Hall of Shame

Pet Store Hall of Shame, Part 1
Stores are listed alphabetically by name, then by state and city.

Part 1--"A"-"P"etland Ohio--South Point
Continues in Hall of Shame, Part 2.

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PLEASE DON'T BUY ANIMALS FROM PET STORES!
ADOPT FROM SHELTERS AND RESCUE GROUPS!

Did you buy a sick animal at a pet store? Please warn others!

1) COMPLAIN ABOUT A SICK ANIMAL YOU PURCHASED FROM A PET STORE

A simple, quick way is to make an ANONYMOUS complaint about a SPECIFIC pet store at www.complaints.com, www.ripoffreport.com, www.consumeraffairs.com, or similar sites that do not take a stand on any particular issue. (Consumeraffairs.com requires your first name.) Note that even on these sites, you are legally responsible for what you say (if the store can figure out who you are!). These sites are searchable, so you can type in "Petland" or any other store and see other people's complaints.

If you would like to post your story on our site (petstorecruelty.org) about a sick puppy or other animal you obtained from a pet store but you don't want your name to appear on the site, we are happy to do that, but the store name will also be ANONYMOUS. We may give the general location of the store. We don't feel that has as much effect as naming names, but we totally understand your desire for privacy.

If you would like to post your animal's story and NAME the store that treated you and your companion animal badly, we think that is very important and are glad to spread the word. We will need:

1) your first and last name, address, and phone number
2) a copy of the part of your purchase papers that includes the store name and the breeder's name
3) a copy of a few of the relevant vet records (e.g., ones that say your puppy has pneumonia)

On our site, YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME WILL APPEAR, but not your contact info. Why? If a newspaper were to interview you about your sick puppy, they would generally publish your full name. So if your local paper isn't interested in your story, here's your chance to get it out 24/7 for as long as you want. You can contact us to REMOVE THE POST AT ANY TIME. You are legally responsible for what you say, so be sure it is true. You can scan and e-mail these pages to all4theanimals@yahoo.com, or mail them to:

PetStoreCruelty
P.O. Box 2036
Fairfax, VA 20031

Please let us know by e-mail when you are sending something to our P.O. box.

E-mails with tips and information are great. Documentation in our hands is golden. We apologize for this hassle and sacrifice of your privacy, but we need SOLID PROOF whenever we can get it. As a former Petland manager told me, "Why protect the GUILTY?" We cannot save your sick puppy. We cannot make the store pay your vet bills. But people always think it's some OTHER store that's selling sick puppies or puppy mill puppies. Your willingness to NAME NAMES will let people know it's THIS store, not some other one, that is spreading misery. You get nothing from it other than the knowledge that you have saved someone else from going through the pain that you, your family, and your sick animal went through.

2) COMPLAIN ABOUT POOR CONDITIONS AT A PET STORE

If you see animals suffering at a pet store, probably the best thing you can do is to call local Animal Control THE SAME DAY and complain, even though in many cases they will do nothing, because many cruel conditions are still LEGAL. However, that may be the only time Animal Control ever checks on that store, so your call still helps. The failure of the law to protect these animals does not mean these conditions are acceptable.

If you would like to post an ANONYMOUS complaint on this site (petstorecruelty.org) about CONDITIONS at a pet store, the store would also be anonymous--only the general location would be given. If you want the SPECIFIC store mentioned, YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME WOULD APPEAR on the site, and we would need your name, address, and phone number. Be aware that store conditions can be easily changed and that you are legally responsible for what you say.

We GREATLY appreciate the generosity of everyone who has shared their painful stories about sick animal purchased at pet stores, everyone who tells us about the conditions at various stores and puppy mills, and every tip we have gotten from former employees, vet techs, and others. We've learned a lot from you, and we hope everyone who sees this site does, too.

Disclaimer: To the best of our knowledge, all the information below is true; however, petstorecruelty.org is not responsible for any unintentional errors that may occur when we receive information from outside sources. We can neither support nor refute statements made by people other than ourselves. If you care about animals and come across one of the stores mentioned, we urge you to visit the store and decide for yourself.

Some earlier posts are anonymous, and some names have been changed to protect the innocent.

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Any pet store that sells live animals qualifies for our Hall of Shame. Yes, all animals, not just dogs and cats. Why? There is no need for any animals to be bought and sold for human amusement, so the suffering of pet store animals is totally indefensible. In addition to the suffering and death in breeding mills and during transport to the stores, the conditions in most pet stores are sickening. These are the very animals we claim to love so much that we want them as companions in our homes. Why betray them by letting them suffer this way?

Some stores are not as bad as others, obviously. If a store is making most of its money by selling high quality supplies, please encourage them to go all the way and stop selling animals altogether. Ask them to invite in local rescue groups instead.

We will be delighted to remove a store from this list. All it has to do is stop selling animals.

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ALL ABOUT ANIMALS--MASSACHUSETTS--FITCHBURG
2006: An alarming number of puppies purchased at this store have pneumonia, according to a local resident with connections at an area vet's office. The resident also says that the store claims to only get puppies from local breeders but that puppies' registration papers show they were born in the Midwest. A puppy purchased from All About Animals came from Elk Creek Kennel in Kansas. According to USDA records, in 2004 this facility had "Adult dogs 284, Weaned puppies 40, Puppies 140." In January of 2003 this facility had a total of 402 dogs.

AMERICAN BIRD COMPANY--VIRGINIA--FALLS CHURCH
Sells unweaned baby birds. This practice often causes birds to exhibit neurotic behavior or die prematurely.

ANIMAL KINGDOM (ALSO PUPPIES 'N LOVE)--ARIZONA--10 LOCATIONS

website www.animalkingdomaz.com

2007: An Arizona resident informed of an Animal Kingdom store selling puppies and other animals in a nearby mall. Please write to us if you have information about the health and origin of the puppies sold at this chain of stores. Most stores that sell large numbers of very young, purebred puppies with AKC or other registration papers, unless they specifically state in writing that the puppies are "local," are getting them from out-of-state puppy mills. Here is one email we received:

ANIMAL KINGDOM & PUPPIES 'N LOVE--ARIZONA--GLENDALE

2007: My name is Kristy. In April of 2007, I purchased two German Shepherd puppies from Animal Kingdom (Puppies-N-Love) from the Arrowhead Mall in Glendale, AZ. Both of my puppies had respiratory infections while in the store. The female, Ki, had two. We took the boy, Apache, home the day we bought them. From the time we brought him home, he had terrible diarrhea. I was required by the contract one has to sign to purchase a puppy to take him to a vet within 5 business days of purchase. The thing that made me think that something wasn't right was the store gave me a list of vets to choose from. In order for them to pay for the vet visit and to activate the 4 year health warranty, I had to take him to one of "their" vets. The vet I chose stated that his diarrhea was "probably just nerves." He also did a fecal test and stated he found nothing. He prescribed an "all-purpose" antibiotic, which I found ironic considering the vet told me nothing was wrong with him. I finished the antibiotic but the diarrhea continued...it actually got worse. Once Ki was finished with her treatment for her respiratory infection 10 days later, I took her home. The case was the same with her, more diarrhea. I took her to the same vet clinic but a different vet saw Ki. Again, the fecal test was conducted but they stated everything looked normal. Ki began to lose weight and actually looked like an anorexic puppy. She would only eat two or three bites of food at a time and would not attempt to eat again for 10-12 hours. The diarrhea continued in them both and I returned to the same vet to have their shots given. While there, I once again told the vet (the 3rd different vet I had seen at the same clinic) about the continued diarrhea and the concern I had over the loss of weight seen in Ki. The vet stated she did not see anything wrong and stated that "it was probably just nerves of a new environment." Oh, by the way, the name of this clinic is AMEC Small Animal Hospital, on Glendale Ave in Phoenix. My roommate and I decided enough was enough. We took both of the pups to Arrow Animal Hospital in Glendale, AZ. The vet immediately stated his concern over the sick appearance of Ki (you could count all of her ribs while she was standing). They conducted another fecal exam and the vet stated that he didn't find anything at first but decided to keep looking because it was obvious that something was wrong with them. He did find giardia (a contagious parasite that is common in puppy mills.) The vet stated that since the symptoms have been present since I bought them and they had not been exposed to any other dogs or animals since bringing them home, they had to have had it prior to me purchasing them. He prescribed two strong antibiotics in order to control and get rid of the parasites. Two days after beginning the antibiotic treatments, I noticed rice-like organisms in their feces. Since I have a biology degree, I did know what that probably was. The feces were taken to our new vet who agreed that they did indeed have worms, as well. Treatment for the worms was then given, too. All of this took place within 20 days of having Apache home and 10 days of having Ki home. I went to Animal Kingdom (Puppies-N-Love) and spoke to a manager, Joyce. She was very nice and did a great job of appearing to want to help me. The total vet bills incurred as a result of "their" vet not diagnosing the problem was close to $250.00. Joyce agreed that it was their responsibility since the puppies had been sick since bringing them home. Approximately 10 days later, I received a check in the mail from CPI (the corporate name for the store) in the amount of $60.00 with a letter stating the following:

"Dear Customer; Enclosed is your medical reimbursement of costs related to your puppy's health. Regretfully, the amount refunded may be less than your original bill due to expenses that are not covered under your health plan. This may include going outside of our referral network, diagnostics charges, fecal exams or parasite diagnostic testing, treatment of parasites, food including prescription diets, vaccines, or treatment of other pets in your home.

We thank you for your understanding and wish your puppy continued good health. CPI, Inc."

*This was written, by hand, at the bottom: "All medications have been paid at the customary amount paid at referral vet. Medications to treat parasites are not covered outside of referral generally. Fecal exams and parasite diagnostics are not covered as set forth in the warranty."

I tried everything to make my puppies get better. Their vet did not diagnose the problem and did not even acknowledge that anything could be seriously wrong. I tried feeding them a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice, along with the medications. I am trying to understand how giardia could easily become a deadly parasitic disease but they are attempting to write it off as something that isn't so serious. My dogs are lucky that I am financially able to provide them with good vet care but someone else might not be so lucky.

Also, I was in the mall early one morning before the puppy store opened. They had 4 or so puppies in the front window kennel. I stood there and watched two of those puppies go to the potty and they both had bad diarrhea. I was also told by an associate of the store on the phone that she wouldn't doubt that the puppies were sick when we got them but would clarify what she meant. I then had another store associate tell me she bought a puppy from there and it, too, had a bad case of giardia and she had to take it to "vet after vet after vet" in order to get him well. What sucks is they appear to be covered legally because there is a clause in the state statute that eliminates the store being liable for parasitic diseases. I am seeking legal advice and will sue just to prove a point if advised the case is a good one. DON'T adopt a pet from Puppies-n-Love unless you are willing to pay around $2000 to "rescue" a puppy. Please learn from my mistake. But on the other hand, I am glad to have my babies and that they are now OK.

Kristy H.

[Note from petstorecruelty.org: Animal Kingdom/Puppies 'N Love requires customers to go to certain vets in order to activate the health warranty. In June 2007, one of these vets was charged with hitting a dog so hard that her eye popped out of its socket. See "Vet Arrested in Chihuahua's Beating," http://tinyurl.com/2glhvj]

ANIMAL KINGDOM-ARIZONA--PHOENIX

Mollie and Diamond

2007: I am writing this as I am nervously waiting to get the biopsy results for my beautiful golden retriever "Mollie." She is a 14-month-old that has been extremely loved by our family. She was a "replacement" puppy from Animal Kingdom pet store here in Phoenix, AZ. Our first puppy "Diamond" a beautiful, sweet little boxer pup had Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD). It's appalling that the pet stores think that you can just replace a loved puppy. We had to make the painful decision to have Diamond euthanized due to her pain and suffering from this horrible disease. My husband and I hated making this decision and felt guilty for making it but after many consultations with her vet decided that this was the most humane option for our Diamond.

Now, our "replacement" puppy that we have loved and has become part of the family for the past 12 months has just been diagnosed with an oral cancer. We are waiting the results from the biopsy and are hopeful that it won't be an aggressive cancer and that we can get her treatment. This will be a long road ahead of us with many more difficult decisions to make.

Our vet who treated the first puppy and now the second puppy has explained to us that these genetic problems come from inbreeding and over breeding. We are completely heartbroken and will never get another puppy from a pet store!!

Monica Henderson

Update same month 2007: We met with the oncologist, and my Mollie has lymphoma that has metastasized behind her eye. The prognosis was not good. We opted not to go through the chemotherapy and radiation due to the cost ($5,000) and the fact that it will only provide another year possibly. We have her on prednisone to hopefully give us a little more time with her and hopefully slow down the cancer a little bit.

ANIMALS & THINGS--NEW JERSEY--WOODBRIDGE

2006: Animals & Things on Rte. 1 in Woodbridge, NJ is a horrendous store. They sell kittens for $800, when there's tons of strays that could be rescued & adopted out.

They sell dogs that live in dirty small cages, with no toys or social interaction.

I was there once, and there was a cockatoo all white, bleeding, dripping blood from a wing or nail clip. I know certain birds can bleed to death due to low coagulating issues. I approached an employee to point this out & the person said, "He'll be fine, it's just a little blood."

This place should be shut down!

BIRDS 'N THINGS--VIRGINIA--ARLINGTON
According to an observer knowledgeable about birds, the larger birds in this store seemed healthy, but their cages were not large enough, and some of them were did not have enough of the toys required for the emotional health of these intelligent animals. The smaller birds were in "intolerable" condition. One cage contained nine cockatiels in a space that would be adequate for two IF they were let out frequently for exercise. Five of the cockatiels showed signs of being plucked; one severely, with crest, belly, and neck bare instead of being covered with feathers, with a lot of wing skin exposed. The plucking is highly likely to be due to overcrowding, as cockatiels rarely self-pluck. A similarly sized cage contained eight cockatiels, also overcrowded, and in semidarkness, which is completely unsuitable for these birds.

The store owner was notified of these problems. While she seemed to genuinely care about some of the birds, she refused to make any changes to alleviate the overcrowding, dark cages, or lack of mental stimulation for the other birds. She also changed her story several times. On the first visit, she said the cockatiels are newly acquired and pluck themselves because they are hormonal. She told a second visitor that she's willing to euthanize the worst-plucked cockatiel. When the first visitor returned and offered to take the worst-plucked cockatiel instead of having her euthanize him, the owner refused, saying now that she had had the birds for some time, that they are good breeders, and the reason for him being severely plucked was that he was separated from his mate. She refused to part with him under any condition. Animal Control was notified and is investigating.

BURKE PET CENTER—VIRGINIA--BURKE

2007: We understand this store is under new management. However, in the summer of 2007, they were still getting some puppies from Missouri breeders. They have far fewer puppies than the nearby Petland, and the puppies are kept in pens rather than plexiglas cages, but we would prefer that the new management stop selling animals altogether. They also sell young rabbits--in spite of the fact that local shelters and rescue groups are overflowing with rabbits--as well as birds and other small animals.

January 2005: Lady is a toy poodle purchased at the Burke Pet Center in Burke, Virginia. At the time of purchase, Lady was listed as an “Apparently healthy pet” by the Burke Pet Center veterinarian, Village Veterinary Clinic. Her guardian immediately discovered that Lady had a serious urinary tract infection (UTI), a condition which causes frequent urination. When Lady’s guardian contacted the store explaining that Lady needed a specialist for her UTI, the manager agreed to pay the bill, but when she later provided the bill, he refused to pay, saying she had never notified him about it. The specialist’s bill was more than half the cost of the puppy. Now about 1 1⁄2 years old, after extensive treatment, Lady still needs to urinate more frequently than normal and has to be carefully watched to avoid “accidents.” Lady was born in Arkansas.

CC PETS--PENNSYLVANIA--PEACH BOTTOM (this is a kennel, not a pet store. This kennel was also mentioned in a news story on puppy mills. See the "In the News" section of this website and scroll down to November 2005.)

December 2006: My name is Robyn Klein. I've come under the unfortunate circumstance of dealing with Joyce and Raymond Stoltzfus of CC Pets, LLC, formerly known as Puppy Love Kennels.

My daughter's father saw a newspaper advertisement for puggles. Knowing that our daughter has wanted a puggle for so long, he decided to pick her up on December 16, 2006 to head up to 267 Riverview Road to pick out a new puggle puppy. Her name was Zoe. She was the cutest thing ever. Zoe became the instant love of my daughter's heart. It was her first dog ever and she was the most elated child I've ever seen. Joyce gave Zoe a "booster" shot before they left, informing my 9-year-old daughter that it was one of her "vaccines." My daughter's father returned to his home and I picked her and Zoe up. During the entire car ride to my house, Zoe had diarrhea and was vomiting. Not ever owning a dog of my own, I just thought the new puppy was carsick. When we arrived home, we tried to get Zoe to eat, but to no avail. She also refused to drink. We just thought it was from all the commotion of the day and we let her rest as much as possible. Later that night she was still coughing and vomiting and was quite listless. I contacted Joyce and she informed me it must have been stomach upset from the "booster" shot. She told me to try feeding Zoe cooked hamburger and rice. We tried this, but Zoe still refused to eat or drink. We all went to bed and Zoe did fine throughout the night. Sunday came and she ate a little bit of her Eukanuba small breed puppy food and some water for breakfast. We were happy to see her eating. The day went along, and although she was still very clingy, we thought heath-wise, she was improving.

Until that evening.

She vomited a total of 5 times, one right after another, then continued to have diarrhea when taken outside to eliminate. I decided to call the vet first thing in the morning. My vet, Ruby Schaupp, DVM, of Chadwell Animal Hospital on Emmorton Road in Abingdon, MD, asked me to come in right away for an examination of the puppy. I brought her in and Ruby informed me that Zoe may have Parvovirus. She asked if she could keep Zoe for a while to run tests on her. So, with an uneasy heart, I left her there and headed to home to wait and hear from Ruby. Around noon on December 18, 2006, Ruby called and informed me that Zoe tested a strong positive for parvovirus. Ruby informed us that the parvovirus was so far gone that Zoe would have to be humanely euthanized. I contacted Joyce. Joyce told me to bring Zoe back to her and she would give us a full refund.

So I made my journey to the animal hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital with my best friend, Molly Hillegas, who was there with me for moral support, I was greeted by my sister, Jennifer Schwarz, there with her 7-month-old boxer puppy, Coco. You see, Coco was over my house over the weekend, playing with Zoe, her new cousin. So now Coco had to get a booster shot to protect her against parvo, just in case she contracted it. At this time, the veterinary technician brought out little 4-pound Zoe. Zoe had a bandage on her right front paw from the bloodwork, an IV, with an attached sack of saline fluid in the same paw, and was wrapped in a blanket. She looked so pitiful, so sick. It instantly brought me, my sister and my best friend to tears. We struggled with the decision to take her back to Joyce, unaware of what she would do with Zoe, our puppy that we came to love so much in a short 48 hours. We left the animal hospital and started our trip to CC Pets. About halfway there, Zoe attempted to stand but could not and fell over in my lap. At this time, she began to expel a bloody substance from her rectum as she lay in my lap. Her eyes were glossy and my dog-loving best friend Molly informed me that she was dying. Fearing that she was suffering incredibly and was indeed dying in my arms, we rushed back to the animal hospital. When we arrived, we were greeted by the Ruby and her awesome technicians. They took us back and Ruby confirmed to us that Zoe was very close to death. She gave her a shot to stop her heartbeat, humanely euthanizing her so Zoe wouldn't be in pain anymore. As Jenny, Molly and I stood there crying, sobbing and consoling each other, looking over at the lifeless body of our former pet Zoe, I was filled with rage at what Joyce could do to a family in so little time. We paid our bill to have Zoe mass cremated and left the animal hospital.

I contacted Joyce, informing her that Zoe had died and asked what was our next step to be. She told me to just send a death certificate and she would send me a full refund for the puppy, by check, in the mail. Feeling very uneasy and untrusting of Joyce's word, Jenny, Molly, and I went to CC Pets. There we were met with the most horrific thing we had ever seen in our lives. There were puppies and dogs all cooped away in what looked like chicken coups. The mother dogs were running free all over the land. Puppies, twenty to a cage, climbing over each other in an attempt to see who was at the fence, hoping today would be their day to be free. It was then that we were greeted by Joyce, who thought we were potential buyers. She thought wrong. We were there to find out who this so-called person, this monster, was who sold sick dogs to little girls and their fathers. Once she realized who we were, without an apology or any sign of guilt, she took our papers and went up to the house to get us a check for the refund.

We went up to the house where Joyce gave us a check followed with nothing but hassle. She never admitted to anything, never took fault for the heartache that she just caused. Never once said she was sorry. We eventually left there, with just a check in my hand, and a sad and heavy heart. It was then that I realized I still had to break the news to my daughter.

We made the long road trip back to Baltimore to pick up my daughter. I sat her down, grabbed her hand and looked in her eyes. I knew at this moment what it is truly like to break a heart. My daughter is a smart girl. She knew something happened to Zoe. I told her the truth. Told her all I knew about parvo and how it killed her puppy. Told her how this evil, sad excuse for a woman that she got Zoe from was claiming no responsibility for what happened to her. She cried like I have never seen my own daughter cry. At this point, I thought to myself "WHY?! Why would God allow this to happen to us like this?"

Then someone answered me. God put this on us because He knew my family, friends, and I would never let this issue rest from here on out. Not until there was justice. Justice for all the families hurt just like we were. Justice for all the money lost. But most importantly, justice for those poor, defenseless puppies and dogs that can't speak, but you and I know are suffering. Please help me bring justice for them.

I have contacted all the animal rights and anti-puppy mill advocates in Pennsylvania, but they have asked us to contact everyone in Maryland and the surrounding areas that advertises for this woman, including the Baltimore Sun. Her bad reputation is already known throughout Pennsylvania and this is why she is targeting the surrounding areas for sales.

My email address is ItsAll4Zoe@yahoo.com. I am interested in hearing from others who have had a similar experience with CC Pets.

May God strengthen and guide me along this long journey. I hope you will join me on this road...to justice.

COUNTRY JUNCTION GENERAL STORE--PENNSYLVANIA--LEHIGHTON

October 2006: This store burned down, killing "most, if not all" of the animals inside, according to a local paper. A resident tells us that ALL of the animals were killed. No people were injured or killed in the fire. The store owners continue to sell puppies at their Wind Gap location. Article about the fire:

www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200661003005

October 19, 2005: Employees from this pet store contacted a rescue group after 30 puppies dropped off by the HUNTE CORPORATION had already died from a bacterial infection, and only 3 remained, including this sick Labradoodle. The store manager refused to send this puppy for emergency care, even after the rescue offered to pay for all vet bills. Local sources say, "The floor manager kept insisting that the puppy, who was unable to stand, shaking, and choking on its own vomit, was all right and was under proper vet treatment." The rescuers were forced to leave as they watched the weak puppy cough and "try desperately to drink out of its rabbit water bottle." The pet center's management instructed employees to throw their clothes immediately into hot water upon arrival at their own homes and to disinfect shoes before handling their own animals, to avoid contamination from the sick puppies. Meanwhile, customers, unaware of the illness, were allowed to bring their healthy dogs in the store, and these dogs were "sniffing and licking the diseased puppies." The fate of this sick puppy is as yet unknown. Complaints can be made to the store at 610-377-8400, the local dog warden at 570-629-1099, and the Carbon County SPCA at 570-622-7769 or www.hillsidespca.com.

CREATURES 'N CRITTERS--VIRGINIA--WOODBRIDGE
An Italian Greyhound purchased at this store was passed on to a rescuer after the people who purchased her decided they didn't want the dog. This puppy came from Royale Kennel in Whiting, Kansas, a facility that houses 1,086 dogs, according to a USDA inspection report from 2004. On the website for Royale Kennel is a staff photo of 6 people. If these 6 people worked 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, they would be spending 2.7 minutes on each dog every day.

CRITTERS--MARYLAND--BOWIE

2006: A visitor to the store writes: Of course I don't like seeing any animal kept in a cage, but as pet stores go, they are MUCH, MUCH better than Just Puppies!! Two puppies that I know of that came from there turned out to be very healthy and the owners were able to contact the breeder and talk with them on the phone. They were USDA licensed breeders with no adverse inspections, they had health records for the parents of the puppies, as well as pedigrees, pictures, etc... and they were registered. Again, I don't think pet stores should even be legal, but I guess at least the puppies were healthy and the place was very clean. They guarantee the genetic and overall health of the puppies and never get puppies under 8 weeks.

They did let the puppies out to run, but I have no idea how often or for how long. I let them know what I thought about how cruel it was to keep a puppy locked up in a little cage like that, especially a Border Collie, they need to run. Anyway, they said they weren't going to get those type of dogs anymore, but then when I went in later they had an Australian Cattle dog, which is about the same as far as needing to run, so I pointed that out, and they said they had already ordered him, but that was the last one, and so far I haven't seen any more of the "high energy" dogs in there again.

Of course they are all overpriced, and in my opinion, that's money that could better be used to help a shelter, but I never see a puppy stay there more than a week or two at the most (except for the Border Collie, which was there for 4 weeks and I let him know what I thought about that).

2007: Update from same visitor:

I finally got the USDA inspection report for the breeder of my friend's dog she got from Critters--DEFINITELY a puppy mill. They didn't have too many serious violations, but they had 138 dogs of varying breeds. This says to me that they are "farming" dogs. The breeders are: Roger and Marla Campbell, 266 90th, Newton, KS 67114.

All this tells me is that yes, Critters is telling the truth when they say they only buy from licensed breeders, but licensed or not, they are puppy mills. There is no way 138 dogs are living in a loving home. We are thankful the puppy is healthy, but her parents are still in Kansas suffering. Also, I had my dog at the emergency vet on New Year's Eve (she did the splits on the kitchen floor--she's fine now), while I was there waiting, I saw 4 different people come in with their puppies they had gotten for Christmas, all had been purchased at pet stores, of course they were sick.

I still believe we will see the day when it is illegal to sell puppies in a pet store like some trinket.

DEBBY'S PET LAND--MASSACHUSETTS--BRAINTREE

July 2008: We received a complaint from a different person about the conditions at this store.

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This store opened in 2005 in South Shore Plaza. A visitor to the store reports, "there were cockatiels in something that is for guinea pigs, and if they really wanted to, they could just hop out. Some of the cockatiels also looked sick, and one had runny eyes.

"There was one cute puppy I felt bad for. It was a miniature pinscher, and she (or he) looked sick. She didn't even have the strength to drink of the guinea pig waterer that was supposed to be her drinking water.

"They had huge dogs in little cages, and you can tell they just wanted out."

The person took out a cell phone to make a call. "The lady screams, and I mean screams, 'NO TAKING PICTURES IN MY STORE!'" Another customer asked why, and the woman didn't respond.

The next time this person visited the store, there was a poster board that said "No photo taking allowed."

A Woof & Co. pet store had been in the same spot but was closed down due to public outrage about the sick puppy mill puppies sold there.

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Also about Debby's Pet Land, Braintree, Massachusetts:

2007: I was in the store, looking at all the dogs. I saw a cute, tan chihuahua. But the chihuahua was doing something weird. The chihuahua was biting his/her leg. I could tell, by the way the chihuahua was biting his/her leg, that it was trying to bite its leg off. I reported what I saw to the lady at the counter, and the lady at the counter got a worried, stressed-out, nervous look on her face. She whispered to me not to tell the other people in the store. With a confused face, I walked back to observe the poor chihuahua. Then I noticed a big, red lump on the chihuahua's leg. The chihuahua also had eyes that looked like they were infected. I could not believe the shape that the chihuahua was in. That is only one story. Another one is, I saw a full grown Akita in a cage that a a large lizard might live in. I also saw a full grown Golden Retriever in the same sized cage. The poor dogs, they are suffering.

DEBBY'S PET LAND--MASSACHUSETTS--HYANNIS
"I was just in the Debby's Pet Land in the Hyannis mall in Massachusetts. I don't normally go in there due to the fact that I can't look at the sad puppies in all the small cages, but I had my children with me and they wanted to look at the lizards. Anyway...I was disgusted to find that they had 3 dead and dried up looking lizards in the cage with about 12 live ones. One was even dried to the edge of the water bowl, meaning they probably never clean the cage or change the water very often. Another was dead in the water bowl and the third was dead and dried up on the tree branch with lizards crawling on top of it."

DEBBY'S PET LAND--MASSACHUSETTS--HOLYOKE
Herbie is a Pekingese puppy who was languishing in a cage at the Debby's Pet Land in Holyoke Mall in the fall of 2005. He was "very listless," writes his guardian. "He constantly opened his mouth and gasped for air. His sides were heaving with every breath he tried to get." When taken out of his cage, "he didn't play or even pick up his head." In order to save his life, she purchased him for over $1,000 and took him to her own vet the next day, where he was diagnosed with a severe respiratory infection, dehydration, diarrhea, and a cold in his eyes. He had a very congested nose, which is particularly difficult for flat-nosed breeds.

His guardian took a week off from work to care for him 24 hours a day. "There were a couple of nights where I slept sitting up with him on my chest," she says. During this time she kept the puppy away from her other dog to avoid infection. After about 2 weeks, Herbie's spirits were greatly improved, and he was "finally acting like a puppy," his guardian says. "He wags his tail and wiggles all over at the sound of my voice, which makes my heart soar." His health also improved, although he still had a cough and some congestion as well as a skin problem due to the dehydration he experienced at the pet store.

Debby's Pet Land is a chain store with several branches in Massachusetts and Hew Hampshire and is apparently unaffiliated with the larger Petland chain. However, Herbie was born in Missouri and was delivered to Debby's Pet Land by the Hunte Corp., the same supplier that brings puppies to many Petland stores.

DEBBY'S PET LAND--MASSACHUSETTS--KINGSTON
After local news reports featured consumer complaints about sick puppies purchased at pet stores, Dr. Mark Verbin, veterinarian for Debby's Pet Land in Kingston, was charged with unprofessional conduct by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Veterinary Medicine. He allegedly certified animals for health without conducting appropriate examinations, failed to complete medical records for a Lhaso Apso sold in 2003, prescribed medicine over the phone without ever seeing the dog, and did not have a valid Drug Enforcement Agency license at the time.

Former president of the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association Wendy Emerson spent two years working for a pet shop in an effort to help the sick puppies she saw coming from it. She said the experience "wore her out." Offered meager pay, no exam area or equipment and plenty of pressure from the store's owner to pass animals, Emerson says she was left to improvise on many occasions.
"I brought my own stethoscope, thermometer, and set up an exam table on a box," she says. "It's not like you do bloodwork or take x-rays. You don't even have a microscope to do a fecal on these animals. Basically you examine these animals for frank signs of ill health. Even when I would find something, the owners would get angry with me if I wouldn't pass a puppy on hold. The pet store ties your hands."

Emerson adds, "Even if I would find something and then prescribe an appropriate treatment, these animals were kept at the pet store; any quarantine was woefully inadequate."
--DMV Magazine, February 1, 2005, article by Jennifer Fiala.

Note: Debby's Pet Land is a chain apparently unaffiliated with with Petland. Debby's Pet Land has stores in Canton, Danvers, Hyannis, Kingston, Marlboro, North Attleboro, and Taunton (Massachusetts) and in Manchester and Nashua (New Hampshire). There may be others.

DEBBY'S PET LAND--MASSACHUSETTS--NORTH ATTLEBORO
Mindy, a 4-month old boxer puppy, was purchased from Debby's Pet Land in N. Attleboro for $1,300. She soon began exhibiting aggressive behavior, attacking adults, especially females, as well as her adoptive family's children and their other dog. Her guardian attempted to find her a new home for through two rescue groups, but they would not take her, as she was too dangerous. Mindy was also asked to leave two training classes because of her behavior. A professional trainer evaluated her and concluded that her behavior was due to "bad breeding." In addition, while at Debby's Pet Land, Mindy spent three weeks in quarantine for kennel cough, and this isolation may have intensified her aggressive behavior.

Mindy's guardian writes, "This beautiful little girl never stood a chance. After exhausting all of my options for her, my vet helped me realize that there really was no hope for her and I made the painful decision to euthanize my FIVE MONTH OLD PUPPY!!! She had to be taken in to the vet with a muzzle on and fought him all the way."

Mindy was purchased shortly after the death of the family's 11 1/2 year old boxer. Her guardian writes, "I have never seen this kind of behavior in a puppy. It's a tragedy for this little girl, and also my children. Something that was supposed to put a smile on their faces and help them with their grief ended up blowing up in my face, ten-fold."

Mindy was born in Arkansas and was sold to the pet store by the Hunte Corporation, notorious supplier of puppy mill puppies.

DEBBY'S PET LAND--MASSACHUSETTS--NORTH ATTLEBORO (same store)
Message posted to mytoos.com in December of 2004

"I saw a situation last night that got me so angry. At Debby's Pet land in North Attleboro MA at the mall they had parakeets for sale. In the center of the store there were about 12-15 birds in a 3'X 3' X maybe 15 inches high plexiglas cage. This cage is designed for small animals. That's not even the worst of what I saw. In this cage was a hamster exercise wheel, a kitty litter box used for water, bowls on the floor for food and no real perches or toys!! The water was about an inch deep and disgusting, full of fecal matter.

I went over to the register and told the girls working that the water was dirty and the birds would dehydrate quickly. One of the girls went over looked and said oh, they're ok. They mess up the water as quick as we change it. I told her that birds do not drink dirty water and she stated well, our birds do! I told her the birds would get sick and she stated our birds don't have a problem with it. None of them are sick and the state inspectors don't have a problem with it either. The kitty litter box was about 4-5 inches high so for the birds to get a drink they have to land in the water! Also on top of the box was a screen that you could just lift off.

I'm so upset. I'm calling their corporate office today to lodge a complaint. I'm also calling the MSPCA and I lodged a complaint with the Avian Welfare group on line. Just needed to get it off my chest. I've never seen such horrible conditions in that store before. Or for that matter in any store before."

DEBBY'S PET LAND--NEW HAMPSHIRE--NASHUA
2006: "I too believe that all pet stores that sell live animals should be part of the hall of shame, but this one is near my house and has more things that infuriate me! It is a Debby's Pet Land and is located at the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, NH. Every time I go to that mall my boyfriend literally has to drag me away from the store because he's afraid I'll make a scene. My first time going in there I noticed right away that they had multiple dogs in the small cages and larger breads in the small cages as well. All the puppies were in cages with the grated bottoms, which is horrible on their poor little feet.

The staff knew little or nothing about the breeds and provided no helpful information to customers looking for a new addition to their family. They were supporting and advising people who wanted to buy certain dogs because he or she liked the "look" of that particular breed, versus knowing anything about them, like they were a fashion accessory.

Recently they had a Cockapoo with an injured leg that looked like it hadn't even been treated. The poor guy had what looked like open wounds and still had to support himself on the grated bottom. When I saw this I immediately asked the sales clerk if the dog had received any medical attention from a certified veterinarian and the response I got was an unconvincing "I assume so."

I also had to point out that visit that the Weimaraner they had was in a cage far too small for its size because it couldn't even sit up. Thankfully they did put it in one of the larger crates by the end of the day, but customers shouldn't have to point that out. The fact that places like this still exist infuriates me."

DOCKTOR PET CENTER--NEW YORK--WATERTOWN
Update: Good news! This store will CLOSE PERMANENTLY on April 30, 2008!

2007: Hi. My name is Allison. I love animals. Just so you know. We wanted to get a dog. My bright idea was let's buy a puppy. This way it can start out really young with us, my husband, my 7-year-old, the cats, the kitten, and me. Yes, we are gluttons, we have a kitten and a puppy at the same time. Well, let me walk you down the world of dogs as I know see it. Dog breeding is so far from what it was intended to be. Now it is a commodity. It has spawned this really horrible side effect. The "purebred." Well, what happens when you develop a commodity? Well, I'll tell you, greed. So some really greedy people figured out a way to make money. At the expense of animals' lives, the money it takes to run the shelters when those dogs are given up due to things like aggression and health problems, and not to go over the cost to treat the health problems, and the money it takes to put them to sleep when they have no other options left but to die. Dog breeding is something that was done to try to make a better dog. A dog that can be used for work and hunting. So if we have an ideal dog, then what should be left is breeders trying to preserve the breed, and its standards. Well, that is not the case. It may never well be either.

So here I am going to the mall and always stopping in to see the puppies. There are always loads of people lined up at the windows trying to get a glimpse of the "purebred." So one day I tell my daughter, I think I am going to go look at the puppies this morning. In my pre-Boston (we'll get to him soon) days, with my fuzzy little mind, I bob my head side to side and think isn't this just great. Here is this store with "purebreds." If they're purebred, doesn't that mean they must have papers, which means they come from good breeders? And if it is a pet store there for sure must be someone regulating things. Oh, how wrong, how very wrong I was. I could not have been any further from the truth than I was.

Well, guess what the pet store owner did? She put on a song and dance. A real charade. "Oh this is my lab, who comes from my breeder in Kansas. I only use APR instead of AKC because the AKC regulates things too much. We want our puppies to go to good homes." She was good. She had me believing that this was just a dream come true. Here is this nice lady who said the store had been there for 20 years. While all the while I have visions of puppies running in my head, she had visions of dollar signs running in her head. She must have smelled me coming a mile away. So I get over the sticker shock of my purebred of 700 dollars, plus this, that, and the other thing, all at her advice as to what her labs need, I walked out of there with 2 huge bags full of stuff and a very large 8-week-old puppy. So we get home and it was so exciting. He was so warm and cuddly and tired. I was sooooo worried what was he going to think. Does he miss his Mommy? Is he going to be happy with us? So we adjusted, us to him and him to us.

It was fun. He was so cute. He adjusted fast and it was like a match made in heaven. Until he started to bite us. He bit me first. We were at the park. I went to fix his leash, and he stiffened up and turned his head real fast and bit my hand. He meant it too. It was not puppy biting where he wanted to run and play and lead me around by his mouth; it was full-on aggression. I was like, what the heck? Labs aren't vicious. That is so weird. Labs are supposed to be the kindest dogs. Then this stupid rope toy that I bought that the store owner said "he just had to have" became an object of aggression. He would play with it and growl if you tried to take it so you could throw it for him to fetch. So I bring him for his second visit to the vets, and they go over a few things with me and I hear the term puppy mill. I didn't even register that they were trying to say. So meanwhile I call up the pet store owner and tell her that she sold me an aggressive dog. He had bit me, my daughter and my husband. She said, well, we can't take him back; a warranty is only for the health of the puppy. I said, we did not want an aggressive dog. Her response was, "well, all puppies are aggressive, and maybe you should put an ad in the paper and sell him to someone who has a firmer hand and knows how to deal with puppies."

I was offended. My former dog Luna who we had adopted (my ex-boyfriend and I) got pregnant (we did not even know she was in heat) and had 8 puppies. Those puppies were with her for 10 weeks and they were not aggressive. Not one. They were happy, loving puppies. They did not even bite.

So back to Boston--so his behavior was getting worse. He was growling at my daughter to the point she was terrified. He was biting her, biting her leg, not letting her even walk around. It was breaking my heart. How did we go from visions of cute puppies running through the grass to my daughter screaming from fear and being bitten by a very young puppy? So I look up the term puppy mill, and there you have it. Boston is from a puppy mill in Kansas. So he was totally not handled right, he was mishandled by someone because he has a lot of fear, he was already at the pet store at only 8 weeks which has traumatized him, and he must have aggression in his genes. We had to have a professional come to the house because he got so bad you could not even handle him. He has gotten better but the aggression is always there, under the surface. The S.P.C.A. can't place him and we don't dare give him away. We do not want to open up his future to the unknown. If this aggression does not get corrected, and he still bites, (this poor dog who never asked to be to be born from a mother who probably did not even have enough of herself left to give him the nutrients he needed to be a physically healthy puppy, to be forced to live his first 8 weeks in a cage where he was probably only handled to be groomed or to get shots) he will have to be put down. I hope to God it never comes to that. He faces a very grim future if he can't lick the aggression. It is horrible, heart-breaking situation because we love him regardless. The really sad part is he is only 3 months old. He is trained as well. He does his commands perfectly. He gets tons of exercises, walked 2 to 3 times a day through the woods, at the park, bike trails, out at the river, he goes swimming, plays ball, hangs out with us, plays with the kitten, plays with our downstairs neighbors dogs every day. He sees other dogs out and about. He gets tons of pets from people and kids. He has a great life with us. He has no reason to be aggressive. When we first got him he had parasites--coccidia and hookworms. He is free and clear now. He gets the best medical care. We want what is best for him. To be happy and loved. To think he may have had one day of being afraid. How can these puppy mill breeders and pet store owners treat these animals as material products? It is so mind-boggling that I may never be able to wrap my mind around this. How is there not better laws against this type of thing? Especially in a society where pets have become our family members. We have things like pet insurance. Stores designated for pets. Puppy day care, dog walkers, a show called Dog Whisperer. Where is the outcry? How in the idea of what we are as a people can this be going on today? I really don't understand. It is heartbreaking. Please, whoever may read this, just pass this on. Pet stores get their puppies (animals) from puppy (animal) mills.

Update March 2008: Boston's guardian adds: With all the love and support and training and swimming and techniques and long walks and a "free and clear" bill of health, he was still extremely aggressive. He growled, went after the cats, would bite my husband, my daughter, and me. This was totally different from being mouthy and needing to grow out of it. He was dominant over everything. Toys, his bed, his space. Early on I would try and take him to my daughter's school. Even as young as he was, he would just bite at anyone who came near him. He was already huge, too. This was so upsetting to her especially when she would see other moms with their doggies. Let's not forget, we are talking about a Lab!!! One of the best-known breeds with kids, and being a family dog.

The trainer has him with her 11 dogs on her farm. This was our only option, since we could have never given him away, nor did the SPCA want him. Due to his severe aggression, his future was bleak. With a stable pack he hopefully has a better chance. We want another dog but it is going to be a long time before we ever go down that road again. I will never go to a breeder or a pet store, I can tell you that. I will actively be in touch with the shelter for the right kind of dog for us, one day.

DREAMY PUPPY--VIRGINIA--CHANTILLY

2007: This store recently opened in the Northern Virginia area. They advertise in writing that they are selling "locally bred puppies." We assume that this is true because otherwise they would be guilty of false advertising. However, we remind area residents that the Humane Society of the U.S. recently found approximately 1,000 puppy mills in Virginia, so the fact that a puppy is bred "locally" does not ensure that the parents are well cared for. We invite people who have purchased puppies at this store to send us the name and location of their puppy's breeder. Secondly, we residents of this community recognize that the life and death of homeless animals is NOT DREAMY, and we encourage everyone to adopt from shelters or rescue groups rather than buying puppies at pet stores.

EVERYTHING PETS--NEW YORK--BURNT HILLS

November 2007: 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.

EXOTIC BIRDS AND PETS--CALIFORNIA--CERES

This store, like so many others, is selling birds and other animals better off left free in the wild.

FAMILY PET CENTER--CONNECTICUT--MERIDEN

2006: "I bought a Chihuahua puppy from Family Pet Center in Meriden, CT in May of this year. He seemed very lethargic and coughing when we bought him and I knew he probably had kennel cough and would need an antibiotic. We paid $1200 for him and I brought him to the vet the very next day. He was diagnosed with a very bad case of pneumonia and I was told that was a good chance he would not survive. Hundreds of dollars later, six medications that were given every 2 hours, and weeks of taking care of a very sick puppy, he did survive. I am happy to say he is now a 7 month old happy Chihuahua named Chico.

However, I contacted the pet store who told me that I could return the puppy for a new one which of course I was not going to do. I contacted the Hunte Corporation and was told we would get reimbursed for our expense. We waited from May 29, 2006 to the end of September when we finally did receive a reimbursement for a partial amount of the vet bills. I contacted Hunte Corporation on many occasions where I only received a voice mail and no calls were ever returned.

Today I went into the store to check the conditions of the puppies and found several of them covered and lying in their own urine. Two of them looked extremely sick but I was told, as I was told when I bought my puppy, that they had just been checked out by a vet and were perfectly healthy. Somebody needs to shut these people down and I would like to do anything I can to help. I don't even think my Chihuahua is a purebred because according to AKC standards, a purebred Chihuahua cannot be more than 6 pounds and Chico is 9 lbs. According to his vet, he is at his ideal weight for a dog his size and is probably a mixed breed. We paid $1200 for a purebred puppy and most likely did not even get one!

Thank you for your time and I hope to help in any way that I can to shut down Hunte Corporation."

FAMILY PET CENTER--MASSACHUSETTS--HOLYOKE
Ruby was purchased at the Family Pet Center for approximately $1,100. Her guardian found out soon afterwards that the puppy had pneumonia. It cost over $2,600 to nurse her back to health. The store's vet, responsible for evaluating the health of the puppies, also had not discovered that Ruby has a congenital defect called ectopic ureter, which causes the dog to leak urine constantly because the tubes that carry the urine bypass the bladder and go directly to the urethra. Due to the expense and extra care required to correct this condition, many dogs who have it are euthanized, but Ruby's family loves her and plans to go through with the surgery, which will cost between $2,000 and $4,000, not including follow-up. The success rate for this type of surgery is between 65-70%, and the nearest hospital that can perform it is two hours from Ruby's home. Ruby was born at a kennel in Arkansas and was brought to the Family Pet Center by the Hunte Corporation, the largest puppy broker in the U.S.

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

My wife and I purchased our poodle from Family Pet Center in Holyoke, MA via Lamont Kennels in May of 2003. Our puppy had a respiratory infection, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea and a heart murmur. We were very upset and displeased with our dog's overall health and appearance. As of November 2006, our dog is very healthy and very much loved.

[See the "USDA Records on Various Breeders" section on this website for a partial list of the USDA violations found at Lamont Kennels.]

FLEAMASTERS--FLORIDA--FORT MYERS

2007: There is a flea market called "Fleamasters" which has a pet store, with many puppies. Their birds are dirty...missing their tails, and their water was always so brown you couldn't see to the bottom, cages never clean. Puppies there have heat lamps shining on them so people can see them better. They are so hot! The last time I was there were 4 poodles that had their tails cut off, and the tail bone was showing instead of being covered by skin. I have never seen anything like that before in my life!

FOX MILL PETS--VIRGINIA--HERNDON--(there are two stores in Herndon, owned by the same people)
The store on Elden Street has a freezer just behind the fish aquariums at the back of the store. Recently an alert activist caught a glimpse inside, hoping it would just be people's frozen lunches. The entire freezer was FULL OF DEAD ANIMALS. They were in plastic bags, and there were smudges of what appeared to be blood around the freezer door.

Fox Mill obtains its puppies from the Hunte Corp., just as Petland does. Not only will they admit that when asked, we have seen the Hunte truck drop puppies off at Fox Mill after making its delivery to Petland. That means puppy mills, such as the 200-dog facility owned by Michelle Baker, whose USDA violations you can read about on our "USDA rerecords on various breeders" page. The puppies in Fox Mill have more room and seem better cared for than those at Petland, and there are far fewer of them. But as this incident reveals, appearances can be deceptive.

*****

Reese is a Chocolate Labrador Retriever purchased at Fox Mill Pets for slightly less than $1,000. She came home from the store with "a heavy infestation of internal parasites--giardia and coccidia to name a few." After doing some research on the Hunte Corporation, whose name is on Reese's papers, Reese's guardian discovered that the Hunte Corporation is a large distributor of puppy mill puppies. In addition to shipping their puppies to pet stores many states away, Reese's breeders, located in Missouri, also sell puppies for between $200 and $375 through online classified ads. They did not respond when contacted about Reese. Although the Hunte Corporation's website claims that it obtains puppies from "licensed professional breeders," Reese's breeder is not included in the USDA's list of licensed breeders.

Reese's guardian writes, "I was devastated to learn that my puppy was from a puppy mill, but I love her deeply. I want more people to be aware that it is a real issue and real people do experience the heartache of purchasing a puppy-mill pet with long and short-term disabilities such as parasites, elbow or hip dysplasia, and eye problems such as cataracts or glaucoma. If you can, please warn others to stay away from Fox Mill Pets. It is wrong and disgusting that a place would breed and sell animals strictly for profit."

*****

First photo: Ressy, cramped in an aquarium with many baby rats at Fox Mill Pets. Second photo, Ressy at home with a friend.

A person looking for a pet rat went into Fox Mill Pets on Franklin Farms Road in Herndon and saw a full-grown rat for sale. The salesman warned her that the rat was not very social and might bite her hard. She went home "feeling sad for the poor rat." A few weeks later, she returned to the store and saw the same rat. When she asked how long he'd been in a small aquarium in the store, the salesman said at least 8 months. There were dozens of other rats in the store.

She bought the rat. "He sat on my shoulder the whole way home and has never bitten me, ever." He had pneumonia and mites at the time he was purchased.

During another visit to Fox Mill, she saw a mother hamster with a litter of babies on display, which is stressful for the mother. She also saw two puppies who appeared to have eye infections.

One time when she was playing with the baby rats at Fox Mill, one was dead. She informed the salesman, but he said he would wait for the next shift to remove the rat. Only after she told him she thought that was terrible did he bother to remove the dead rat.

She says, "I really don't know many options of shopping for my pets around here. So I buy supplies online now, from rescues mostly, where the benefits of sales go to a good cause."

GIBRALTAR TRADE CENTER--MICHIGAN--TAYLOR AND MT. CLEMENS (two locations)

2006: I just wanted to inform you of two weekend flea markets in Michigan. They are both called Gibraltar Trade Center, one is located in Taylor and one in Mt. Clemens. Each location has a "pet shop," which sells puppies and kittens. In Taylor the puppies looked well cared for, but with so many animals needing homes, what's the point of breeding? In Taylor there was also a man selling reptiles. He mentioned that the tortoises he was selling (which were way too young to be sold) might look sluggish because "He hadn't turned the heat on yet this morning." He was keeping reptiles without providing heat during the cold, Michigan winter night.

In Mt. Clemens there were baby tigers being offered as props for children's photography. Apparently in Michigan this is legal, but I don't want to support a place that advocates cruelty toward any animal. I did a google search and found out that a man at the same flea market had, in the 80s or 90s been arrested for the same thing but with bears. Apparently the Gibraltar Trade Center does not care, because they still allow animals there for the same purpose.

Furthermore, the pet shop in the Mt. Clemens location was offering macaws for sale. These macaws were not provided with large cages or chew toys. They were ripping their own feathers out of their chests and were being housed outside the petshop in the high traffic area apparently to draw customers in. The sign on the shop said "Pollyworld," which disgusting me even more, because if their specialty is birds, one can only imagine how awfully they keep other animals. I searched all over for a phone number of this Pollyworld, but could not find one, or an address. Also they were selling "purebred" puppies, without papers (which struck me as being bred by irresponsible breeders at home that weren't breeding certain dogs to maintain the breed, but were breeding the same dogs over and over again...probably dogs they got from "free to good home" ads or something....). Anyway, these puppies were obviously not happy. I witnessed two of them fighting, they looked like littermates. One dog had the other pinned down and was biting its throat. A crowd gathered, and no one who worked there even attempted to separate the dogs.

I called Gibraltar Trade Center's Mt. Clemens office to let the people who actually run the facility know what I had seen. I kept being interupted by the office lady who kept saying, "Well she's passed all of her inspections." I finally interupted her and said that while I don't doubt that she feeds her animals and provides them with shelter and water, I do think they are being housed and treated in cruel and inhumane ways. I told her about the dogs fighting and the macaw, but I was so upset that I couldn't get much else out. The lady told me that she'd let the pet store owner know, but I doubt the pet store owner cares. I don't even want to know how many of the animals I saw were diseased or half-dead. I don't even like animals that much, but I can't stand to see any person treat an animal in a way which is so obviously and blatently cruel.

Anyway, I called the Michigan Dep't of Agriculture Animal Division because that's who the shelter near the flea market told me to report this to. They said that unfortunately they only are responsible for mammals. The lady I spoke to had inspected those places in the past, but told me that the inspection system is flawed because an owner can just revert back to their ways when they know there's not going to be an inspection, and that there aren't any laws about the treatment of birds and reptiles unless it comes to diseases that humans can catch. She agreed that it's not right, and I feel a little bit better that she knows so maybe she'll be less inclined to be nice about inspections of that particular store. She did thank me and said that without calls from concerned citizens they would not know what goes on in pet shops when the inspectors are not around.

Anyway, I'm just trying to spread the word about what I saw, and I'm trying to get everyone I know to boycott Gibraltar Trade Center. I'm also trying to contact any animal groups I can because hopefully it will stop people from shopping there and cause the business to go under...

I think that the problem is bigger than just the people selling things at their booths in the flea market, I think that the problem also relates to the fact that the Gibraltar Trade Center allows these vendors to have their own stores and booths. That's why I'm advocating on behalf of the animals that people boycott the entire place, so that they cannot just allow the next animal vendor to sell abused animals and perpetuate the misery of these animals.

Sincerely,
M. Sanders

HAPPINESS IS PETS--ILLINOIS--ARLINGTON HEIGHTS

Harley and Nickle

2007: I went in to Happiness is Pets in 2002. Harley would be 5 this year. He was cute at 6 months already and had a kinked tail. I should have known that something wasn't right. Well I get him home and things from the start were odd. He had discharge coming from his eyes which I thought was from being in the yard. I find out later what he has is called eye entropion (rolling inward of the eyelids). Surgery was the only option, $700 the cost to repair, which was almost what I paid for Harley. Later as the spring rolls in I notice my dog had red bumps starting to appear, back to the vet. They tell me he's allergic to something which caused the outbreak. A little while passes and the chronic ear infections start, back to the vet, more meds. By the time Harley became 3 he had hip dysplasia and had a hard time getting up from his bed. I would let him sleep on the couch so he could be more comfortable. He was easily irritated, so he couldn't be the dog that we wanted as a pet. He was miserable most of the time. Well when he was 3, my father died from a failed liver transplant and my family was doing the preparations for my father. The enclosure that Harley was kept in had a 4-foot fence. I never thought that he would try to jump the fence but he tried and didn't make it. My Harley was a tall American Bulldog and could have easily freed himself from the fence but his hips were so bad that he couldn't hold himself up. I came back from burying my father to find my Harley had hung himself on a 4-foot fence.

I contacted the ARF and requested justice for my dog and they just turned a blind eye to what Steve Kruse is doing in West Point Iowa. Happiness is Pets in Arlington Heights, IL is the avenue for Steve Kruse and for neglected puppy mill puppies. I didn't find out anything about this puppy mill until Harley died and I did some research on his pedigree. But this isn't the end. I went back to Happiness is Pets 2 years after I bought Harley and saw a little black Peekapoo. I took him out and he had some kind of skin infection and a kinked tail also. I asked them where this dog had come from and they gave me no answer. I felt bad to put the puppy back in the cage so I took him home with me. I named him Nickle aka Nicky. I took him to the vet that Happiness is Pets works with, and Happiness is Pets ended up paying the vet bill which was as much as Nicky costs. So I considered him a rescue from Happiness is Pets. I gave him to a trainer here in the Chicagoland area. The only thing I can give credit to Happiness is Pets about is that they have an excellent animal hospital that they work with-Elmhurst Animal Hospital. I have been going there for years.

I have filed a report with the Consumer Protection Division about Steve Kruse in West Point, Iowa, dba [doing business as] Stonehenge Kennels. There are thousands of complaints from IL, FL, Arkansas, Iowa and MO. What is going to be done about this puppy mill that scams unsuspecting new pet owners? I have been in contact with Al Walker, the president of the registry that Kruse uses to register all the poorly bred dogs. We are boycotting the registry, Animal Research Foundation in Texas. We have hundreds of people emailing and calling for the ARF to revoke Kruse rights to register the dogs that he mills. Everyone can help. Call or email the Animal Research Foundation at the info listed here. Your help is appreciated. Here's a link to the ARF, and the puppy miller's name is on their website.

http://www.stodghillsarfregistry.com/breeders_list.htm#AMERICAN

Please email stodghills.arf@juno.com and tell them to revoke Kruse's rights to register the dogs that he mills.

If you have purchased a sick puppy from Steve Kruse through your local pet store, please complain to the Better Business Bureau in your area--find it at www.bbb.org, "Locate a Bureau."

Also complain to Robert Gibbens, DMV, at the USDA for allowing dog breeding facilities that provide inadequate care to continue operating. E-mail him at charolette.c.cotier@aphis.usda.gov.

Also please fill out the Humane Society of the United States' Breeder Complaint Form,
http://files.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/puppy_mill_complaint_form.pdf

Thanks
Susan Gray
Chicago, IL

[The Companion Animal Protection Society visited Steve Kruse's kennel in 2004. According to CAPS, Mr. Kruse said that he had 1,350 adult dogs and also sells to the Hunte Corporation. For a description and photos of caged dogs, please visit http://www.caps-web.org/iowa_kruse.php.

The group In Defense of Animals collected info on Steve Kruse's facility in the 1990s. Visit http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/puppy/investigations2.html for information. According to IDA, Mr. Kruse had 806 dogs in 1995.

It is not illegal to have a huge number of dogs. However, it is extremely difficult, without a huge, attentive staff and a great deal of land, to provide that number of dogs with the love, care, comfortable living areas, and exercise that dogs should have in order to be happy and healthy. -petstorecruelty.org]

HOUSE OF PETS--MARYLAND--ABERDEEN

June 2008: We received a complaint about the conditions in this store.

JUST PAWS--CALIFORNIA--GLENDALE

January 2008: I would like to lodge a complaint against JUST PAWS pet store in Glendale, California. I happened upon the store last night and was shocked to see the crammed conditions that the large puppies are living in. There is just no room for these big guys and its horribly sad. I myself am a pet lover and have a lab at home, but seeing this made me so depressed. I filed a complaint with the SPCA today and they will check it out but there is nothing that they can do if they find no violations.

Why is it that other countries in Europe ban the sale of dogs in pet stores entirely and we are so far behind?

DAWNA LOUGH

JUST PETS--VIRGINIA--RESTON
Allie, a Shih Tzu, was purchased in January of 2005. Within the next two days she began urinating frequently. Her guardians took her to the vet, who found that Allie had kidney failure of a genetic cause (that could have been detected in the parents) and gave her only a year to live. The vet recommended that the dog be returned, and her devastated guardians did so. Allie was immediately put back up for sale. According to the store, the new purchasers were informed of the dog's serious medical condition, as is required by law. Note: Just Pets advertises that it does not obtain puppy mill puppies. In this case, the breeder was apparently local and not a Midwestern dealer. However, the breeder failed to reply to several phone messages regarding Allie's illness.

November 2006: "I was in Just Pets in Reston the other day. They have puppies. The first one I held was scared to death of me, shaking out of fear, literally. The second one, a little girl, was sweet but her eyes and nose were gunky and she looked like she had some sort of a skin issue on her muzzle. The store clerk said they were 'local.'"

JUST PUPPIES--FLORIDA--ORLANDO

2007: I purchased a mix breed Boston Terrier/Rat Terrier puppy in 2006 from Just Puppies Inc. at 4115 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando, Florida. By chance, I came across my paperwork on our Max and just for giggles I looked up the breeder--Charles Jennings with the address listed as 24422 State Hwy. O, Bevier, MO 63532. To my horror, the name was on your list. ["USDA Inspections of Various Breeders" page--no violations, had 94 dogs in 2003]

The condition of Max's health when we got him home was bad, just to put it mildly. I purchased Max because he would not stop shaking and my gut said to take him home. I am sure glad I did. After the first day, Max lost his appetite. I called our vet and he said it was normal for puppies placed in a new home and to stimulate his appetite with baby food. By day three, I made an appointment to see our vet the next day and was feeding him water, yogurt and baby food every three hours to keep him hydrated and fed.

Long story short, Max spent seven days in the hospital at Plantation Animal Hospital in Plantation, Florida, with double pneumonia, kennel cough, worms and severe dehydration. We almost lost our little man. For two weeks after his release from the hospital I had to return daily for nebulizer treatments that took 45 minutes per session.

I am not sure if our puppy arrived severely ill from the breeder or if it was due to possible poor conditions of the pet store.

I paid $533.93 for my little man and he is worth every penny. His vet bills topped $2000.00 with the I.V.'s, hospitalization, oral medication for not only the pneumonia but also deworming both in the hospital and when he was released. This amount also included the daily breathing treatments for a month. The first two days while he was hospitalized, the technicians kept Max fed through a feeding tube and hydrated through his I.V. He refused all nourishment. He was listed as failure to thrive. Thankfully, he fought.

I am happy to report that Max is doing well and in puppy school because of his high spirited nature. He gives his brothers (yellow lab--5 years old, and boxer--3 years old) a run for their money.

The thought of anyone mistreating an animal makes me sick. My dogs are a part of my family and I would spare no expense when it comes to their care. They rely on me for their care and I am repaid with unconditional love that is priceless.

JUST PUPPIES—MARYLAND--LAUREL

1) Marcus, a Boxer, is the offspring of two dogs purchased at Just Puppies, a pet store in Laurel, Maryland. Marcus has chronic staph infections that his guardian manages through careful diet. He is hypothyroid and is developing hip dysplasia, both hereditary conditions that could have been detected in the parents, who should not have been bred. His hip dysplasia will most likely result in long-term pain and require expensive surgery.

2)

Jerry is a miniature schnauzer puppy bought from Just Puppies in Laurel, Maryland in January of 2005. He had kennel cough (the store admitted that ALL their dogs probably have kennel cough and provided pills for it). Within a week of his purchase, he exuded thick green mucus from his nose and was having trouble breathing. His guardians took him to an emergency clinic, where he was found to have pneumonia. For days Jerry was in an intensive care unit, hooked up to oxygen, intravenous tubes, and getting shots every hour, and it was not known if he would live. $5,000 worth of vet bills later, he has survived but as of mid-February still needed monthly vet visits. Just Puppies refuses to pay for ANY emergency care for any puppy, even immediately after purchase, and even if that emergency care is provided by its own store vets. Jerry was born in Missouri.

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JUST PUPPIES--MARYLAND--LAUREL

2006: I went in there once just out of curiosity while waiting for my appointment at a nearby shop. I was appalled at the conditions of not only the living quarters, but the puppies themselves. They looked sickly and when I tried to talk to someone in there about the condition of the puppies, they wouldn't talk to me at all unless I would fill out an application to buy a puppy (which of course I didn't). I wanted to cry when I left, it was awful.

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JUST PUPPIES--MARYLAND--ROCKVILLE
Another branch of the same store, this Just Puppies also gets its puppies from puppy mills and keeps them in barren little cages in a warehouse-like setting. A visitor to the store in November 2005 found that there was a very unpleasant odor in the puppy area, where the puppies are being kept two to a small cage.

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JUST PUPPIES--MARYLAND

2007 My case against Just Puppies, Inc.:

We purchased a puppy from Just Puppies, Inc. He was my husband's birthday gift to me. I was always hesitant towards pet stores but going there and seeing the puppy that my husband had picked out for me there was no turning back, my heart had already melted all logic aside. I wanted to take him out of the filthy cage that they were keeping him in and bring him home, nourish, protect, love and care for him. If I could afford more than one I would have included his sister. In the store you are allowed to get acquainted with the puppy in a cubicle. He was playful, running, attacking his sister, and happy to be in my arms. When I left for work they had my husband sit down for paperwork and payment and I headed back to work and said a little prayer in my mind, hopeful that this is a good decision.

After a long day or what seemed to be an endless day at work, I rushed home after work to see Will [name changed--petstorecruelty.org]. I had thought of a name at work, and amazingly he responded to this one. The reason I chose to call him by this is because it reminds me of power and strength which was an attribute of his loving personality. He was playing, eating, drinking, running around. So cute that I would just sit and wonder, God, what a gift and joy from heaven has dropped into my lap. He continued to play hide and seek, sitting and staring at us and teasing us with his cuteness that resembled a small baby polar bear cub. I took a camera and just following him around recording his adorable behaviors. The normal things that puppy of 2 months would do. I grew so attached to Will, constantly monitored the little guy, I wanted to make sure everything is ok. I scheduled a checkup for the following Friday. The clinic is covered under Just Puppies as a covered Provider over two week duration. My husband and I kept him at home, missed some days from work and took turns to monitor him.

Like you would to a human baby we had to monitor his stool. His stool the day we brought him home and the day after was pretty normal: brown in color and soft and long. He continued to act "normal" and excrete a normal stool until Friday morning. On this day, he did not touch his food and his stool was more fluid and lighter in color, and one time had drips of blood in it. By mid-morning he was only excreting a yellowish gooey substance (with a HORRID smell) and rarely even drinking his water. Although I had an appointment scheduled for later that afternoon, I panicked and called the clinic (VCA North Animal Hospital) insisting on an earlier appointment and described the symptoms over the phone to a nurse/assistant who explained that this behavior is normal for a puppy, that it is natural as babies to have diarrhea and loss of appetite. Mind you, she was so confident in the advice that I felt she must know what she was talking about and felt relieved. I asked if she can confirm with a doctor and she said that when I come in for the checkup we can discuss further. Basically I sat and waited with my eyes glued on him, as 8 hours passed slowly, anticipating some kind of medical attention for my baby.

I rushed my baby to the hospital a half hour before the appointment, hoping to be seen a little bit sooner as he had started to whimper. I was in the waiting room an additional 20 minutes into my appointment. Finally when it was time to go in, I handed the 3 stool samples that I had gathered for their testing purposes to a nurse and advised her that the smell is horrid and not like anything a young puppy could excrete. When I was in the exam room I overheard the nurses saying this smell is horrible, she told me it would be. The vet came in and explained that what you're seeing is normal in a puppy--the diarrhea, lack of appetite, blood in excretion she said is a result of chronic diarrhea blab blah blah (looking back, I don't know how these people keep their licenses). Her diagnosis after looking at Will's fecal sample is that he has parasites, which she claimed are normal and easy to treat. She helped me feed Will a little and equipped me with instructions for the antibiotics and sent me off. I was relieved that this would be treatable. I went home happy believing that he will be ok, he will get better, that coccidia and Giardia (contagious to humans as well) could be treated, and I was adamant to follow all the doctors orders. When we reached home he ate a portion of the medicated puppy meds and looked good to me. He played around. Still lots of smelly diarrhea but I was getting used it. The following morning I tried to feed him and he rejected the food despite all my efforts. I knew I couldn't give him antibiotics on an empty stomach, so I called the hospital and told them that I had trouble feeding him. They told me to come in. I drove the 20 miles and waited to be seen by one of the friendliest vets I've ever met. He was very confident that the puppy was just giving me a hard time due to stress and proceeded to show me how I can force feed Will using a syringe and supplied me with several. He helped me get a couple mouthfuls into Will and sent me off confident that I could do the same. I force-fed him more ADA puppy medicated food when we got home and my husband helped me feed him the antibiotics that the doctor had prescribed. I knew he needed constant support and kept him warm and cuddled close to me loving him every bit. I wanted to help him in any way and aspired to see him grow and play like he did the first couple days. Instead he lay in his bed the rest of the night. Will slept on my bed under the cover and woke me up around 3 A.M. in need to go to the bathroom. He poked me with his paw and looked uncomfortable. I took him to his pad where he splattered diarrheic excretions, then cleaned him and brought him back to bed. Around 5 A.M. he woke up both me and my husband and we took him again but this time the poor baby could not control it and part of it went on the bed. I took out the sheets and we went to bed on the couch near the kitchen where we kept his pads. I put him in his bed and covered him up next to me. In the morning, I found him lying there with more excretions, brown and watery in substance. I could not distinguish whether it was vomit or his stool. I started to get teary seeing that my poor baby must be in pain and lying there. I called the VCA Referrals Animal Hospital in Gaithersburg and explained the situation. They told me to bring him in as soon as possible as she will prepare the staff. We met with a nurse in exam room 1. I answered all her questions. She looked at Will and said she has to take him into the back to put him on I.V. and isolate him from any other animals and that he may have Parvovirus.

"Canine parvovirus (CPV) is very contagious disease which spreads from dog to dog via an infected dog's crap. Dogs confined to the house or yard will probably never contract it. It is more common amongst pets who are allowed to run wild or come in contact with infected dogs.

Symptoms of infection include vomiting, diarrhea, depression and loss of appetite. Treatment should be sought quickly since death usually occurs within 2 or 3 days of the symptoms."

We waited until the vet came into see us. She said that as soon as the looked at the blood test she knew that he is infected with the deadly virus and explained that for any chance of survival, it will be best to keep him here. We explained that Just Puppies, Inc has a provider listing and VCA Referrals is not part of that list meaning that it is possible that we would have to pay out of our own pocket, the potential $4,000-5,000 bill. My husband got in touch with a Just Puppies, Inc manager who explained that his first days will be covered due to the reason that their facility is closed and does not have proper 24 hour monitoring or high tech equipment. After all, the 2-week limited warranty provided several places to go and this hospital was referred by a hospital on their own listing. A puppy sick at purchase, they said, would be covered for 2 weeks. The plan was that we would keep him overnight at the VCA Referrals Hospital and move him to the hospital that would cover his treatment the next day. I got in touch with a vet to inform him of the transfer. He advised against it and said that the best option was to leave him at the critical care as they do not have all the resources and the 24-hour supervision that would help him get better as their facility only operates from 8 A.M.-6 P.M. Naturally I wanted this baby to live and be able to fight this disease. The doctor told me that Will's chances are low but that if he pulls through we would all pop a bottle of champagne. We kept the baby at the hospital (VCA Referrals) adamant that we will make Just Puppies pay for the hospital bill as their own covered vet had advised us to keep him at VCA Referrals. $1000 per night treatments that could hopefully help him and give him a chance to live. That Sunday I could not sleep could not eat, constantly fought with my husband as a result of my stress, angry and felt violated by this cruel corporation. Angry that there are other puppies and other owners who are going through the same or have gone through the same situation and hopeful that they will pay for all they have done. I stayed up researching the virus online, researched what I can do to close down places like Just Puppies. In the interim, I continued to call the hospital for updates every couple hours. They said he was stable, they said he was doing ok but not better, his temperature was down, BP was down, but he ate some food, they said that the bills will be expensive, they said that he has a 30% chance up until today, a day after my birthday through which I had no care to enjoy because my little one was suffering. I put my hopes up again. I am now waiting for another update. The wait kills me but I have a feeling he will--after all he is my miracle baby. Regarding the financial perspective of this huge ordeal, my husband is contacting Just Puppies manager to tell them about these expenses to which they claimed they would cover in either case. However now we are not so sure because we cannot get in touch with anyone in the corporate office.

This is the problem we now face. The corporate office of Just Puppies, Inc. has made it extremely difficult for us to get in touch with a manager, so on and so forth. The owner/regional manager is supposedly on vacation and store manager advised us that the hospital expenses will be covered the first couple days. Now it is required for us with our puppy's critical conditions to have him stay at the ICU unit in VCA Referrals Animal Hospital. If moved from the current treatment, Will may have a relapse.

Just Puppies, Inc, has sold us a sick puppy and for humane and natural reasons we believe it deserves a chance we are keeping him there and expect to be reimbursed fully once, God willing, Will overcomes this dreadful virus that due to Just Puppies' cruel and inhumane practices [he] is suffering. It is evident that many other puppies being sold at the location have been infected with this contagious virus and my aim is for this company to provide proper treatment for all of them and give them a chance to live, ultimately closing their business due to malpractice and crimes against humanity. This experience has drenched me with stress, anxiety, and tears and now anger and I wish to help end this vicious cycle that exists amongst pet stores, pet mills, etc.

Our puppy looks like he has a chance and we want to make sure we do everything in our power to help him fight this virus. He has different fluids constantly flowing into his tiny 2-lb body and he sleeps and sometimes he wakes to show hope. He is my baby and I cry at the fact that he has gone through so much but I believe he will be our miracle come true. And now I wait.

Update: Sadly, my Will couldn't make it through. He passed yesterday at noon. The doctors tried everything over the past week and he looked good and like he was improving but all of a sudden there was a complication and he went into cardiac arrest. I rushed to the hospital hoping that it wasn't true and went I got into the ER, there were ten people working on him trying to revive him. It was the worst I ever saw and they had no choice but to let him no. Afterwards I had the chance to hold him in my arms and apologize to him for all he went through. Every time I close my eyes all I can think of is him and how hard he fought and how much anger I have at the store and the mills and all those involved in such cruel acts. Dogs are truly angels in disguise.

JUST PUPPIES--MARYLAND--TOWSON
2006--I went to Just Puppies last night in Towson. I was NOT planning to purchase a puppy from there, but wanted to see the different breeds as I am trying to decide which type of dog I would like. The situation there was horrible.

Some of the puppies were coughing, some were so listless they only looked at you and did not lift their heads, and one was "asleep" though I don't know how asleep it was vs. nearing death, with a thick drop of mucus hanging out of its little nose, which was resting on the rubber grid that made up the bottom of the cage. It was despicable.

I was offended at how terrible the place smelled, how dirty the puppies were, and how very sick so many of them seemed. There was an ADORABLE pomeranian puppy that was sweet and yippy and full of pep that I really wanted to scoop up, just to save it from the place. But they were selling it for $899! And I know enough not to purchase ANYTHING from that place, as it only encourages their practices. I don't think breeders even sell their pom pups for that price. I've visited a private pom breeder who was offering to sell me a puppy for $450. And her little ones were in great shape. I felt terrible for that little guy--just looking at the others around it and knowing it could very well end up like them.

LA MAISON DES TOUTOUS--NEW YORK--FLUSHING

2007: My sister went looking for a puppy in her neighborhood. She came across La Maison des Toutous on Kissena Blvd in Flushing, NY. She, ignoring my warning of purchasing a dog through a pet store, fell in love with a Cocker Spaniel/King Charles Spaniel mixed female puppy with severely deformed front legs. The puppy's legs were completely bowlegged and the dog couldn't even walk on a smooth surface. The owner of the shop hid this fact by refusing us to allow the dog to walk on other than nest paper. We tested the puppy when the owner turned her back; sure enough, the dog couldn't even walk. The owner still insisted on selling the puppy for practically a full price. Also, most of the puppies were dirty, with scars, and mixed breeds listed for purebreds. I have nothing against mixed breeds, but for one to pay $1300+ for a dog without a reliable pedigree, then they are being fooled!!

[Note: This store, along with Petland and Le Chien (a Manhattan store), was featured in the Dateline NBC puppy mill investigation in the year 2000.]

MAXIE BIGGZ-NEW YORK-STATEN ISLAND

"In 2005 I purchased a beautiful 2-month-old pug puppy who we named Daxie Boy. I brought him to the vet the next day and was told he had severe kennel cough. This was the beginning of the downward spiral. Since then this puppy has had stones taken out of his bladder, a shunt repaired so he would have the use of his liver, and the head of both femurs cut off due to disease. The store has not helped at all. They gave me a false phone number and address for their warranty company. Their staff would not give me any information, and I just found out that the store filed for bankruptcy and says they are not responsible for anything to do with the purchase of our puppy.

"If you look online there are many complaints about this company. They are linked to puppy mills and are lying to customers everywhere. We would not trade this dog for the world, but I want people to know what happens when they purchase from a store. Right now I have to hold Daxie up so he can go to the bathroom. This is not how I expected to spend quality time with the puppy. Daxie will be a year old in March. Please help us show the world."

Daxie's initial price was $1,500. He has had 3 surgeries, and the vet bills so far are over $8,000. He was born at a breeding facility in Arkansas.

May 2008: We received a complaint about conditions at this store.

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MISSY'S PUPPIES AND GROOMING--WEST VIRGINIA--POCA

We received this e-mail and are awaiting further information.

"Missy's in Poca, WV has a reputation for selling puppies who wind up with parvo within a week of the sale. She does give a refund and offer to 'nurse them back to health,' but one I know personally never saw her puppy or heard from the shop again. Others I've talked to say the same thing. I don't know where they get their dogs, but they apparently don't know how to prevent the spread of disease."

MONSTER PETS-PENNSYLVANIA--PHILADELPHIA

Full address: Monster Pets 1946 S. Columbus Blvd. Philadelphia, PA 19148 Attn: Brian Fennell, Owner 1-215-336-9000

The following message is from Rat Chick Rat Rescue and Advocacy Group:

Please message us or email ratchick@comcast.net. We would love some feedback on this! Even if you have already written a letter, write another one after reading this! We are sure you will want to! Please send copies of your letters. Also let us know if you would be interested in helping out with demos or other parts of this campaign. Enjoy the description of our meeting with Mr. Fennell. Thanks for the support!

Maria and Rachel of Rat Chick Rat Rescue and Advocacy Group met with Mr. Brian Fennell owner of Monster Pets on Sunday, February 4, 2007. Here is what happened:

We called Mr. Fennell to let him know that we would be coming in to the store to meet and discuss working together to change some of Monster Pets' policies. When Mr. Fennell greeted us, we assumed he would bring us back into his office; a quiet place out of public view would have been the best setting for a meeting. It became apparent to us that Mr. Fennell was not going to take us seriously when he decided to hold our meeting in the middle of the sales floor. We handed him our list of demands, which included:

1) Stop the sale of female rats.

2) Allow Rat Chick Rat Rescue and Advocacy Group to provide free in service training to your personnel. Training would be required for all employees within one month of their hire date. Training would include but not be limited to: rat history, basic rat care and humane handling.

3) Allow Rat Chick Rat Rescue and Advocacy Group to make spot inspections of the basic care and handling of rats and other animals in the store.

4) Stop the sale of cats and puppies. Instead, invite PACCA or other credible animal rescues (approved by Rat Chick Rat Rescue and Advocacy Group) to showcase their adoptable animals. PACCA has already volunteered to supply animals, veterinary care and spay/neutering services.

He hurriedly scanned the material and said that he is already complying with our first request and that he has not been selling female rats for some time now. He then said that he would never allow us to provide training because he provides training to his employees. He said that we would have to agree to disagree on proper and humane handling of rats. He claims that PICKING UP A RAT BY THEIR TAIL IS THE UNDISPUTED CORRECT WAY OF HANDLING A RAT.

When we asked if we could see the rats, which are kept hidden from public view, he said that we could not. We asked why and he said because it is his store and that he was in the middle of a Sunday afternoon and he was busy. So we cannot even say if our demand of not selling female rats is being met because we were not allowed to visit the rats. When asked how many rats are kept in a cage he said that the aquariums they are kept in are big. We asked again how many rats are kept in a tank and Mr. Fennell said that he did not know.

Moving on to the issue of Monster Pets' sale of dogs and cats. While at Monster Pets, we witnessed, once again, the puppies in tiny wire bottomed cages, almost exactly like this one:

One of the puppies was lying in its own feces and had feces caked around its rear area. As soon as Mr. Fennell read the demand that he stop selling puppies and kittens, he said, OH NO, I WILL NOT STOP SELLING PUPPIES AND KITTENS! When asked why he would refuse to work with PACCA or another rescue, he said, I NEED TO FEED MY FAMILY. We then said, so you are telling us that if you stopped selling puppies and kittens the profit that you make from your other products would not feed your family? Mr. Fennell told us, OH, DON'T GO THERE.

We then tried to talk with him about how he was personally contributing to the companion animal overpopulation problem. He cut us off and said, I know the stats but we are just going to have to agree to disagree about my sale of live animals.

Mr. Fennell then said that he gets his dogs from a private licensed breeder (code word for PUPPY MILL) called Hunte. Mr. Fennell claims that Hunte is the best breeding facility out there. He then told us that before we talk to people about issues that we have we should do our homework. Well, here is some homework that we have done about Mr. Fennel's puppy mill puppies source, Hunte:

(See Hunte Corp. page of this website)

http://www.thehuntecorporation.com/tour/

Mr. Fennell repeatedly stated his belief that, I DO IT THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS, because he claims Monster Pets' cages are air-conditioned, heated and clean. He said that Monster Pets abides by the standards when it comes to keeping the puppies in tiny wire bottomed cages. While still on the subject of Monster Pets' sale of puppies, Mr. Fennell said, I PRIDE MYSELF ON THE FACT THAT I DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. Since when is there a right way to profit off of sentient beings that come from the horrific puppy mill industry?

In conclusion, Mr. Fennell said something that we find extremely humorous: MY WIFE IS AN ANIMAL ACTIVIST!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE WRITE LETTERS, MAKE PHONE CALLS OR EVEN VISIT THE STORE TO VOICE YOUR DISGUST!!!! WE NEED TO STEP UP THIS CAMPAIGN AND PUT THE HEAT ON MR. FENNELL!!! We will also need many people to come out and demo with us. Dates to be announced soon.

Monster Pets
1946 S. Columbus Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
Attn: Brian Fennell, Owner
1-215-336-9000

NATURES NEST-IOWA-FORT MADISON
2006: I am writing because of what I witnessed this weekend at Natures Nest in Fort Madison, Iowa, 52627. I have already contacted the police department, who said that it is not something they handle. The town is approx 9,000 people, so there is not an animal control officer. The police department said it had already contacted the Department of Agriculture, who gave the pet store 60 days to clean up.

I witnessed an adult cat whose eyes were so infected that they were sealed shut. While I was there (less than 5 minutes) it vomited blood on itself TWICE. Its breathing was labored. I fear it will not make it one more day. The rest of the animals were covered in their own feces. I have never witnessed anything so cruel.

Update: The Department of Agriculture did go to the pet store and only gave it ONE violation. The owner of the store said that she had medicine for the cat with the eye problem and although she couldn't produce proof (vet records or the actual medicine itself) they did not write her up for that.

I went back to the pet store this weekend and although things were SLIGHTLY cleaned up, they still were filthy. While I was there, the owner (who was chain smoking inside her store) kicked the cage of a dachshund and yelled at it because it was barking. I have never witnessed animals being so poorly treated.

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NORTHWEST SEED & PET--WASHINGTON (state)--SPOKANE

2006: "The birds in their Sprague St. store are fed chicken feed and left in dirty unkempt cages. Mass amounts of doves in rabbit cages with babies being born on the metal. The warehouse is full of cockatiels, rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, snakes, lizards, and there was also pregnant cat.

A lady with a bird mill was there recently selling more birds. They have an umbrella cockatoo who is fed chicken feed and is priced real high, so he's been sitting there a long time. He is not even allowed out of his cage.

They have Patagonian cavies, conures in parakeet cages. They have been busted buying stolen puppies. They had Am Staff puppies who were showing serious aggression issues and just let them attack the other puppy they had them in with. Sick kittens with goopy eyes and filthy cages.

This is a nightmare of a chain. The store on Division St. has a baby alligator that someone gave to them and the manager is fattening it up to eat it. The Sprague store has a caiman in a pool no bigger than a bathtub. This is so sad. Please post this store. The Animal Control here will do nothing about it."

PEDIGREE SHOP-COLORADO--BROOMFIELD

2008: Last year I adopted a Siberian Husky puppy Ivan, from Pedigree Shop (720) 887-1300 in Broomfield, CO and recently adopted a companion Siberian Husky from the same location. They informed me on both occasions that the puppies had come from local family breeders. They did not tell me who the breeder was, only that the sire and dam were not the same. I am interested in breeding my huskies because we have plenty of room and absolutely love the nature of the breed. Anyways...I thought I would contact the breeder who provided the new puppy, Lola to Pedigree Shop and find out if she had any recommendations on which heat cycle I should allow them to breed, etc. so as not to disrupt Lola's growth or cause pregnancy problems. When Lola's papers arrived I found the name of the breeder and looked her up. She is not local, she has many animal offenses and she is on your naughty list! I was absolutely disgusted to know that my precious little girl came from, Marsha Cox of Mo., and was probably crammed in a tiny cage and sold strictly to make a buck. She was very timid, thin and territorial of her food. She is now outgoing and a little on the chubby side. I really wish I had known sooner. I'm so sad to think that her parents are being used like a product maker. I'm so glad that Lola has a loving home now, but I want to help stop the cruelty. I did attach a scanned copy of the certification page, with Marsha's name and the Pedigree Shop envelope it arrived in. I can provide the adoption papers as well, if necessary.

-Melissa Headstream

PET BARN--CALIFORNIA--MODESTO (and Manteca)

2007: This store's new website says "finally a pet store that actually sells pets!" Local residents say that the store's small cages contain puppies brought in from out of state, in spite of the tragic fact that last year approximately 15,000 dogs were killed at the local shelter.

PET CENTRAL--NEVADA--LAS VEGAS
A puppy purchased from this store in 2006 came from the Missouri breeders Marnita and Charles Phelps of Stones Prairie Kennel. In 2004, a USDA inspector found that this breeder was confining some dogs in a pen with less than 6 inches of headroom, and other dogs in an area with a "very noticeable" ammonia odor (see our "USDA reports on various breeders" section).

PETCO--TEXAS--SAN ANTONIO

March 11, 2007, I drove over to Petco to buy a gerbil. When I went there, the cages seemed clean, and the woman at the register provided me with much helpful information on how to take care of my new companion, Tabitha. The gerbils seemed happy, and had toys and a tunnel to play with, and were separated by gender to prevent unexpected pregnancy. However there was no food or water in the cages, so they must feed them when the store is closed, even though there should ALWAYS be food and water in the cage. As well as this, it was a 5-gallon (approx.) aquarium with three gerbils each. This is inadequate spacing even for small animals. Besides that, there was very little bedding in the cage for the gerbils to burrow in. I bought my new friend and set up her new home. A couple weeks later, we got another gerbil for my brother. This time, the cages were dirty and the fur on the gerbils was matted up. When the worker reached into the cage, she pulled the gerbil out by the tail, which can cause the skin to peel off and not grow back, as well as causing injury. When we took the gerbil home, anytime someone wanted to pick her up, she would run away. Now she is permanently traumatized because of her treatment before we bought her.

PET CITY--IDAHO--BOISE

Photo taken at Pet City in Boise, Idaho, in October of 2005. This dachshund puppy is sick, lethargic, and the green discharge coming from his nose is all over his face and ears, as well as on the mat and the window. His tongue is hanging out (not visible in this photo) and he is sleeping on a hard, dirty surface.

[From an article by Lindie Patton for KBCI 2 Boise, April 8, 2005]
Since September of 2004, Pet City in the Boise Town Square has been charged 6 times with animal cruelty by the local Humane Society. The charges include accumulated waste in the cages, inappropriate caging and overcrowding, and lack of food and water. The latest charge was on April 1, 2005, several months after the Humane Society warned Pet City the animals would be impounded if better care was not provided. Pet City is owned by Ron Hope.

Customer Jessica Brothers recently purchased a pug there who had mucus on his nose. The employees said that was normal, "a pug thing." One day after the purchase, the puppy was coughing, sneezing, and listless and was found to have pneumonia. Veterinarian Lana Roberts of Mountain View Animal Hospital said, "It was severe and I think he could've died had he not had treatment for it." The treatment as of early April has cost approximately $2,000 and is not yet complete.

PET CITY--WYOMING--CHEYENNE

Cal is a puppy sold at Pet City at Frontier Mall, 1400 Dell Range Blvd., Cheyenne, for $700. The customer very soon found out that Cal had a tumor on the umbilical cord that would require surgery costing a minimum of $200. The store offered to exchange the puppy for another one, but the customer was concerned about what the store would do with Cal and refused this offer. Unable to pay for high vet bills, the customer gave the puppy to a friend who offered to pay for the surgery and give the puppy a good home. Cal was sold as a purebred Sheltie but has unusual markings and colors for dogs of this breed. Cal was born in Nebraska.

[2007--a pet store employee not associated with this store wrote to say that this is a photo of an umbilical hernia rather than a tumor.

Umbilical hernias vary in severity. Surgery is often done to correct them. They are considered to be a hereditary condition.]

PETCO--TENNESSEE--CHATTANOOGA
August 2006: A visitor to the store located on Highway 153 writes: "Gerbils and hamsters are living in filthy cages. All are lethargic. No activity whatsoever. All appear to be underweight."

PET COMPANY (THE)--NEW JERSEY--MAYS LANDING--HAMILTON MALL

I have purchased two puppies from the Pet Company in the Hamilton Mall. I knew their situation before coming into my home couldn't have been a piece of cake, but I never expected to see thousands of stories online about these innocent animals.

I have been blessed with two healthy dogs, Murphy is my West Highland White Terrier (11 mo.) and Maggie is his new playmate, a Cairn Terrier (3 1/2 mo.) Maggie, however was not my first choice for Murphy. I was looking at another Westie whom I would have named Weston. Poor Weston looked completely calm in his cage. I thought to myself, "Wow this will be great--a dog less dominant than Murphy, he's handsome like Murph and everything!!" I asked the girl if I could see him. I noticed something was wrong right there because he cowered in his cage. When we took him out, he started running in a circle, banging his head into the walls and biting us, and when given a toy, he became completely fixated on it. I had no idea what to do...I started crying in the store. If I didn't have Murphy I would have bought him in a second and tried to rehabilitate him, but that was impossible. I went back 3 times and tried, praying he would calm down so I could take him home. It never happened. As soon as you put him in his cage though, he was fine. This dog will NEVER know anything other than a cage.

I went back a few days later, and took Maggie out. She put her head down on my shoulder and let out a big breath. I knew I needed to take her home. She received a clean bill of health today!! I thought for sure something would be wrong. Her belly was SO BIG when we brought her home and when she had her first accident in the house, while cleaning it up I noticed she tries to eat her feces. No wonder why she was so bloated, the poor thing.

Murphy is a different story, you couldn't ask for a better dog. However, we have not received any papers for Murphy yet. Nothing that says he is ours, that he's certified, that his microchip is in a database if God forbid he gets lost. NOTHING. He might as well not even be my dog.

I can't say anything good about this pet shop, not about the workers, about the living conditions of the dogs, nothing. They lie to people, and swindle money. We paid $1200 for Murphy and $705 for Maggie. Not to say that they are not worth their prices...they are worth more that that in my eyes. They are priceless additions to my life. But to know where these dogs came from, and what they suffered through is horrible to think about. I will NEVER buy from a pet store again. EVER. Murphy and Maggie did not deserve to be taken away from their mothers too early, dumped on a truck and left in a cage for 2 1/2 months until someone came for them...no animal deserves that. I will fight until The Pet Company, Hunte Kennel and their greedy breeders are SHUT DOWN. I encourage others to do so as well. These people don't care about dogs, they care about money. They would rather see innocent animals suffer. Breed until they can't do it anymore, live in filth, have awful medical problems just so someone like me can feel sorry for the lonely puppy in the window and dump hundreds of thousands of dollars on them. An animal life should not be held in any less regard that a human life. You wouldn't do it to a baby, don't do it to a dog.

-Erin Giacobbe

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Also...

2007: I purchased an 8-week-old Yorkshire Terrier puppy at The Pet Company in Mays Landing, New Jersey, at the Hamilton Mall. Upon purchase, of course, I was told the puppy was in "perfect health" and I was so excited to take him home. The next morning, he developed a cough that got progressively worse though out the day. I took him to my vet and he was diagnosed with kennel cough and nasal discharge and was deemed "Unfit For Sale." Due to the fact that I had two other dogs at home and could not take the chance of exposing my one elderly dog to this, sadly I had to take him back. Upon return to the store and after much wrangling, the sales associate admitted that the dog was treated for kennel cough and was still kept in the general population with the other dogs for sale.

They also did not tell me that the dog had a loose right patella. They quietly slipped this information into the mounds of paperwork. I was disgusted at them knowingly selling me my sick Yorkie and keeping this information from me. And after much research, I was not surprised when I found they purchased this dog from a puppy broker called Hunte Corporation out of Missouri. Even though I only had this dog for two days I miss him and hope he gets healthy and finds a good home. It is so sad how these pet stores treat these animals and the sad and unhealthy lives they could grow up to live.

PET COMPANY--TENNESSEE--CHATTANOOGA

We bought a Mini-Schnauzer from The Pet Company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on 01/13/2006, not knowing that they bought from HUNTE Corporation and puppy mills. Monday, 06/26/2006, at the age of 8 months old and after us only having him 5 months, we had to have our sweet Jackson put to sleep. He had been plagued with kennel cough since the day we brought him home and had been on numerous antibiotics for this, none of which helped. Even under our contract from The Pet Company, they never reimbursed us for our medication costs like they said they would.

Friday, 06/23/2006, he woke up and was walking in circles. We took him to our vet that morning and he diagnosed him with an inner ear infection. We spent $166 on treatment/vet bill that day and were told that within 24 hours, the medication SHOULD help and he'd be ok. On Saturday, 06/24/2006, he was still walking in circles, but we thought that the medications given to him had not had time to kick in. I placed a call to our vet and was told to give it until Sunday. On Sunday morning, 06/25/2006, we woke up to our sweet pup Jackson thrashing about, paddling his forelimbs, eyes fixed, etc. We took him straight to our emergency vet and had numerous tests run, none of which were conclusive as to what his problem could be. We could now tell that his problem was NOT only an inner ear infection, but neurological as well. After 3 doses of valium, he was finally calm and peaceful. We were informed that he was blind and was suffering from seizures as well as other problems. We wanted to take him home with us so that just in case something DID happen to him, he'd be at home where he SHOULD be. Dr. Ashley said that was ok because there wasn't anything they could do for him except give him fluids and for us to take him to our regular vet first thing Monday morning.

On Monday morning, we awoke to Jackson paddling his arms again, but he was still "asleep." We took him straight in to see Dr. Aaron Robertson at Wolftever Pet Hospital in Harrison, Tennessee. He said that it seemed as if Jackson was suffering from meningitis and we could TRY starting treatment for that, but his condition would remain grim. Not wanting to give up ANY hope that might be there, we agreed to start the treatments, see if he responded at all, and then get a referral for a neurological consult out of the University of Tennessee Veterinary Dept. I called to c