Oprah’s puppies, and HSUS deals Petland another blow
By Gina Spadafori
March 18, 2009
By now everyone has probably heard that one of the two puppies Oprah Winfrey adopted from a Chicago animal shelter has died of parvovirus, and the other is sick. It’s heartbreaking to lose a puppy, and parvo is even-handed in dealing out the misery — it kills the puppies of reputable breeders, puppy-millers, casual “just one litter” folks, “oops” breeders and homeless pups in shelters and foster homes. And of course, it kills the puppies of people who have taken them in with high hopes and all the love and good intentions in the world.
As I said, heartbreaking.
Pet Connection BFF Dr. Patty Khuly has a good medical overview at Dolittler, and it should be checked out.
And speaking of puppies … look what happened yesterday:
Members of The Humane Society of the United States and other consumers filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Petland, Inc. and the Hunte Corporation are conspiring to sell unhealthy puppy mill puppies to unsuspecting consumers in numerous states. Petland is the nation’s largest chain of pet stores that sells puppy mill dogs and Hunte is one of the country’s largest distributors of factory-produced puppies.
The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Phoenix late Monday, alleges that Petland and Hunte violated federal law and numerous state consumer protection laws by misleading thousands of consumers across the country into believing that the puppies sold in Petland stores are healthy and come from high-quality breeders. Many of the puppies sold by Petland come either directly from puppy mills or puppy brokers such as Hunte, which operates as a middleman between the mills and Petland’s retail stores.
More here. And this, friends, is why I don’t put the HSUS in the same league as PETA. Because the nation’s largest animal-advocacy group is often focused on some very deserving targets, in this case in an effort to shut down puppy-milling scum. Yes, the HSUS needs to come up to speed on shelter reform/no kill, forced spay-neuter and pit bulls, but I believe they will.
See you in court, Petland. Switch to adoption outreach or shut your doors for good.
Over on Terrierman, Patrick argues that the lawsuit is an indirect hit on the AKC’s already dwindling revenue stream, which is true to a point, except that many puppy-millers have long ago abandoned the AKC for “registries” that don’t even pretend to care about the problems with high-volume commercial breeders. Send the alphabet-soup registies a check, they send you “papers.” The AKC does have an investigations and enforcement operation — not to mention thousands of reputable, ethical breeders who register to compete in AKC events, from shows to hunt tests to agility trials.
Like the HSUS, the AKC is an influential organization that’s better to get moving in some new directions than to adandon entirely.
We recently had the dubious honor of a Petland showing up in our community and my Obedience group has worked very hard to get people to understand where their dollars are going if they shop there. We talk about where those pups come from, and yes some have died already, and why they should not get a puppy there, but also why they shouldn’t spend ANY money there and instead support Petco and PetSmart that work with local adoption groups. I’d sure love to see this Petland out here fail and say goodbye to the whole corporation. They don’t do anyone a good service. I’ll be watching for the court info!
Comment by Alison Brendel — March 18, 2009 @ 8:14 am
Amen to that Gina.
It is incredibly frustrating to me when people criticize HSUS and put it in the same category as PETA.
HSUS is productive in its mission to make the world a better place for animals - through legislation/laws, advocacy, awareness…
You’re exactly right - there are aspects of its work that need to be reformed, but overall, the organization has done fabulous work. (shutting down puppy mills/passing legislation being a great example)
Comment by Maura — March 18, 2009 @ 8:29 am
I live in San Francisco, where selling puppies in pet stores is not permitted by law. I recently visited New York, and went with my pet-loving niece to Petco in Manhattan.
She loves seeing the cute puppies; I found it so sickening. It seems barbaric to me now to sell dogs in stores that way. It reminded me that, Internet and “easy” communication aside, mass public education campaigns are hard, hard, hard. The families buying puppies in these stores are evidently not getting the message. They’re paying for it in their own heartbreak, as well as the lives of animals.
How to change that, I don’t know.
Comment by Barbara Saunders — March 18, 2009 @ 9:38 am
I live in San Francisco, where selling puppies in pet stores is not permitted by law. I recently visited New York, and went with my pet-loving niece to Petco in Manhattan.
She loves seeing the cute puppies; I found it so sickening. It seems barbaric to me now to sell dogs in stores that way.
Petco doesn’t sell puppies. They cooperate with shelters and rescues. They have adoption days and they have Petfinder kiosks in many of their stores.
Did you mean Petland?
Comment by Lis — March 18, 2009 @ 10:24 am
On a peripherally related note: An Internet acquaintance who has provided a MARVELOUS home for her various dogs over the years has just decided to start looking for another after having lost her Grande Dame to the ravages of old age. She really wanted to rescue, but - here we go again - couldn’t get past the applications which required - among other things - a fenced yard (for a TOY breed???)
So these organizations have lost another potential wonderful home for one of their charges because of their “one size fits all” approach. And while this particular “lost cause” is heading in the direction of a Responsible Breeder, this reminds me once again how many OTHER folks who find the adoption application process a bit too draconian turn - instead - to their friendly neighborhood Petland who couldn’t care less WHO they sell a dog to as long as the card goes through.
Sigh.
Comment by The OTHER Pat — March 18, 2009 @ 10:48 am
What do people think of this model for selling pets:
http://network.bestfriends.org.....32907.html
On the face of it, it seems like a good thing.
Comment by EmilyS — March 18, 2009 @ 10:59 am
Comment by EmilyS — March 18, 2009 @ 10:59 am
Getting more dogs out of shelters and into homes is great. I just hope this won’t develop into a “all breeders are bad” thing. We need responsible breeders - and more of them!
Comment by YesBiscuit! — March 18, 2009 @ 11:11 am
Are they making sales, or doing adoptions? They use both words, but there’s a world of difference. Are they doing any screening at all? Are the animals speutered?
If they’re doing adoptions, it’s a souped-up version of what many pet supply stores have been doing for years—including chains like Petsmart and Petco. But souping it up and making it a really attractive, inviting place to go to find your pet could be a very good thing.
It would be very unfortunate if it becomes an “all breeders are bad” kind of thing.
And if they’re making sales, eh, sorry, better I suppose that they’re not supporting puppy mills anymore, but I’d have serious reservations.
Comment by Lis — March 18, 2009 @ 11:20 am
Oh I see. If a pet store sells puppy mill pups , its wrong. But if a well known group buys a pet store and sells puppy mill pups , its right.
I dont see the difference, unless they are vetting , doing home checks, screening and giving puppy classes along with the purchase/ adoption to insure the pup will stay put and not be sent back into the hell of a pound situation or die from exposure to deadly viruses.
If this works, maybe all rescues should start a `store` and `sell` their rescued hearts too.
I dont like it.
Comment by Heather Blancher — March 18, 2009 @ 11:57 am
I think this is a point that needs clarification. I sent an e-mail to BF with the question.
My question is also … just purebreds? Really? And if so … why?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 18, 2009 @ 12:03 pm
It says they’re getting the dogs from shelters, so the money wouldn’t be going to support puppy mills, which is a non-trivial point.
However, unless they are screening and otherwise handling these as shelter adoptions, just in a more comfortable, attractive setting, as I said, I have very serious reservations. I hope Gina will get a response clarifying this quickly.
Comment by Lis — March 18, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
I hope so too, particularly as the greater L.A. area is notorious for shelter auctions and raffles of desirable dogs and puppies, especially purebreds.
We had a breed rescuer drive three hours and show up early at an L.A. county shelter to pick up a dog which they’d been assured would be released to them only to find out they were going to auction the dog to the highest pre-approved bidder.
And the fact that in many places, seizures and busts in which a few to a hoard of purebred pups and dogs may be obtained, can be conducted for pretty fuzzy reasons. The “if you breed a litter without buying our 500.00 permit we get everything” clauses come to mind….
Now if Woof Worx has a set adoption fee for the dogs and puppies OK, but if they are “adopted” for what the market will bear, that starts to get into pretty fuzzy territory, hopefully BF will clarify.
Comment by JenniferJ — March 18, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
Here’s another one with “fuzzy” language:
http://www.orangebone.com/index.html
Comment by The OTHER Pat — March 18, 2009 @ 1:25 pm
Best Friends knows about your questions. I expect they’ll weigh in soon. They’re pretty responsive, usually.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 18, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
Thanks, Gina. I am personally not pleased at the photo of the brindle whippie puppy shown on the Woof Worx site, unless a litter was brought in by a CA whippet Rescue org specifically for the purpose.
I really have a hard time about any store no matter how well intentioned, selling/adopting out puppies period. I don’t think it’s a good environment, especially when puppies of disparate ages are thrown into an ex-pen without much supervision, or safe places to go to get away from larger, older, more exuberant puppies. That can lead to a dog who is fear aggressive around other dogs if care isn’t properly taken to monitor the situation.
Comment by Anne T — March 18, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
ps: I meant to add I have a hard time about any store selling live animals of any species!
Comment by Anne T — March 18, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
There are some phenomenal herp and aquarium stores out there. The new aquarium store near me is beautiful, the enviroments are wonderful and they show a great deal of concern for any fish or invertebrate they sell, including being willing to come trouble shoot for your set up for a very reasonable fee.
I have been in plenty of pet stores which have herps that I felt were pretty awful, but also a few that were wonderful about making sure that the people interested in a particular animal were prepared and set up properly for the experience and took calls and questions after the critter went home and were happy to help with any problems encountered.
So maybe for fish and some other small animals a retail setting can be done well. Puppies and kittens, just too many things can go wrong, physical, congenital, cognitive, emotional….
I’m told that there are some very nice bird stores as well that both sell young birds and also do rehoming, training and boarding as well as a lot of bird owner counseling. Not talking Petland market place but small individually run stores which are dedicated just to birds. My only bird is a rescue and I really cannot speak to the veracity of this but the people I’ve talked to about it seemed to think birds can be done right . I’m sure there are people reading this who know a lot more about it than I do.
Comment by JenniferJ — March 18, 2009 @ 3:07 pm
“many puppy-millers have long ago abandoned the AKC for “registries” that don’t even pretend to care about the problems with high-volume commercial breeders. Send the alphabet-soup registies a check, they send you “papers.” The AKC does have an investigations and enforcement operation — not to mention thousands of reputable, ethical breeders who register to compete in AKC events, from shows to hunt tests to agility trials.”
Excellent point ! I think most puppy millers have left or will be leaving the AKC, which is fine by me but also alarming as the other registries have no accountability !!!
Comment by Lisa C — March 18, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
Good on HSUS for stepping forward on this. Up here in Canada as well, people are finally starting to make the connections between puppy mills and pet stores. There have recently been a few Canadian TV news reports (very similar to the HSUS investigative video reports) exposing these connections backtracking the puppies through Hunte and U.S. puppy millers.
Too bad that HSUS class action lawsuit couldn’t be expanded to go after the Canadian pet stores that get their pups from Hunte as well.
Unfortunately, we’ve got our own puppy mills to deal with, especially in Quebec where there are reportedly over 2000 such dog factories.
Comment by Fred — March 18, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
I went to England on vacation a while back and while in London went into Harrod’s. Someone had told us that Harrod’s had a great pet department. They have pet supplies but they also sell puppies - and call them livestock! We didn’t buy anything there. That was about a year and a half ago and I don’t know if they still sell “livestock.”
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — March 18, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
AKC had been an opponent of High Volume Breeders and even listed How to Buy a Puppy From a Reputable Source on their website. Then they tightened up the registration, and the HVBs said ” ^%$& You” and started to form bogus registries. That’s when AKC started to notice their registration moneys dropping off, and started to cater to the HVBs, offering discounts for registering litters etc, and being regular participants at a symposium held at the Hunte facilities every year, and wanted to establish a relationship with Hunte’s major outlet Petland. Then, somehow, the GSD Club of America allowed him membership. You know, the breed that produced Rin Tin Tin and Biden’s puppy? The one whose US show lines have the worst hind end???
http://retrieverman.wordpress......n+shepherd
Comment by Anne T — March 18, 2009 @ 4:08 pm
The LA “adoption store” is clearly a puppy-laundering scheme.
There is NO WAY that “purebred puppies from shelters for sale” is a legitimate and sustainable business model.
Conducted by a former employee of the regular puppymill outlet, in the same space, no less.
Come on, how credulous do you have to be?
“Did this puppy come from a puppymill?” “Oh no, this puppy came from a shelter!”
And I am Cleopatra, Queen of Denial.
If you ADOPT a dog, find out everything you can about the entity that is adopting her out, their husbandry practices, politics, ethical record — where your adoption fee is going, and to support what.
If you BUY a dog, find out everything you can about that dog’s breeder AND her breeding stock.
When you BUY a dog, you are paying for her genetics.
I once read about the practices of a very large no-kill shelter on the east coast that paid a guy to bring them “shelter puppies” from midwestern pounds.
He had people breeding mongrels for him. He made money, the shelter made money on these fast-moving cute young mutts, and the purchasers got to believe they’d performed a mitzvah.
Pretty lie for everyone but the breeding dogs (who knows what conditions they lived in) and all the pound dogs who died in rural gas chambers.
Comment by H. Houlahan — March 19, 2009 @ 5:36 am
I have to disagree with the line of thinking that it is HSUS’s place to go after anyone or any business in court or otherwise.
They do not speak for me and they do not speak for my state, province, town or city. The way to stop substandard breeders; and pet stores from selling the offspring produced from the substandard breeders is not for some illegitimate organization (who collects millions of dollars on the backs of animals and advocates the slaughter of animals they don’t feel worthy) to sue them.
It is up to the tax paying, caring citizens of those states, cities, towns, provinces whatever level of government you wish, (although the city/town are most effective)to participate in effective animal laws.
How about implementing clear, common sense laws that clearly define what an actual “puppy mill” is. Is it the number or the conditions? Is it not possible to produce a lot of dogs in good conditions or a few dogs in bad conditions? How about setting a standard of what is expected from pet owners and breeders. If you do not meet the expectation you are a substandard owner or breeder and enforce your laws! The propaganda must stop.
Comment by Lori — March 19, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
How about implementing clear, common sense laws that clearly define what an actual “puppy mill” is
How about enforcing the laws that already exist? Animal cruelty is already illegal.
When we hear stories of huge seizures of dogs from abusive puppy mills, it is often the case that local authorities had long known what was going on in these places but were failing to enforce existing cruelty laws. It has often required repeated and persistent citizen complaints to get authorities to act. Creating additional laws won’t do anything to address a lack of enforcement.
Comment by LauraS — March 19, 2009 @ 2:12 pm
Not to mention, some states have actually promoted “puppy-farming” as a way to boost income on small family operations. And if I recall correctly, over the years a couple of puppy-mills were actually owned/run by the “dog warden” in some rural jurisdictions.
So sorry, your HSUS hate doesn’t cut it for me. I agree with their policies on some issues, and disagree (sometimes vehemently) on others. But they can bring down the hammer on animal cruelty, and more power to them for doing so.
HSUS can and (I think) will evolve its stand on pit bulls, no kill communities and perhaps even reputable breeders.
PETA will not, as long as Ingrid Newkirk has anything to say about it.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 19, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
If people want to buy a pet at a store, who are you to criticize them? You are free to live in your little world and feel superior to everyone else, but normal folks want the convenience of pet stores and the vast majority of pets purchased will be beloved family pets.
Comment by Will — March 20, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
And the vast majority of the parents of those pet-store puppies will live in puppy-mills, in horrendously cruel conditions.
Sorry, Will, but your “convenience” isn’t worth their suffering. Work for Petland, do you?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 20, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
Will-
Your comment is a perfect encapsulation of the attitude that needs adjustment in this country: Who cares where the dog comes from as long as I don’t have inconvenience myself or, gasp, wait awhile to get it?
Who cares if the mothers are bred to death and never know a moment of kindness?
Who cares if the puppies are confined in wire cages and forced to soil their “living space”, making them that much more difficult to housebreak, which can mean a one-way ticket to the pound and being killed, oops, sorry, given a “good death”.
Who cares if the beloved family pet store puppy, no argument there, needs thousands of dollars of unplanned for medical care because of the health problems it suffers from because it had the misfortune to be born in puppy mill?
Oh, and do you define “normal” as people who don’t care about animal cruelty once they’re made aware of it? I don’t.
That’s my “little world”.
Comment by Susan Fox — March 20, 2009 @ 1:13 pm
Well it’s obvious that Petland doesn’t get their animals from “good breeders”
Why do you think it says “type” at the end of the breed on the glass? Because they are NOT pure bred dogs, if they were purebred it would say so.
Also, if the puppies WERE purebred, they wouldn’t be sold at Petland, because uh…GOOD breeders, CKC, AKC would NEVER sell their puppies to a pet store.
Petland is in some serious denial here…
Petland states they do not “allow” people to register the dogs in CKC or AKC because they don’t want their prized puppies to be used for showing purposes. That’s the biggest load of bull I’ve EVER heard. Petland A: doesn’t really give a hoot what you use the dog for, and therefore…that’s false.
and B: the reason they say that is because the dog is obviously not pure bred, has no papers, and is NOT physically capable of being registered. It’s all just one big lie…I feel horrible for the 100000’s of innocent people that get their dogs from pet stores only to find they are sick, injured, and probably coming from inhumane sources. But on the other hand COME ON PEOPLE - what are you doing going to a pet store to get an animal in the first place??? Where is your thinking going with this?
Reputable breeders is the only way to go!…or rescue of course!!
And…a reputable breeder is not one your find in the classified AD in the paper…
Comment by Rachel — March 27, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
Wake up folks. HSUS has marketed puppies from their trucks parked in parking lots of pet stores. Stop and think how many “slipping celebrities” tie their names with HSUS because it saves the no longer attractive celebrities, the overly plump for tv, those with age wattles, and those whose ratings are slipping—with hundreds of millions of $$ worth of free publicity. That’s publicity the greedy don’t have to pay millions of bucks to ad agencies to get their names out before the public again. If you want to pay your taxes due APril 15, why would we want celebrities NOT having to pay taxes on free advertising received? In its own right HSUS IS the largest of animal hoarders. HSUS wants all domestic animals eradicated It slips in after disasters stealing privately owned animals gonad gutting them then shuffling them to shelters hundreds of miles across country so grieving owners can’t find their lifestock or pets. Shelters get free pets and sell them for $200 up each. Too bad for the legal owners who have lost their homes and lost their pets or farm animals. Did we all have collective amnesic and forget HSUS primary agency is to totally eradicate all domestic animals in the lifetimes of those already born? Who could ever trust any group that upfront says it is out to eliminate all animals pets and all farm animals as food?
Comment by Jack Lani — March 29, 2009 @ 11:58 am
Jack, you might want to wake up and check your information. You can check you ageist attitude at the door next time, too.
There are some underlying philosophical differences between the HSUS and PETA. We’ve been extremely critical of HSUS here at some times, and supportive at others. They’re a mixed bag of programs, to be sure.
Most of your points are really about PETA.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 29, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
Comment by Jack Lani — March 29, 2009 @ 11:58 am
HSUS has marketed puppies from their trucks parked in parking lots of pet stores.
They have? Sources, please.
Comment by The OTHER Pat — March 29, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
Comment by Rachel — March 27, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
Petland states they do not “allow” people to register the dogs in CKC or AKC because they don’t want their prized puppies to be used for showing purposes.
That is an interesting angle. Does it say that somewhere in the store? (I don’t go into their stores, and I can only stomach so much cruising around on their website).
Comment by The OTHER Pat — March 29, 2009 @ 12:16 pm
Use Teh Googles. Mr. Lani is a very busy ranter, on all kind of subjects. Supporting evidence optional.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 29, 2009 @ 1:05 pm