Immediate investigation & closure of Carson's Critter's - pet store linked to puppy mills

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The Issue

Petition for the Investigation and Closure of Carson's Critters
To the appropriate local, county, state, and federal authorities, elected officials, licensing agencies, and members of the Curry County community:

We are calling for an immediate and thorough investigation into the sourcing, sale, and welfare of animals associated with Carson's Critters in Brookings, Oregon. If violations of applicable animal welfare, consumer protection, licensing, or other laws are substantiated, we respectfully ask that all appropriate enforcement action be taken—including suspension or revocation of licenses, permits, or other authorization to operate, and closure of the business if legally warranted.

This petition is not about personal hatred or harassment. It is about accountability, transparency, and the welfare of animals that cannot speak for themselves.

Where Do the Puppies Sold in Our Community Come From?
When Curry County passed a strict ordinance restricting the retail sale of commercially bred pets, Carson's Critters owner Tracy Snyder publicly opposed the ordinance and identified JAKS Puppies, an Iowa-based commercial broker, as a source of puppies for her store.

Many families walking into a local pet store may assume that the puppy they are purchasing came directly from a small, responsible breeder. But a commercial broker is a middleman in a much larger supply chain. Brokers purchase or acquire puppies from breeders and distribute them to retail stores, often across state lines.

That distinction matters.

Public records, government enforcement actions, USDA inspection records, and ongoing litigation have raised serious concerns about JAKS Puppies and businesses and individuals associated with its commercial supply chain. These concerns deserve to be understood by consumers before they make the emotional and financial decision to bring a puppy into their family.

Serious Questions About the Supply Chain
JAKS Puppies has been the subject of government action and civil litigation involving allegations that commercially bred puppies were routed through purported nonprofit rescue organizations in ways that concealed or misrepresented their commercial origins.

These allegations include claims that puppies from commercial breeding operations were presented to consumers as rescue or adopted animals. Some of these matters have resulted in government enforcement actions, while other claims remain the subject of ongoing litigation

The documented legal history and serious allegations surrounding a supplier matter—especially when that supplier is part of the commercial pipeline bringing puppies to retail stores.

There are also documented concerns regarding animal transportation within this broader commercial supply chain. USDA inspection records have identified serious violations involving commercial animal transport, including concerns about veterinary care, animal injuries, and animal deaths during transport.

No family should have to wonder whether the puppy they are falling in love with has endured an exhausting journey across the country or come from a breeding operation they would never knowingly support.

Consumers Deserve the Truth
A family standing in a Brookings pet store should not have to spend hours searching government databases, USDA inspection reports, lawsuits, or court records just to understand where a puppy came from.

Consumers deserve clear and honest information, including:

The name and location of the puppy's breeder.
The puppy's complete sourcing history.
The breeder's licensing and inspection history.
Any known history of significant animal welfare violations.
How and how far the puppy was transported.
Whether a broker or other commercial middleman was involved in bringing the puppy to the store.
Transparency should not begin only after a family starts asking difficult questions. It should be provided before a puppy is purchased.

Why We Are Asking for Action
Animals are not inventory. They are living beings completely dependent on people for food, water, shelter, sanitation, veterinary care, safety, and humane treatment.

They cannot report abuse.

They cannot leave unsafe conditions.

They cannot investigate where they came from or where they are being sent next.

They depend on us to speak when something is wrong.

The concerns surrounding the commercial puppy supply chain connected to Carson's Critters are serious enough to warrant a complete and independent review by the authorities with jurisdiction to investigate.

We therefore respectfully request:

A thorough investigation of Carson's Critters by all appropriate agencies with jurisdiction over animal welfare, licensing, consumer protection, and commercial animal sales.
A review of the store's animal sourcing practices, including the commercial brokers, breeders, transporters, and other entities involved in supplying animals to the business.
Verification of breeder and broker records, including applicable licensing, inspection histories, animal health records, and compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
A review of credible complaints, photographs, videos, witness accounts, veterinary records, and other documented evidence submitted by members of the public.
Immediate intervention to protect any animal found to be in distress or living in conditions that violate applicable law or required animal welfare standards.
Appropriate enforcement action for any substantiated violations.
Closure of Carson's Critters if, following a fair and thorough investigation and all legally required due process, the appropriate authorities determine that continued operation poses a risk to animal welfare, violates applicable law, or otherwise warrants closure or revocation of the authority to operate.
Our Community Can Do Better
This petition does not ask anyone to blindly accept every claim posted online. We are asking people to look at the documented concerns, ask questions, and demand that qualified authorities conduct a proper investigation.

If Carson's Critters and its owner have done nothing wrong, an independent investigation can establish that.

But if violations are found, the animals and the public deserve action.

No business should be above scrutiny when the welfare of animals is at stake.

We believe Curry County and the State of Oregon can support humane, transparent alternatives that prioritize the welfare of animals over a commercial system that treats puppies as products moving through a supply chain.

The question is not just whether a puppy looks healthy and happy in a storefront on the day a family sees it.

The question is: Where did that puppy come from? How was it bred? How were its parents treated? What conditions did it experience before arriving in Brookings? And does our community want to support a business model that relies on a commercial pipeline with such serious documented concerns?

Our families deserve honest answers.

Our community deserves transparency.

And the animals deserve better.

Please investigate. Please be thorough. Please follow the evidence wherever it leads. And if the evidence establishes violations or conditions that warrant closure, please take every lawful action necessary to protect the animals and the public.

We will not remain silent for the animals who cannot speak for themselves.

The Decision Makers

Curry County Commission
3 Members
2 Responded
Patrick Hollinger
Curry County Commission - Position 2
I do not have much background knowledge, but I have heard there is a lack of compliance by Carson's Critters. In 2023, the BOC adopted Ordinance No. 23-05 which bans the sale of third party brokered animals (puppy mills) in retail establishments. You can find that document here: https://cms6.revize.com/revize/currycounty/23-05%20Restriction%20on%20the%20Sale%20of%20Animals%20in%20Retail%20Establishments.pdf?t=202407101007180 Since November 14, 2023, the named establishment has been operating in violation of County Ordinance and in 2028 upon the effectivity of House Bill 2915 (https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023r1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2915), will be in violation of State law. On the animal control side, the County frequently receive calls stating that the animals offered for sale at the establishment are poorly cared for, that animals purchased are sick, and other similar complaints. Because those complaints focus on violations of Oregon law pertaining to neglect or standards for retail pet stores, they exceed our scope and are within the purview of local law enforcement. The Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police should be investigating this matter.
Jay Trost
Curry County Commission - Position 3
Thank you to everyone who has engaged in this important conversation and have shared concerns about the selling of animals sourced from commercial breeding operations and or the use of puppy brokers. Your concerns are shared. I want to provide some background on where things stand with this issue. The Curry County Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance that doesn't prohibit pet stores from selling puppies, kittens, or rabbits outright — rather, it prohibits selling animals sourced through a broker or large commercial breeding operation, commonly known as a puppy mill. The verbiage in the ordinance was written in accordance with Oregon House Bill 2915, which was signed into law July 27, 2023. This wasn't written to target any single business; it was passed to address the mistreatment of animals in the retail pet trade. Unfortunately, an ordinance is only as good as its enforcement. Under Oregon law, the Sheriff's Office is responsible for enforcing county ordinances, but enforcement of this has not been prevalent, which has effectively nullified its intended effect. For residents who support the enforcement of this ordinance, I encourage reaching out to the Sheriff and expressing your concerns. I am aware that a number of residents have reached out to the Sheriff's Office directly with complaints on this issue, and a records request may surface relevant communications, including how those complaints were handled. The Board of Commissioners has taken the strongest stance available to us in passing this ordinance to prevent the sale of puppy mill-sourced animals in our county. Jay Trost Curry County Commissioner
Beth Barker-Hidalgo
Curry County Commission - Position 1
Dan Rayfield
Oregon Attorney General
Joshua Spansail
Curry County District Attorney
U.S. Senate
2 Members
Ronald Wyden
U.S. Senate - Oregon
Jeff Merkley
U.S. Senate - Oregon
Tina Kotek
Oregon Governor

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