was the case last year, Petland is once again a major sponsor for this event.

The sad truth behind the friendly facade of Petland stores is that there often lies a puppy mill. The documented problems of these mass breeding facilities include overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of socialization with humans, overcrowded cages, and the killing of unwanted animals. To the unwitting consumer, this situation frequently means buying a puppy facing an array of immediate veterinary problems or harboring genetically borne diseases that do not appear until years later.

Consumer demand for purebred puppies, more than any other factor, perpetuates the misery of puppy mills. Unfortunately, a dog's lifespan is often longer than a consumer's desire to maintain their "product." As a result, millions of purebred dogs are sent to animal shelters every year, where roughly half will be euthanized.

Take a look at the financial impact of Columbus Petland stores on Franklin County (statistics provided by the former Director of Franklin County Animal Shelter, Lisa Wahoff, in November, 2006):

7-10 Petland dogs PER DAY are admitted to the shelter. 80% of those dogs are:

*not spayed/neutered
*are in very poor health and/or mental state
*have no microchip registered to anyone other than the broker, and no owner can be tracked. Petland takes no responsibility.
*are not an appropriate match to the owner, resulting in owner release within one year of the purchase.

The Results?

A low-end average of $30 per day for each Petland dog (if the dog is healthy) X 7-10 dogs = $210-$300 per day!

On January 27, a federal court in Arizona issued a ruling allowing a lawsuit to proceed against Petland, Inc. based on allegations that the retail chain is routinely selling unhealthy puppy mill puppies to unsuspecting consumers. The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Phoenix, alleges that Petland violated the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), and numerous state consumer protection laws by misleading thousands of consumers across the country into believing that the puppies sold in Petland stores are healthy and come from high-quality breeders. The suit is the result of many months of investigative and legal research, and comes after two separate investigations into Petland stores by a national animal welfare organization in 2008 and 2009 that demonstrated a direct link between multiple Petland stores and unscrupulous puppy mills.

It is our firm belief that until the public truly understands and appreciates the cruel aspect - not to mention the consumer fraud - connected with "dealing dogs", Petland will continue to generate millions of dollars for their breeders and distributors.

We are asking animal advocates to respectfully request that Mythanne Reno and Teresa LaRotondo step forward as the Show Director and Show Manager of this event and request that Petland withdraw their sponsorship. Until this company is no longer affiliated with an Expo that is focused on educating consumers about the plight of homeless animals, we are asking all humane minded citizens not endorse nor participate in this event.

Click here to sign the Petition - >
www.thepetitionsite.com/1/remove-petland-as-sponsor-of-columbus-pet-expo

**********************************************
2010 EXPO CONTACT INFORMATION:

1. Mythanne Reno – Show Director - Mythanne@columbuspetexpo.com – 888-650-6060

2. Teresa LaRotonda – Show Manager - Teresa@columbuspetexpo.com – 614-834-0583

Mary O'Connor-Shaver
Cell: 614-271-8248
Columbus Top Dogs
http://www.ColumbusTopDogs.com
http://www.BanOhioDogAuctions.com
http://www.ThoughtsFurPaws.com
http://petnewsandviews.com
http://tejasanimalrefuge.ca/
http://www.LostPetUSA.net

LEGISLATIVE ALERTS: Please visit our Home page for pending legislation impacting the welfare of OH animals - http://www.columbustopdogs.com/

******************************************
March 2010: The following is a message from the group Social Compassion in Legislation. Please call!

Dear Friends: Thanks to the success of the ban on pet store sales passed in West Hollywood, a similar bill has been introduced in the State of Maryland!

Senator Lisa Gladden has introduced a bill that will prohibit puppy mills from supplying to pet shops in Maryland. As usual, the puppy mill/breeder industry is lobbying hard against the bill stating that this is bad for business. We would like to ask that you please call the Senators on the Maryland State Finance Committee and ask that they support Senator Gladdens efforts and to keep the bill strong and not water it down.

Below are a few reasons why Social Compassion in Legislation supports Senator Gladdens bill and why the other Senators should as well:

Prohibiting puppy mills from selling to pet stores will not put pet shops out of business, pet stores can still sell animals that don't come from puppy mills.

You are protecting the consumer from fraud and sick animals, since pet stores frequently lie about the source of the animal, and puppy mill animals have many expensive health problems.

This bill protects animals and consumers by promoting humane, healthy standards for raising animals. When Maryland shelters are euthanizing animals because they do not have homes, there is no need to be producing more animals at disgraceful puppy mills for sale. The shelter animals deserve those homes first.

Please call the following Senators and urge their support. It does not matter where you live, they need to know this is a national concern and they have support from citizens from all across the United States on this issue. Please make a minimum of two calls to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Finance Committee:

Senator Thomas M. Middleton Chair, Finance Committee (410) 841-3616, (301) 858-3616

Senator John C. Astle Vice-Chair, Finance Committee (410) 841-3578, (301) 858-3578

If you have more time and energy, please call the rest of the committee.

Click on links below for contact details:

-> Senator George W. Della, Jr.
-> Senator Nathaniel Exum
-> Senator Robert J. Garagiola
-> Senator Barry Glassman
-> Senator Delores G. Kelley
-> Senator Allan H. Kittleman
-> Senator Katherine A. Klausmeier
-> Senator E. J. Pipkin
-> Senator Catherine E. Pugh Thank you Senator Lisa Gladden for your leadership in protecting animals in Maryland! Yours, Judie. Judie Mancuso President, Social Compassion In Legislation (SCIL) A 501(c)(4) non-profit organization focused on reducing pet overpopulation through legislation. Please consider donating to help SCIL continue our work. 100% of your donation goes to legislative goals, including spay and neuter legislation and anti-puppy mill legislation. SCIL has no paid employees and is run completely by volunteers. Donations are not tax deductible. Please visit www.socialcompassioninlegislation.org to donate. Donations can also be mailed to: Social Compassion PO Box 1125 Laguna Beach, CA 92652

**********************************************************************
MARCH 2010: ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE:
Hi all, I am volunteering with "Missourians for the Protection of Dogs." We are trying to collect 130,000 signatures to have the "Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act" placed on the Missouri ballot in November. We need help getting enough signatures. Please check out their website: http://www.missourifordogs.com/ If you have not yet had the opportunity to attend a training session to become a signature gatherer, please join us at the next meeting in the Kansas City area. You'll have your signature gathering questions answered as well as obtaining supplies. The next meeting is on Saturday, February 20th, from 1:00 to 3:00 at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (Bloch School, 5110 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO in the Mag Conference Room). Please cross post. We need help! Thank You, Jody Murphy

***************************************************************************

February 2010: Approximately a year has gone by since we received a complaint about the horrible treatment of a puppy named Chance who was rescued from a pet store in Corbin, Kentucky, but died soon afterwards. [See Hall of Shame, part 2, search for Corbin.] Please email the address below to ask them to PROSECUTE any ANIMAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT that the owners, managers, and employees of this pet store may be found guilty of.
http://whitleycount yfiscalcourt. com/cont act.asp

*********************************************

February 2010: FANTASTIC WORK by California activists!!

West Hollywood Puppy Mill Animal Retail Sale Ban Passes
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - By WeHo News Staff, West Hollywood West Hollywood, California (February 3, 2010) -
As expected, West Hollywood passed the ordinance PROHIBITING THE SALE OF DOGS AND CATS IN PET STORES. Full story:

http://wehonews.com/z/wehonews/archive/page.php?articleID=4421

******************************************

December 2009: The Petland in Roseville, CA, has CLOSED. Local citizens had been protesting outside the store regularly. Buh-bye, Petland! Story: "Roseville Petland Closes on Heels of News10 Puppy Mill investigation" http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=71855

**********************************************************************

Thanks to all who attended the latest PROTEST AT PETLAND!
The radio station WAMU (88.5) aired a short segment about this event, interviewing HSUS's Stephanie Shain. You can listen to it at http://wamu.org/news/09/05/10.php

August 5, 2009: As you may know, PETLAND has been in the news a lot lately for selling puppies born in cruel PUPPY MILLS. This has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, most recently in the extensive Humane Society of the United States investigation and follow-up.The good news: A Petland in Akron, Ohio, has SHUT DOWN, supposedly for good. The bad news: This particular store closing happened after an employee of that Petland posted a photo on Facebook. The photo shows her smiling as she holds up two wet, dead rabbits (see photo in the link below). She claimed that a manager took the photo after she drowned the two rabbits, who had been severely injured from fighting each other, and also said that while drowning them she was "swearing at [the rabbits] to just hurry up and die...." The employee, Elizabeth Carlisle, has been charged with cruelty to animals. PETA was the group that exposed this incident of cruelty, which, contrary to what Petland says, is not an isolated incident. Petland's business is based on cruelty. Please write or email Petland today and tell them to STOP SELLING ANIMALS! Visit the PETA page below for more details contact information.https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2385 If someone you know is ready to care for a rabbit or other animals commonly sold in pet stores, let them know that these animals are not only available for adoption at shelters and rescue groups everywhere, but they are being killed in large numbers because there are not enough homes for them, and that one good place to find animals for adoption is on www.petfinder.com. Thanks! Reinforcements have arrived! As many of you know, we at petstorecruelty.org have been protesting at our local Fairfax Petland since 2004. On November 20, 2008, the Humane Society of the U.S. revealed the results of an eight-month investigation into the PETLAND chain, showing conclusively that many Petland stores are getting puppies from cruel, horrible PUPPY MILLS where dogs suffer for their entire lives.

The January 10, 2009 protest at PETLAND in Fairfax City, Virginia, organized by the Humane Society of the United States, had a large crowd of about 50 protesters and was covered on the local news. Similar protests were held around the country on the same day. A second nationwide protest was held on March 14, 2009, at 30 Petlands around the country, again including the Petland in Fairfax City, Virginia.

But there's more! "Petland Faces Class Action Lawsuit for Peddling Unhealthy Puppy Mill  Dogs in at Least 20 States." "HSUS Members to Petland: See You in Court." For more information visit http://www.stoppuppymills.org

June 2009: The Humane Society of the U.S. conducted a SECOND investigation of Petland, showing that Petland's claim that it severs ties with puppy mills is incorrect. Please visit http://www.stoppuppymills.org/petland_stores.html for details, including where individual Petland stores around the country are getting puppies from.

Did you buy a sick puppy from any Petland store? Yes, you may be able to join the class action lawsuit. Fill out the form at http://www.stoppuppymills.org/forms/tell_us_your_story.html

*******************************************

Please visit this Boycott Petland Facebook page!

www.facebook.com/groups.php#/group.php?gid=10760798674&ref=ts


******************************************
October 2009: OHIO RESIDENTS: PLEASE VOTE NO ON ISSUE 2 ON NOVEMBER 3!

According to the Ohio League of Humane Votors, this bill could allow the Farm Bureau, the Agriculture Dept., and a proposed "Livestock Care Standards Board to govern puppy mills. This means the standards could be absurdly low. Please vote against this bill. For more information visit www.lohv-ohio.org.

*******************************************

September 19, 2009 is PUPPY MILL AWARENESS DAY. For more information about this annual event, visit http://www.awarenessday.org/

******************************************

SAFARI STAN'S PET CENTERS--Greater New York City Metro area, Long Island, Northern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut--BAD NEWS for people who care about animals.

Fall 2009: This "new" store is a subsidiary of PETLAND, INC., which gets its puppies from PUPPY MILLS. Don't be fooled by the different name. It is, as they say on their website www.safaristanpets.com, "EXACTLY" the same as Petland!

***********************************************************
September 2009: California residents:

Please SUPPORT SB 250, an initiative in California designed to reduce the number of homeless animals. For details visit:

http://www.yesonsb250.com/sb250-home.php

This website says: "SB 250 provides a reasonable, fiscally responsible step towards reducing pet overpopulation in California. The bill simply requires that dogs be spayed or neutered unless their owner/guardian obtains an unaltered dog license when they license their animal. SB 250 also requires that roaming cats be spayed and neutered by their owner/guardian."

September 2009: Also please SUPPORT AB241, an initiative in California designed to fight puppy mills.

For details visit:

http://www.yesonab241.com/


This website says: "AB 241, The Responsible Breeder Act of 2009, limits these cruel puppy mills in a reasonable way, by simply limiting owners and breeders to a maximum of 50 unaltered animals. Law enforcement reports that in our state, virtually no one has more than 50 unaltered animals unless they are running a puppy mill, or are an animal hoarder."

*************************************************

Fantastic news for those seeking information about dog breeders who sell to pet stores (or sell puppies online)!! Starting May 26, 2009, the USDA is posting ALL INSPECTION REPORTS for Class A breeders and Class B dealers on its website here:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/inspection_list.shtml

If you have purchased a puppy from a pet store and have the breeder's name, check this out. If you find out something shocking, make sure you let people know that your friendly neighborhood pet store gets puppies from PUPPY MILLS.

*********************************************

May 8, 2009: Watch "The Dog Whisperer" with Cesar Millan. The show is entitled "Inside Puppy Mills." The renowned dog trainer visits a puppy mill and speaks out against this horrible cruelty.  Don't forget to tell him THANK YOU!
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/contact/

*****************************************************************


Animal Planet Puppy Mill Expose! Monday, April 27, 2009, on Animal Cops Philadelphia.

******************************************

We had high hopes, and so we are really disappointed that President Obama chose not to adopt a homeless dog, which he virtually promised to do several months ago. He appeared in Jana Kohl's book, "A Rare Breed of Love," so he was aware of puppy mills and could have made a more ethical, humane choice. He had his pick of any dog in the world, and there are many homeless dogs that are hypoallergenic. He gets points for getting a dog that is neutered and apparently not bred purposely for him, but it would have been so easy for him to set a wonderful example for the rest of the country by ADOPTING A HOMELESS DOG FROM A SHELTER OR RESCUE GROUP, saving one of the MILLIONS OF HOMELESS ANIMALS BEING KILLED EACH YEAR because someone chose to get a dog from a breeder or pet store instead. His choice of a purebred Portuguese Water Dog is almost certain to inspire puppy millers to start focusing on that breed and selling them to pet stores and online. This cartoon puts this nicely:

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/telnaes/telnaes04142009.html

Meanwhile, we hear that Vice President Biden has not yet made good on his promise to adopt a homeless dog to be a companion for his new dog, who was also obtained from a breeder. What is he waiting for? YES, YOU CAN adopt a homeless dog, cat, bird, rabbit--whatever! It's easy! Start your search at www.petfinder.com!

****************************************************************

MARCH 27, 2009: Please thank ABC's "NIGHTLINE" for its segment "Puppy Mill Capital, USA?"
Watch the video at
http://abcnews.go.com/NIGHTLINE
Email Nightline at http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3428117

******************************************

March 2009 PETA alert: "Easter bunny" fever: Don't Catch it!

Impulse shopping. We've all been guilty of it to some extent, whether it's splurging on a vanilla soy latte, that new pair of shoes you'll rarely wear but can't resist, or the random gadget that seemed so useful during the 3 a.m. infomercial. We may have regrets when we look in our wallets the next day, but overall, impulse shopping now and again can be pretty harmless-unless that impulse involves bringing an animal into your life. Each Easter season, many parents give in to the "Easter bunny" temptation and buy a rabbit for their kids, vastly underestimating the amount of care that bunnies require . Weeks later, when "bunny fever" has subsided, many will consign now-unwanted bunnies to outdoor hutches, dump them at animal shelters, or simply set them free outdoors, where they will starve or be killed by predators. Most will end up dead or abandoned before their first birthday. If-after careful consideration-you have decided to welcome a rabbit into your home, please adopt from your local humane society or rabbit rescue group; NEVER buy bunnies from a pet store . These animals often come from rabbit mills, where they are overbred. Dealers and pet stores usually request 4-week-old bunnies because they require less space and are "cuter," but bunnies of this age are ill-prepared to be weaned from their parents. An animal who is purchased at a pet or discount store will be replaced by another one from these rabbit mills, leaving one less home for a bunny already in an animal shelter awaiting adoption. This Easter season, take some time to speak up for bunnies and all animals in pet stores by reminding others that animals require a major commitment and that you should always adopt and never buy animals from a pet store or breeder. Learn more . The following are more ways that you can help animals this season: · Be a pet store leafleting leader! Contact PETA's activist liaisons for materials and information on leading a leafleting event to protest a local pet store that sells animals and to encourage others to adopt and never buy. · Speak up for bunnies today by writing to Armani , who currently includes rabbit fur in his new designs, and urge him to keep the promise that he made by permanently removing all fur from his collections. · Don't patronize pet stores that sell animals. You can purchase supplies for animal companions from pet supply stores or catalogs that carry full product lines but don't treat animals as merchandise. And if you're searching for an animal companion, adopt from a reputable animal shelter or rescue organization. Best of luck with your efforts, and thank you for everything that you do for animals! Take care, Erin Edwards, Activist Liaison People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 757-622-7382 ATeam@peta.org

********************************************************

CNN puppy mill show featuring California activist Carole Raphaelle Davis, Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the U.S., and Bill Smith of Main Line Animal Rescue.  Pacelle mentions the Petland investigation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6L2sWeX-DI ****************************************

If you have never seen a puppy mill before, please watch this video from nopuppymills.com:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdcNl5FqcKY******************************************
Read "Petland stole my Christmas," a new story of a sick Petland puppy. Scroll down to
Petland--Texas--Georgetown. "

********************************************************

December 1, 2008:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/12/01/daily35.html
"Former Petland Franchisees Suing Chain"
The article begins..."Former Petland Inc. franchisees are suing the Chillicothe chain for fraud, alleging the stores are doomed from the start--and the company knows it." It says "A major allegation from the franchisees...is that pets supplied to the store through Petland's vendors were sick or dying."


November 20, 2008: An 8-month investigation by the Humane Society of the United States into PETLAND! See the video "Petland linked to Puppy Mills" at http://stoppuppymills.org/. This story was picked up by media around the country. Tracking nearly 17,000 (seventeen thousand) puppies shipped to Petland, HSUS proved (yet again) that PETLAND GETS PUPPIES FROM PUPPY MILLS. Please do not buy puppies at Petland or any other pet store.  Remember, there is no legal definition of puppy mill, so that nice store near you can get away with swearing that they would never in a million years get puppies from puppy mills, when in fact, by every reasonable definition of the term, they do. Adopt, don't shop!

Check out the 8-minute video!

http://video.hsus.org/?fr_story=b224f6032ef5f9bda79fdcaf446e491e5ede509d&rf=bm


********************************************

Great news from Best Friends: December 2008: "Yesterday, the upscale Beverly Center Mall in Los Angeles announced it will terminate the lease of the Hollywood pet store institution, Pet Love. Since last July, Best Friends staff and members like you have been at the Beverly Center educating potential customers that those cute puppies at Pet Love really come from cruel puppy mills."

*******************************************************

GREAT NEWS!
RICHMOND, CA (November 17, 2008). House Rabbit Society (HRS) is delighted to announce that PETCO has decided to cease its sale of rabbits in all PETCO stores. PETCO will begin phasing rabbits out of its stores immediately and as of early 2009, the only rabbits available at PETCO stores should be rabbits from shelters or rescue organizations.

*******************************************

October 2008: First Posh Puppies, and now two more puppy mill stores in the Los Angeles area--Millionaire Mutts and Puppies and Babies--have CLOSED thanks to the efforts of dedicated protesters and Last Chance for Animals. See the video:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=UuZWTBhjikI


August 27, 2008: ALERT: If you have purchased a toy called "Pimple Ball with Bell," made by the compan Four Paws Inc., do not give it to your dog! This toy has caused serious injury to dogs by trapping their tongues inside the ball. This is not a hoax; visit www.snopes.com for more details. The company has issued a recall of the defective balls but is apparently still making the toy. Please urge them to stop making the toy completely by writing to Allen Simon at hbirk@fourpaws.com. For questions call the Four Paws at 1-800-835-0909.

****************************************************

2008: Recently, we requested that people send us pictures of animals they had rescued, and the response was tremendous. We thank everyone who sent photos and told us about their wonderful companions.  (Sorry, we can't add any more photos or the page will take too long to load, but if you have a favorite rescue group you'd like to add, let us know.) Visit our Solution: Rescue! page to see the photos.  They're also getting a lot of attention as a display that we're using at local events. Also, an activist friend in California generously offered to make some of them into a video for us! See it at...

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=93IHmlhHpMc

******************************************

June 2008: PETA exposes FAIRFAX CITY PETLAND at 9404-A Main Street, Fairfax, VA, freezing baby mice and rats ALIVE.

The state of Virginia's legal definition of "euthanasia" is this: "Euthanasia" means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death or by a method that involves anesthesia, produced by an agent that causes painless loss of consciousness, and death during such loss of consciousness.

Note the words "instantaneous" and "immediate." Freezing is a SLOW death.

PETA's letter of complaint to Petland states: "The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) lists hypothermia under "unacceptable agents and methods of euthanasia" and states specifically that "[h]ypothermia is not an appropriate method of euthanasia." The National Institutes of Health (NIH) only permits "deeply anesthetized" neonatal rodents to be euthanized via RAPID freezing (i.e. immersion in liquid nitrogen)." Two veterinarians recognized as experts on rodents also stated that this method would cause fear and pain to the baby animals. Read the full letter at
http://blog.peta.org/archives/peta_to_petland.pdf

See the video at http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/fairfax_petland
and use the form e-mail at this link to COMPLAIN to Petland headquarters about this cruel practice, and please personalize the letter and also tell Petland you will never shop at their store as long as they continue to sell animals!

We encourage all Petland employees to come forward with information about the freezing of ANY ANIMALS at Petland.  Most importantly, REPORT THIS TO YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL CONTROL as you are instructed to do it, and then don't do it.


********************************************

WHAT IS PETLAND, AND WHY NOT SHOP THERE?

Petland is a large pet store franchise whose reason for being is to make a profit by selling as many companion animals as possible. While in recent years many other pet stores have moved toward selling supplies only--inviting non-profit rescue groups into their stores to adopt out homeless animals--Petland sells intentionally bred puppies, kittens, rabbits, birds, chinchillas, ferrets, and many other animals, with flagrant disregard for the tremendous animal suffering that this causes.

Here are 3 of the ways Petland causes animal to suffer:

1) PUPPY MILLS

2) IN-STORE CONDITIONS

3) HOMELESS ANIMAL CRISIS

*************************************************

August 2008: Buh-bye to another Petland! Our friends in Kansas report that the Petland in Overland Park (Stanley) has CLOSED.

**************************************************

July 2008: Announcement: Stolen Dog--Stella--$5,000 reward
2 1/2 year old female Doberman born with congenital limb deformity left forelimb, now amputated. Natural ears, tattoo inner thigh. Suspect Alla McGeary has been charged with grand larceny and failure to return stolen property. My no longer be in the Virginia area. If seen please immediately contact the Commonwealth Attorney's Office at 540-665-6383 and ask for investigator Eric Heflin or Todd Gilbert or Dr. Kim Danoff at 703-938-2563. For more information see www.vetrehab.org.

*******************************************************

HEALTH ALERT: If by any chance you are researching Petland BEFORE you buy a puppy, please read their "warranty" carefully! It is designed to protect Petland, not you! Note that different stores offer different warranties, and what we are referring to here is the warranty of the Petland in Fairfax City, Virginia. The Fairfax City Petland "limited puppy purchase warranty" is NOT a guarantee that your puppy is healthy. It does not guarantee that they will pay for any medical problems your puppy has, even if the problem occurs the DAY you take the puppy out of the store. Their warranty says "PETLAND WILL NOT REIMBURSE OR BE LIABLE FOR ANY EXPENDITURE INCURRED AT ANY VETERINARIAN OR EMERGENCY CLINICS OTHER THAN POTOMAC VALLEY VETERINARY HOSPITAL." That means:

If your puppy starts coughing uncontrollably or throwing up or having seizures or having ANY emergency when the Potomac Valley Veterinary Hospital (Dr. Cheema) is closed, and the answering machine refers you to another animal hospital, Petland has no intention of paying the emergency bills.

If you leave your puppy at the emergency vet because he is extremely ill and needs immediate 24-hour care, Petland has no intention of paying the bills.

If you decide you don't trust Dr. Cheema because he works with Petland, and you take your puppy to ANY OTHER VET, Petland has no intention of paying the bills. Be prepared for Petland to claim that any vet who disagrees with them and their store vet is wasting your money on unnecessary tests.

The ONLY illnesses for which actual veterinary care is covered by the 14-day warranty are parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis, corona virus, or canine influenza. The most common major problem that we have learned about in pet store puppies, from customers who write to us, is PNEUMONIA. Pneumonia is NOT listed as being covered in the warranty.

Read the "limited three-year extended puppy warranty." If your puppy has a hereditary problem that turns up within 3 years, Petland will NOT pay for surgery. They will offer you a discount on ANOTHER Petland puppy--the LAST thing you will want when faced with surgery that costs thousands of dollars and causes you and your dog a lot of suffering. The warranty states, "PETLAND WILL NOT REIMBURSE OR COVER ANY SURGICAL PROCEDURES OR VETERINARY BILLS FOR ALL HEREDITARY OR CONGENITAL DISORDER."Note that even if you notify Petland of a medical problem within 24 hours, as the warranty says to, it gives no promise that they will DO anything about it.

This so-called warranty is just one more reason NOT to buy a puppy at Petland!

*******************************

PUPPY MILL AWARENESS DAY is September 19, 2009, in Pennsylvania. Please visit www.awarenessday.org for more information. Even if you're not able to attend, please check out their eye-opening site.

*************************************

In Fairfax County, VA, residents requested that the shelter be open later on weekdays, and shelter authorities listened. Starting April 12, 2008, the shelter is open noon-7 PM Tuesday-Friday and 10 AM to 5 PM Saturdays. Does your local shelter have enough adoption hours? Is it open weekends? If not, complain! Tell your local government officials to make the shelter more accessible to the public. The lives of homeless animals depend on it!

***************************************

UPDATE April 5, 2008: We received this email from the people who have been protesting at Posh Puppies in Los Angeles, California: Hello Friends, Victory! After 15 weeks of protests, we have kicked a puppy mill front out of Beverly Hills! They can't stand up to the truth and will be moving out. Bravo to all of you! And thank you Oprah!

****************************************
May 2008: PUPPY MILLS EXPOSED
ON "OPRAH"!

Watch clips from the show!

www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200804/tows_past_20080404.jhtml?promocode=incl20080404TD


Please thank Oprah Winfrey for exposing puppy mills on "Oprah," Friday, April 4, 2008! The segment was called "Lisa Ling Investigates the Hidden World of Puppy Mills." The guests were Bill Smith and his rescued puppy mill dog "Shrimp" (search for them and see what Shrimp looked like when first rescued from a puppy mill). Smith represents the group Main Line Animal Rescue, www.mainlinerescue.com. Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the United States was also a guest. They all did a great job of showing what puppy mills are like, as well as showing a homeless shelter animal being killed by lethal injection, one of the millions killed in shelters every year, as Pacelle pointed out. Pacelle and Smith agreed that about 99% OF ALL PET STORE PUPPIES COME FROM PUPPY MILLS! So please thank Oprah and spread the word!
http://www.oprah.com/email/tows/email_tows_main.jhtml

*****************************************
March 2008: Easter is a religious holiday, not a reason to buy a rabbit!

This lucky bunny was adopted from a rescue group, but many rabbits are killed in local shelters when no one adopts them. Oblivious to their suffering, our local Fairfax Petland is "stocking up" on rabbits, hoping to cash in on the association between these gentle creatures and the upcoming holiday. Every year, shortly after Easter, rabbits are dumped at shelters more than at any other time.

This suffering is so unnecessary! www.petfinder.com lists 150 bunnies of all sizes, ages, and shapes in desperate need of homes RIGHT NOW IN THE IMMEDIATE D.C area. Among the local groups that have rabbits for adoption are Friends of Rabbits, the Humane Society of Fairfax County, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, Bunny Magic Rabbit Rescue, Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, Bunny Lu Adoptions, and the Montgomery County Humane Society. Spread the word: rabbits are not a starter pet. They need space, not a small cage. They need special care that can be expensive, and they can live for over 12 years. If you know someone prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for a rabbit, please send them to a rescue group, NOT A PET SHOP!

*******************************************

2008: Buh-bye, Petland. A Florida resident tells us that Petland of Delray Beach has CLOSED. It is no longer listed on the Petland website.

********************************************

EVERYTHING PETS--NEW YORK--BURNT HILLS

2008: This store, which used to invite in dog and cat rescue groups, recently changed management and is now selling puppies. Please complain to them on "Questions/Comments" at http://www.everythingpetsandsupplies.com/. Or write Everything Pets, 800 Saratoga Rd., Burnt Hills, NY 12027. Phone 518-399-1567, Fax 518-399-2107. If you live in the area, tell them you'll be buying your pet supplies at Country Acres, right down the street, which sells supplies only, and also invites in rescue groups to help find adoptive families for homeless animals.

And remember, if you're disgusted to see animals being sold in ANY pet store, shoot the store an e-mail or call to tell them that you find their treatment of animals appalling and that you won't even consider shopping at their store until they STOP.

*****************************************

Why do we ask people not to buy ANY animals at pet stores? Here's a good reason--the horribly cruel conditions at the breeding facilities that produce these animals. PETA recently released this undercover footage of conditions at Rainbow World Exotics in Hamilton, Texas, which is a supplier for PETSMART.

http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/petsmart_investigation?rk=87smCJpqsXc0W********************************

GREAT NEWS!!

The message below was sent by the group In Defense of Animals. Please send PetSmart a thank-you note at corpcommunications@ssg.petsmart.com and add that you would prefer that PetSmart sell supplies only and stop selling birds and other animals altogether.

Unfortunately, PETCO is forging ahead with its terrible plan to sell rabbits, resulting in the needless deaths of uncounted sweet, friendly, adoptable rabbits in shelters all over the U.S. This is not acceptable! Please tell them you will not shop at their store and ask why they haven't changed their minds yet.

Petco
9125 Rehco Road
San Diego, CA 92121
Phone: 1-858-453-7845, FAX 1-858-453-6585
Or e-mail through www.petco.com, "Contact Us."

From In Defense of Animals:

Victory: PetSmart Agrees Not to Sell Rabbits

Retailer ends rabbit sales in response to overwhelming outcry

In July 2007, we reported in our eNewsletter that PetSmart, the largest retailer of companion animal supplies in the U.S., announced their plans to start a pilot plan to sell dwarf rabbits. This was a disturbing departure from their previous policy of working with rescue organizations to place rescued bunnies. Rabbits are the third most-frequently relinquished companion animals at shelters across the country, right behind dogs and cats. Fortunately, PetSmart announced this week that the company is discontinuing the rabbit sale "test" and will no longer be selling rabbits in any of their stores once the remaining rabbits are gone.

Contrary to popular belief, rabbits generally require more time and attention than cats and dogs, so many people who make impulse purchases in pet stores soon surrender them to shelters. Even worse, some are released into the outdoors, where they are ill equipped to survive and are susceptible to predation or being run over by cars. Animal advocates were disturbed by PetSmart's decision to test market rabbit sales, given its commitment not to sell puppies and kittens in any of its stores. Thanks to everyone who called, wrote, and email the company, rabbits will have a reason to celebrate this holiday season.

The company allegedly made the decision not to sell rabbits due to the overwhelming opposition from people who care about animals across the U.S.--you made a difference!

What You Can Do

Please write to PetSmart to thank the company for their decision. Tell them you applaud their efforts to fight the animal overpopulation crisis by allowing shelters to adopt out dogs, cats, and rabbits rather than selling these animals in their stores, and for supporting spay/neuter programs.
John Alpaugh Vice President, Specialty Merchandising
PetSmart
19601 North 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027
Tel.: (623) 580-6100 Email: corpcommunications@ssg.petsmart.com

***************************************************

December 2007: Check out this excellent Humane Society of the U.S. expose of the pet store PETS OF BEL AIR, whose customers have included celebrities Paris Hilton and Britney Spears:

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/pets_bel_air_121107.html This story is especially good because it makes a direct link between a particular pet store--PETS OF BEL AIR--and a few of its puppy mills--in this case, Carole's Puppy Palace of Oklahoma, Bakers Kozy Kennels of Arkansas, and RCW Kennels of Kansas. As pet stores always do, this store says it would never get puppies from puppy mills, but cameras at the breeding facilities tell a different story. The video also shows a Pets of Bel Air employee telling an undercover investigator never to tell customers a puppy is sick--just to say the puppy has a "cold" or "sniffles" because that's "cuter." A high price tag and fancy treatment at the pet shop does not mean that a puppy's breeder is kind to animals! To stop puppy mills, people must stop buying puppies from pet stores like this one--and almost every store that sells puppies IS like this one!

**************************************************

OCTOBER 2007: Two important puppy mill investigations:

Humane Society of the United States investigation of unlicensed PUPPY MILLS IN VIRGINIA. Watch the video!

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/VA_2007_puppymills/n21k8d58w?

Tulsa World investigation of PUPPY MILLS IN OKLAHOMA:

www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2007/puppymillsite/index.html

Okahoma USDA-licensed BREEDERS with the worst violation record:

www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2007/puppymillsite/OklahomaClassAWeb.pdf

Oklahoma USDA-licensed DEALERS with the worst violation record: www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2007/puppymillsite/OklahomaClassBWebVer3.0.pdf

Database of USDA violations by Oklahoma breeders (searchable):

http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/itemsofinterest/breeders/breeders.aspx

 
**************************

December 2007: We understand that the Petland at West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, recently closed. That's good news. The bad news is that there are still 5 other Petlands in Columbus.

************************************************

NARROW ESCAPE FOR 94 PUPPIES IN ANOTHER HUNTE TRUCK FIRE

On November 27, 2006, a Hunte Corporation truck delivering puppies to the Town & Country Petland in Columbus, Ohio, caught fire, endangering the lives of 94 puppies on board. According to the Whitehall Fire Department, this was an electrical fire, not due to human error.

A witness reports that the puppies were "screaming," but that Hunte and Petland employees managed to get some of the puppies out of the hot, smoke-filled truck before the fire department arrived to extinguish the fire and remove the remaining puppies.

This was the SECOND fire within 3 months for the Hunte Corporation, a puppy broker which delivers puppies to Petland and other pet stores around the country. In the previous fire, in August of 2006, which made national news, all 60 puppies aboard suffocated to death. Hunte's website says its puppies are "transported in comfort" in "special climate-controlled, air-cushioned vehicles." These vehicles apparently do not all have functioning smoke detectors, however. The Whitehall Fire Department reported that on November 27, the "detector did not alert occupants."

*************************************

2008: A moviegoer at the National Amusements Multiplex Theaters in Centreville informed us that there was an ad for Petland in the slides that flash onscreen before the previews. Please ask this local theater and its advertising company not to accept ads for Petland.

Write to: the theater at customer_service@national-amusements.com

the advertising company at http://www.screenvision.com/s/about/contact/


*************************************

**ALERT--January, 2007--more letters needed!**



Information from Judith Pierce of San Diego House Rabbit Society:

"Bad news, PETCO stores across the U.S. are now selling baby rabbits from Marshall Farms. Marshall Farms is a notorious "puppy mill" breeder, which also has bred nearly 100% of the ferrets for sale in pet stores in the U.S. Not only do they breed for pet stores, they also breed for laboratories. They have jumped into the rabbit market, churning out thousands of baby bunnies and - get this - spaying or neutering them at a very young age (well before puberty) in order to sell them at a premium price. They hope to counter the issue about selling rabbits that are not altered, but in doing these surgeries at such a young age they are surely causing long-term problems. And, given the difficulty of a surgery on a bunny so young, I would bet they are easily losing 30% or more in the process.

"San Diego House Rabbit Society has information on the PETCO situation on their web page at http://www.sandiegorabbits.org. This includes a brief description of what's going on (Marshall Farms rabbits being sold at PETCO), and asking people to write letters of complaint, and also cut-up and include their PETCO PALS cards. This situation is being discussed among HRS chapters nationwide. PETCO just showed up with these rabbits in Rhode Island, and they are coming to Southern California as well. I'm sure they are destined for many areas in the U.S.

"Please take a moment to write a letter of protest to PETCO. Protest them selling baby rabbits when our local shelters are overflowing with abandoned rabbits. Protest their supporting the notorious Marshall Farms. And, if you've got a PETCO PALS card, I hope you'll cut it up and include it in your letter. I also ask you to stop purchasing anything from PETCO until they stop selling rabbits. From this point on I will no longer refer any person to PETCO for supplies, nor will San Diego HRS have anything to do with them.

"Once PETCO has pledged to stop selling Marshall Farms rabbits, and has rescued shelter rabbits for adoption in its stores (either through adoption days or in-house), we can once again work with their Foundation. Visit the SDHRS website at www.sandiegorabbits.org to see a sample letter, who to write your letters to, and a copy of a letter to Brian Devine. I hope we can turn this around. Many thanks to the dedicated House Rabbit Society volunteers and to the San Diego House Rabbit Society for being proactive in dealing with this situation. "

Please tell Petco to stop selling rabbits--and all other animals, too! Letters should be addressed to one or all of these individuals:

Brian Devine, Chairman of the Board
Bruce Hall, President & COO
Jim Myers, CEO
Tom Farello, Senior Vice President of Operations

The address for all of them is:

PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc.
9125 Rehco Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121

Or call 1-858-453-7845 or FAX 1-858-453-6585.

Feb. 2007: Petco's response, bottom line: "In stores where no rescue group is able or willing to provide a consistent supply of shelter rabbits, we reserve the right to offer for sale rabbits obtained from other sources..."

Heaven forbid that any community in the U.S. actually SOLVES its homeless animal crisis so that there is not a CONSISTENT SUPPLY of homeless animals 365 days a year. Please let Petco know their position is unacceptable and that saving animals' lives is more important than having a constant overabundance of animals who desperately need homes. Through the incredibly hard work of many people, some communities are actually succeeding in reducing the number of homeless animals being killed locally. It would be tragic if pet stores seized this opportunity to move in and sell animals from breeding mills.

If there are no homeless rabbits at your local shelter or a rescue group, fantastic! (It's certainly not the case around Northern Virginia, where there are hundreds waiting for homes.) You won't have to go too much further to find one who needs you. Rabbits are wonderful, but the initial price is nothing compared to what you will spend on hay, food, supplies, and and veterinary care if you are caring for them properly. If you can afford to buy a rabbit and care for him or her properly, you can afford to drive right past Petco and go a few more miles to find one who is in need.

Petco's full reply is available on our Rabbit Mills page.

**********************************************

6 INCHES.

Remember that number.

Here is the USDA formula for calculating the amount of space it considers adequate for a dog:

"Each dog housed in a primary enclosure (including weaned puppies) must be provided with a minimum amount of floor space, calculated as follows: Find the mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog in inches (measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail) plus 6 inches; then divide the product by 144. The calculation is: (length of dog in inches + 6) x (length of dog in inches + 6) = required floor space in square inches. Required floor space in inches/144 = required floor space in square feet."

The USDA measures the amount of space a dog is allowed to have for his or her entire life in INCHES. 6 INCHES, to be exact. What the formula above means is, if you are in a dog (Chihuahua or Great Dane--doesn't matter) in a square cage and you put your rear end against the side of the cage, you can look forward to 6 WHOLE INCHES of exercise space in front of you. Run. Play. Have a good time.

You can find that regulation--3.6 (c)(1)(i)--and others supposedly enforced by USDA inspectors at
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/9cfr3_03.html

In a separate regulation--3.8 (a)--the USDA mentions that dogs housed this way are supposed to be allowed out for daily exercise, but former inspectors have said this regulation is never enforced. We have rarely seen it even mentioned in USDA inspection records. What we HAVE seen is breeders and brokers for Petland and other pet stores who violate even these sickeningly inadequate space requirements.

This is just one of the reasons why a facility can pass the USDA inspection and still be a PUPPY MILL. Puppy mills are LEGAL. They shouldn't be.

***********************************************
2007: Columbus Dispatch article by Barbara Carmen "Rejected Pooches Need Loving Homes: Designed and Dumped--Once Pricey Purebreds are Plentiful at County Shelter " describes the dire situation for animals at the Franklin County shelter in Ohio. There are SIX Petland stores in Columbus, the county seat of Franklin County.

dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/14/20070214-B1-02.html

The full article is also reprinted with permission on our "In the News" page.

The information below concerning Petlands in Ohio was provided by Mary O'Connor-Shaver. Please visit her sites www.BanOhioDogAuctions.com and www.ColumbusTopDogs.com.

"Take a look at the financial impact of Columbus Petland stores on Franklin County (statistics provided by the Director of Franklin County Animal Shelter in November, 2006):

7-10 Petland dogs per *DAY* are taken into the shelter.

80% of those dogs are:
*not spayed/neutered, thus an added cost
*are in very poor health and/or mental state thus an added cost
*have no microchip reigstered to anyone other than the broker and no owner can be tracked and Petland takes no responsibility
*are not appropriate matches to the owner, resulting in owner release within 1 year of the purchase.

The Results? A low-end average of $30 per day for each Petland dog (if the dog is healthy)
X 7-10 dogs= $210-$300 per day
X365 days a year = $76,650-$109,500."

**************************

Shelters and rescue groups: if you take Petland up on their offer to display some of your animals for adoption, you are helping them gain LEGITIMACY while hurting yourself and the animals in your community. We thank all those shelters and rescue groups that refuse to have anything to do with Petland.

**********************************************************************

2006: Humane Society to Help Attorney General in Wizard of Claws Suit

For years, the Wizard of Claws in Pembroke Pines, Florida, has deceived hundreds of customers by selling very unhealthy puppies. Earlier this month, Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist filed suit in an effort to permanently shut down the Wizard of Claws for its hundreds of violations of Florida's Unfair and Deceptive Practices Act. The Humane Society of the United States is committed to working with the Attorney General's office to put this shop of horrors out of business but needs the help of others who have been victimized by the Wizard of Claws. If you have purchased a puppy from the Wizard of Claws, please contact the Humane Society of the U.S. by filling out the form at the link below.

http://www.stoppuppymills.org/forms/wizard_information.html

Take a look at the May 2006 CNN investigation of Wizard of Claws. This store gets many of its puppies from Hunte Corp., the same distributor that many Petland stores use.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/11/online.puppies/index.html This follow-up story lets people know there are wonderful dogs available for adoption at shelters and rescue groups.

http://www.nbc6.net/news/9307251/detail.html

**********************************************************

A local group desperately needs volunteers to transport dogs from a rural Virginia shelter to a rescue group. Without these transports, these animals would be killed. Please visit http://ruralshelterhelp.blogspot.com for more information. To volunteer to help transport animals, please e-mail Erin at Tierbee@cox.net.