Petland store owner responds to charges

“The Humane Society, a national animal protection organization separate from the Benton-Franklin Humane Society that operates a shelter in Kennewick, used public documents to trace shipments of more than 15,000 puppies from commercial brokers to Petland stores.

The Humane Society said the Pasco Petland — the only Petland store in Washington — gets its puppies from Mid-America Pet Broker LLC of Neosho, Mo.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this year cited the broker for buying from breeders without verifying that they were licensed, for using expired and incorrect medications and for using cages that were too small, the Humane Society reported.

Miner acknowledged the Pasco Petland gets the majority of its puppies from Mid-America, but he said the broker hasn’t mistreated animals as the Humane Society portrays.”

Article:

Comments about working at Petland

No way to verify accuracy of comments but they are interesting nonetheless.

“Do not shop at Petland. They buy sick puppies. I use to work there and while I was there I have seen say six people purchase a puppy and five bring the puppy back because they are sick. I have also witnessed the kennel manager looking at puppy mills online and purchasing puppies from them.I quite and because I quite they held my check and lied about the reason why…then they were suppose to pay me one amount per hour and when I got my check they had cut the pay and the amount of my check.  The store manager Tom is a coward who could not even come out the back and speak to me regarding my pay or the reason I left.The employees talk about the customers so bad and they also talk about one another behind their backs…I was singled out and did not get the perks all the other employees received and some of them were just as new as myself..They did not pay me my commission for sales I made and even though I sold a puppy they gave the credit to someone else, even though she came back a few days later and said the vet told her the puppy has a cold and had to leave him in the store…customers think they are being cared for and they are just being put in a secluded room being checked on every blue moon..The puppies are only sprayed down with a pet freshener spray even after sitting in their own poop……nobody really trained me…and this guy that came from the head office followed me around the store as if I were a criminal.when he did not speak to me, thought it was because he was just quiet but he spoke with everyone else…I had customers even tell me right out they did not want me to help them can I find someone else or they would ignore me and go to another employee..I am a hard worker. I’m married.I am not on welfare and I’m in collage.I know there are racist everywhere but I don’t understand what I did to deserve that kind of treatment..Mainly from coworkers and the managers…I mean why hire me if you don’t want me there…It just really sucks and I don’t know what to do or even how to deal with it..It really hurts that it is 2009 and people are still that way…”

Posting

Weak Petland protests coverage

These nationwide protests continue to receive poor coverage:  I found only this article from a TV station in my Google news search:

“Indianapolis – Indiana took part in a nationwide protest Saturday against puppy mills.

Standing on a curb in Carmel on a windy day, a dozen dog-loving demonstrators hoped to make a point.”

Article:

Humane society proposing ban on puppy mills

“We are soon to introduce federal legislation, the Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS), or “Baby’s Bill,” named after an elderly dog rescued by animal advocate Jana Kohl.”

Humane Society attorney on Petland lawsuit

Here is a video where he explains what is behind filing the lawsuit.

Humane Society Video

Petland continues to stonewall on puppy mills

“This is a continuing public relations campaign to smear the good name of Petland and to increase HSUS donations by utilizing sensationalized media and legal attacks.” Petland offers in a written statement.

I’m sorry but if this is a public relations campaign, I think Petland is losing and rather than simply categorically deny what appears increasingly hard to believe, why doesn’t the company work with the Humane Society to stop the “smears?”  

Because Petland is a private company, we don’t learn how these ongoing protests and lawsuits are impacting their bottom line.  I can’t believe its helpful

ConsumerAffairs.com provides the company with a platform to give its side of the story and then at the bottom says that they have received “scores” of complaints from people who bought sick puppies from Petland.

Consumer Affairs article

Humane Society swamped with complaints about Petland

According to a press release, the Humane Society of the United States has received hundreds of calls and emails about purchasing puppies from Petland that people thought were from good breeders only to discover that their animals were sick and sometimes required veterinary care costing thousands of dollars.

Humane Society Press Release

Petland responds to Humane Society lawsuit

The thrust of Petland’s response is that the Humane Society of the United States has no affiliation with local humane societies.  I guess their point is that whatever warm and cuddly feelings you have about the humane society down the street, don’t associate it with the national organization.  However, they are all nonprofits without a corporate axe to grind.  The second is to label the organization a “radical animal rights” group.  Finally, they assign the Human Society’s motivation as creating sensationalism to increase donations.  Overall, a pretty desperate and weak defense.  Why don’t they simply work with them to correct the problems?  Seems stupid to me.

Article

Humane Society takes on Petland in Court

The Humane Society of the United States published its investigations into puppy mills back in November 2008 finding Petland implicated in purchasing animals from these facilities.  Since then they have organized protests, written letters back and forth with Petland and now they have taken their fight to court, to federal court in Arizona.

Complaint courtesy Courthousenews

Media coverage of Petland protests

I’ve seen three stories, two from TV stations and one from a newspaper about the Petland puppy mill protests held yesterday at approximately 30 Petland stores.  Here are the links.  As I find more, I’ll update.

WHOTV.com (Iowa)

Examiner.com (Arizona)

KOLD-TV (Arizona)