Tell Petland to Stop Selling Live Animals and Start Supporting Rescue

Petland, Inc. is the nation's largest chain of puppy-selling pet stores and the largest retail supporter of puppy mills. As recently as June 2009, an HSUS investigation revealed that they still buy from puppy mills, despite class action lawsuits over selling unhealthy puppies in at least 20 states.

Recently, a major supplier of Petland's exotic animals was the target of the largest raid in U.S. history, with over 27,000 animals confiscated from a warehouse where they were being severely neglected. Petland's major pet supply store competitors were not customers of U.S. Global Exotics. Though other stores do sell some live animals, Petland is one of the few chains that still sells puppies and they've shown again and again that they make purchasing decisions that have nothing to do with the well-being of the animals.

The government regulation of the pet industry, especially when it comes to exotics, is complicated, falling under the jurisdication of several different underfunded and understaffed departments. While local animal cruelty laws provide some protection (as they did in the recent raid on U.S. Global Exotics), the best bet for change in the pet trade might be through the market. If Petland stopped selling live animals, or chose to sell only rescued animals, the puppy mills and exotic pet warehouses would lose one of their biggest customers.

Individual Petland stores have made the choice to switch to adoption-only, which should be the model for the entire company. Tell Petland President Frank Difatta that it's time for Petland to change its policy on selling animals in its stores.

Photo credit: Cara B Anderson

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