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

If you have never seen a puppy mill before, please watch this video from nopuppymills.com:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdcNl5FqcKY

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WHAT IS PETLAND, AND WHY NOT SHOP THERE?

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

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

1) PUPPY MILLS

2) IN-STORE CONDITIONS

3) HOMELESS ANIMAL CRISIS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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PUPPY MILL AWARENESS DAY is September 20, 2008, in Pennsylvania. Please visit www.awarenessday.org for more information. Even if you're not able to attend, please check out their eye-opening site.

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

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

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May 2008:

PUPPY MILLS EXPOSED
ON "OPRAH"!

Watch clips from the show!

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


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

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

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

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

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2008: Buh-bye, Petland. A Florida resident tells us that Petland of Deerfield Beach and Petland of Delray Beach have both CLOSED. They are no longer listed on the Petland website.

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EVERYTHING PETS--NEW YORK--BURNT HILLS

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

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

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

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

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GREAT NEWS!!

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

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

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

From In Defense of Animals:

Victory: PetSmart Agrees Not to Sell Rabbits

Retailer ends rabbit sales in response to overwhelming outcry

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

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

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

What You Can Do

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

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

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/pets_bel_air_121107.html

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

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OCTOBER 2007: Two important puppy mill investigations:

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

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

Tulsa World investigation of PUPPY MILLS IN OKLAHOMA:

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

Okahoma USDA-licensed BREEDERS with the worst violation record:

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

Oklahoma USDA-licensed DEALERS with the worst violation record:

www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2007/puppymillsite/OklahomaClassBWebVer3.0.pdf

Database of USDA violations by Oklahoma breeders (searchable):

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

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

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NARROW ESCAPE FOR 94 PUPPIES IN ANOTHER HUNTE TRUCK FIRE

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

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

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

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

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

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


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



Information from Judith Pierce of San Diego House Rabbit Society:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The address for all of them is:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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6 INCHES.

Remember that number.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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