If you care, you will not turn away from this. If you care, you will learn what you wish you did not have to. If you care, you will share with everyone you know, that which you have learned and wish you did not have to. If you care, you will do whatever is in your power, to ensure the least possible sales are made by Petland of puppies.
Petland has made it clear that they do not care.
Mary Haight, author of Dancing Dog Blog, founder of Animal Cafe, staff writer of Be the Change for Animals, initiated a petition on change.org. It politely asks Petland USA to follow the example of Petland Canada in ending their sale of pets.
It has been documented that over 95% of the puppies sold in Petland stores are sourced from puppy mills. It has been documented time and again that these puppy mills, some notorious for their most extreme conditions, are wretched factories that treat the dogs worse than you or I could ever imagine.
In a mere month’s time, almost 50,000 people signed Mary’s petition. Fifty Thousand. As online petitions go, that is simply astounding. Mary contacted Petland this week, what they had to say to her is unfathomable.
Granted, we live in an age where corporate greed, arrogance and power seem to rule the day. However, this is a business that deals with live, breathing creatures – not inanimate objects. Yet, you would never know it from their response.
Petland USA’s response was twofold:
1. Defense. Pointing out their stores’ assistance in their communities with finding homes for pets, that they’ve been a “leader in the pet industry” for 45 years, and their “Director of Animal Welfare Education” who allegedly visits USDA-licensed puppy mills breeders to ensure “certain standards are met”. When questioned about those “certain standards”, however, they pointed to the individual stores as responsible.
2. Offense. The ridiculous argument that certain people just want to rid society of all pets (propaganda promulgated by HumaneWatch; see Humane Watch Info). And besides, the people who took the time to sign this petition – well, they should be spending their time on other animal welfare issues, instead of targeting “responsible pet stores like Petland”.
Say what?!
Petland’s promotional materials gush about pets – you know, all that warm and fuzzy stuff. They work hard to give customers the impression they are a pet-loving business. Let’s face it; it’s all gimmicks, marketing ploys, and smoke-and-mirrors for what they really are…a corporation intent on making a profit off of pet supplies and pets. Petland has made it clear they don’t care about pets. They care about the money they can make off of them.
Kudos to Petland for whatever overpriced crap they can sell people who want to buy stuff for their pets.
Shame on Petland for purchasing from brokers or straight from the mills, not giving a damn what that means for the thousands upon thousands of animals involved.
Shame on them for placing the almighty buck on a pedestal over the backs of suffering dogs.
Shame on them for the lousy, insulting response they offered to the 50,000 people who took time to sign the petition.
We find this abhorrent. Please. Take a moment of your time, offer it to the dogs whose misery is incomprehensible.
Sign the petition, Petland UsA: Stop Selling Pets – Fire Puppy Mills – Petland Canada Has!
Visit Mary’s latest post, Call to Action: Petland USA Says It Will Continue Selling Pets
If you care, you will watch this video. Warning: it contains graphic material. But it is reality. Yes, it is uncomfortable, may make you cry or feel angry. You cannot understand something, though, if you do not learn about it. Knowledge is power. And sharing knowledge can change the wrongs in this world.
Would you support a business like this? Would you purchase from a “breeder” like this? If you buy a puppy from a store like Petland USA, you just might.
Much better to purchase from a good, private breeder, or adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue organization, no?
Benita |
What will you do?
Winnie says
We don’t have Petland in the UK but we do still have a big problem with puppy mills and people who sell poorly pups bred in awful conditions through newspaper and website adverts.
Good on you for this post. The info it contains isn’t pleasant viewing but you are right to make people aware of it.
Good luck with the campaign.
Love and licks, Winnie
Kenzo says
Ridiculous how companies can argue sometimes, trying to defend what is wrong.
Cheering for you, Mary and the whole BTC4Animals team for taking this up again.
Sam says
Disgusting. We don’t have Petland around here but if we did, I wouldn’t set foot in it.
It is despicable how sub-human people can be sometimes.
Brian says
They are evil! We will never support puppy or kitty mills anywhere, ever!
Foley Monster and Pocket says
Great blog. I tweeted it and shared it.
Kim says
@Winnie – From what I understand, they’re called “puppy farms” in the UK? Such a shame that there are so many, and everywhere. Thank you for your support!
Kim says
@Kenzo – It truly is ridiculous! Hard to comprehend. Thanks so much for your support, you know how difficult it is to facilitate positive change!
p.s. – so glad you’re back from your work leave!
Kim says
@Sam – That’s great there are none by you. It’s very discouraging, seeing people go in day after day, buying puppies from them. “Sub-human” is a good way to describe those millers!
Kim says
@Brian – You’re so right – evil. Downright evil. We’re not surprised you would never support them. Thank you, though, for supporting the cause!
Kim says
@Foley Monster and Pocket – Thank you so very much! The best we can do is spread awareness; the more people know about this, hopefully the less puppies will be sold. You’re awesome!
Debrah says
Hey, that post leaves me feeling foilosh. Kudos to you!
Hilary says
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were no more puppy mills… Thanks for sharing and educating…
Doreen says
Bravo.
factfinder says
On 9/20/11, the sales manager of Petland in Naperville Il gave me the name of one of their breeders after I hounded him and when I got home and looked at her USDA report, I saw that she had violations for “stacking dead animals and animal parts up by the kennels, in her food freezer and in her food fridge. Also wet dirty dogs in cages with puddles and no where to go. DISGUSTING. She was not shut down or even fined. This is a Licensed USDA breeder! USDA breeders are PUPPY MILLS and the best PUPPY MILL is a concentration camp for animals. It’s also CONSUMER FRAUD to misrepresent these inbred, abused animals (who can still get AKC papers if their parents are purebreds regardless of health issues) as quality pets from “private breeders” NO responsible breeder would ever sell to a pet store or online. These are mass breeders who put profits ahead of the health and welfare of the animals.