Detroit Area Pet Store Closures

I had the pleasure of crossing one more puppy selling store off our map! We are now down to 20 puppy selling stores with store fronts in the Detroit Area.  

The closing of Pet Station was long over due. We have been tracking sick dog cases back to 2005. Not only did they sell puppies, but a wide range of other live animals that were also suffering in the store. Pet Station was indeed one of the worst pet stores in Michigan. I will be publishing our findings soon.  

This map indicates which stores have closed since we started our group in 2008. The blue text indicates which stores have opened since 2008. We currently have active campaigns against The Family Puppy (largest volume), Petland Novi, Westland Dog Food Co and we will be giving a boycott of Utica Pet Supply in June. 

September 2008: Petland Belleville closes after 8 months of protests. 

March 2009: Petland, Sterling Heights Mi, closes. Paws Total Pet Studio, Northville, Mi closes due to public pressure. 

August 2009: I Heart Dogs, Mt. Clemens Mi closes due to public pressure.

May 2010: Pet Paradise Plus, Stockbridge Mi, closed by Animal Control. 

July 2010: Petland Westland Mi, closes after 18 months of protests.

August 2010: Sporting Dogs Unlimited, Shelby Mi, closed by Animal Control. Owner goes to jail.  

July 2011: Paws & Claws, Eastpointe Mi, closed after 6 months of protests. Gardenland, Roseville Mi, stopped selling puppies and kittens under new management. Signed the plege. 

August 2011: Animal Kingdom in Saginaw closes. Barking Babes in Fenton stopped selling puppies! Four Pawz, Creseco Mi stated they do not sell puppies.  

April 2012: Pet Station, Dearborn Heights Mi, closed by authorities and owner is arrested.

We hope the remaining puppy selling stores choose to stop selling puppy and hold adoption events only.

Jade Awards

Our membership sky-rocketed this month with the Allegan bust and Pet Station arrest. We hurdled over 400 with 16 new members and the month isn’t over! The Meetup stats show we have had 78 RSVPS just this month and 68 total active members, which seems about right to me.  

Our Westland and Utica protests have had consistent and excellent coverage. Our VegFest tabling event is full with a waiting list. We certainly have no shortage of committed volunteers. 

Which brings me to this months Jade Award Recipients.  

Even with a spectacular group of active members, there are always a few standouts in the group. Three members were recognized at Humane Lobby Day for not only their impressive attendance record, but their overall commitment to the animals. Each recipient received a Jade potted plant. Jade plants are extremely hearty and seem to thrive in any kind of conditions --just like our three recipients: Sunday Harvey, Alicia Handlin and Olivia Sanchez.  

Sunday Harvey – 66 meetups since March 2009. I love the photo of her fighting with the blizzard and holding the banner up at Twelve Oaks mall.

Alicia Handlin – 44 meetups since March 2011. Alicia is great at making her own signs and literature.

Olivia Sanchez – 43 meetup since December 2008. Why is Olivia wearing a face mask? The owner of the pet store was running multiple snow blowers to fume her away. Obviously that didn’t work.  

If there was ever a winter protest that looked like I would be the only one signed up – Olivia, Sunday and Alicia ALWAYS ensure I was not alone. They come prepared and on time with enthusiasm. They always say ..”lets stay a little longer”. They not only see the big picture, but know that protesting regularly has tremendous outreach and is effective.  

Thank you Sunday, Alicia and Olivia for your support during the long winter protests. You truly are Winter Warriors that I am lucky to have on my side!

  

In Action at the Capitol

This week 17 Puppy Mill Awareness members put on lobbying hats and participated in our most successful Humane Lobby Day ever! In total 76 Michigan dog advocates came together in Lansing to give a voice to animals needing more protection. Members spoke with their Senators and Representatives about four bills pending hearings. (more photos) 

Many of our members were first time lobbyist and I was certainly impressed with those that did their homework and attended our Lobby 101 gathering on Saturday. I was lucky to have some members in the same meetings with me. Some of you should be “paid lobbyists” with your knowledge and friendly approach. We sure are a likeable group of animal advocates. Great job everyone!  

There were many personal highlights for me. First, I was thrilled to meet the new Michigan ASPCA Director, Vicki Deisner who hosted the event with us. We now have two of the nation’s largest animals welfare organizations fighting puppy mills. We can use another leader like Jill Fritz. Second, the endless questions about the Puppy Protection Act made me feel everyone in the room was equipping themselves to lobby hard for this bill. Lastly, having Steve Beida and Rick Jones (our bill’s sponsors) join us and share personal stories after their awards made me know we are can make a difference with them on our side. Watch Videos.

Utica Pet Supply - Next Campaign

Here is our press release for our Utica Pet Supply Campaign Launch:

An animal advocacy group has sent letters to the owners of Utica Pet Supply located at 45460 Van Dyke Avenue, asking them to stop selling puppies that come from puppy mills and instead to feature only rescued and adoptable dogs in their store.

Pam Sordyl, director of Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan, said “We hope that Utica Pet Supply will join the ranks of so many other pet supply stores across the nation and adopt a policy to help stop pet overpopulation.”

Sordyl sent a formal invitation to Utica Pet Supply to stop selling puppies and to take the Puppy Friendly Pet Store pledge through the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) initiative, along with an offer to support the store during its transition to adoption events only. Utica Pet Supply has yet to respond to the group’s requests.

“We hope the store will take our request seriously,” said Sordyl. “We've worked with over 100 Michigan pet supply stores to sign them onto the Puppy Friendly Pet Store pledge. Unfortunately, some other stores have been reluctant to do so, and we then enacted a public campaign to educate the public about the stores’ puppy mill suppliers.” Six area stores that sell puppies have closed after such campaigns were launched.

Utica Pet Supply has a history of working with large out-of-state commercial breeders. Happy Tails Kennels in Minnesota supplied puppies from 2003-2006. The Detroit Free Press exposed this puppy mill connection and listed Utica Pet Supply as one of the top importers of puppies in Michigan.

Puppy Mill Awareness’s investigation revealed the store has continued to work with large out-of-state breeders in Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. One such breeder—Canterbury Tails Pets, LLC, Kansas—shipped 15 puppies to Utica Pet Supply for the 2011 holiday season. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show that Canterbury Tails Pets was cited for serious violations of the Animal Welfare Act related to lack of veterinary care. One violation report read, “White Lhasa has pink flesh protrusions from the 3^rd eyelids of both eyes. This dog has thick creamy discharge and cloudy corneas of both eyes.  Eye conditions such as these can cause pain and loss of vision”. Another dog was reported to have a laceration on the right shoulder two inches in length with fresh blood.  Canterbury Tails Pets inventory reports show they kennel between 370 – 450 adult dogs.

Another breeder who has shipped puppies to Utica Pet Supply, Brian Sterrenberg of Joyce, Iowa, was inspected by the USDA in January 2010. The investigator found that the outside runs were full of ice, snow and fecal material. “Had a bad snow storm 1 week ago and runs should have been cleaned by now”. This affected 95 animals.

“This is disgusting and sad” said Sordyl. “Michigan families care about their pets, while Utica Pet Supply continues to work with breeders who are mistreating their animals.”

Currently, the Better Business Bureau is also giving this store a failing grade -- Rated F.

Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan sent an additional letter to Utica Pet Supply this week, saying that if the store does not opt to end its puppy mill connection, the group plans to conduct a public education campaign outside the store. The letter ends with the request, “We would like you to pledge in writing to convert to a humane business model.” 

How Lobbying In Person Can Save Animals

If you wondering what you can do to save the most animals without an animal welfare background –I have your answer. Average citizens, like yourself, can play a big role in the lives of companion animals at this year’s Humane Lobby Day in Lansing on April 17^th, 2012 by speaking face-to-face with your elected officials.

Great laws don’t get passed because someone drafted up a law. Our law makers need to know you are an animal lover who is expecting change. They do keep track of letters, emails and phone calls (pro and opposed) to each introduced bill. They need to know you care.

No experience is required. We will give you a one page fact sheet on each pending bill. No worries, you may have other constituents with you. If not, you can always write down all their questions and someone else will follow up with them. The most important part is that you are there and are supporting these bills IN PERSON!

Taking a day off of work sends a big message – animal issues are a priority. You can plan on telling your senator and representatives why each of the following are so important:

1) The Puppy Protection Act (HB 5230 and 5231, SB 891 and 892)

These bills would regulate large-scale breeders to ensure that animals in their care receive proper treatment, including adequate food, water, shelter and veterinary care. Currently, Michigan has no regulations in place on large-scale breeders. The Puppy Protection Act will ensure that these animals are treated humanely, crack down on irresponsible breeders, and prevent puppy mills – mass breeders who keep animals in deplorable, unimaginable conditions – from setting up shop here in Michigan.

2) Pet Lemon Law Act (SB 574)

This bill is also referred to as the Pet Warranty Law or Pet Consumer Protection Act. It will offer consumer protections for purchasers of dogs and cats.  People who purchase sick or diseased animals from pet shops, breeders or dealers would have specific recourse against the sellers offering options for the purchaser: returning the animal for a full refund or, replacement, if available or, recovery of veterinary expenses. Eighteen other states have Pet Lemon Laws in place.

3) Antifreeze Bill (SB 421)

This bill will prevent poisonings by bittering antifreeze. Antifreeze has a sweet taste that is attractive to animals and children, but less than a teaspoon can be fatal. The bill would require the addition of a bitter-tasting chemical to antifreeze to render it unpalatable. 15 states have now passed similar laws requiring the bittering of antifreeze, including Midwestern states like Wisconsin and Illinois.

4) Ending Gas Chambers (SB 423 and 424)
“Grant’s Bills” requires euthanasia by injection in animal shelters and by Class B dealers. No Michigan shelter pet is safe until this practice is banned. There is no excuse to gas animals—a more humane and less expensive euthanasia method is readily available. The vast majority of Michigan shelters already use the more humane method of euthanasia by injection. Nineteen states have passed laws prohibiting the gassing of shelter pets …most recently, Alabama. If they can do it, so can Michigan!

You can RSVP here

Find an Anti-Puppy Mill Group in Your State

Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan is certainly not the only grassroots group protesting pet stores and educating the public about puppy mills. The National Puppy Mill Project Grassroots Committee was able to find 49 grassroots groups working against puppy millers in different ways!

Some groups not only protest, but conduct investigations, rescue, educate and others are lobbying and passing legislation. Some are joining forces.

This month Wisconsin Citizens Against Puppy Mills leaders came to town to learn about how we launch and hold pet store education campaigns.

Here is a list of the many grassroots organizations working to end commercial breeding:

State	Organization
Arizona	AZ Puppy Mill Rescue
California	Animal Defense Team
	Boycott Barkworks Pet Stores
Connecticut	Against Puppy Mills
	Boycott Puppies of Westpoint
	CT Citizens Against Puppy Mills
	Second Chance Animal Rescue of Connecticut
	Westport Coalition Against Puppy Mills
Colorado	Colorado Citizens for Canine Welfare
Florida	Florida Against Pet Stores and Puppy Mills
Illinois	The Puppy Mill Project
Indiana	Defend the Dogs
	PetShopPuppies Michiana (northern Indiana)
	PetShopPuppies, Inc.
Iowa	Iowa Voters for Companion Animals
Massachusetts	Puppy Mill Rescue
	Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) HQ
Michigan	Puppy Mill Awareness Meetup of Southeast Michigan
Minnesota	Animal Folks Minnesota
	Minnesotans Exposing Petland
Missouri	PetShopPuppies, Inc.
Montana	Montana Cause for Paws
Nebraska	Nebraska Voters for Companion Animals
New Hampshire	Puppy Mill Dog's Voice
New Jersey	New Jersey Consumers Against Pet Shop Abuse
	PuppyMillRescue, Inc.
New York	New York City Puppy Mill Awareness
	No More Tears Rescue
	Staten Island Puppy Mill Demonstrators
	WNY Citizens Against Puppy Mills
Ohio	Advocates of Holmes County Exposed
	Ban Ohio Dog Auctions
	Columbus Dog Connection
	Columbus Top Dogs
	Help Stop Puppy Mill Store in Ohio
	Ohio Voters Against Puppy Mills
	Puppy Mill Fighters
	Stop Ohio Puppy Mills
Oklahoma	Oklahoma Puppy Mill Truth
Pennsylvania	Northern Pennsylvania Puppy Mill Watch
	Pet Store Protest
	Puppy Mill Awareness Day
	United Against Puppy Mills (UAPM)
Texas	Texans Exposing Petland
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Citizens Against Puppy Mills
	Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project
	Wisconsin Voters for Companion Animals

Announcing the Puppy Protection Act!

Last week Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Mich, the Michigan Humane Society and powerhouse lawmakers announced the Puppy Protection Act at the capital!  

This critical piece of legislation will crack down on puppy mills and put up a roadblock for any puppy mill that’s looking to locate here in Michigan. We will need your help in getting the bills passed. Read more...

Our state must act now to ensure that Michigan never becomes a hot spot for mass-produced puppies sold for profit like are close neighbors Ohio and Indiana. Large-scale breeders will have to provide animals with quality housing (no wire floors), a large enclosure space and sanitary conditions, as well as exercise and veterinary care. The bills will also make sure that these facilities are inspected regularly, something many currently avoid by licensing their dogs individually.

Watch a 2 min video

Left: Senator Steven Bieda (D-Warren), Pam Sordyl,

Cal Morgan (MHS President), Representative Vicki Barnett (

D-Farmington Hills), Senator Rick Jones (R-Lansing),

Terry Mackillop (Roscommon County Animal Control)