IDA Launches National Boycott of Petland, Inc.
Pet Store Chain Perpetuates vile Puppy Mill Industry

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Jefferson City, MO…To help bring an end to the millions of puppies callously bred in "puppy mills," In Defense of Animals (IDA) is calling for a boycott of Petland, Inc. The boycott is based on evidence that Petland knowingly purchases puppies from high-volume brokers – USDA licensed go-betweens who acquire puppies from Midwestern "puppy mills" – while millions of healthy, adoptable and loving dogs are killed in our nation’s shelters. Puppy mills, also licensed by USDA, are literal factory farms for dogs in which female dogs are often forced to live in cramped wire cages and continuously breed until they die.

IDA’s investigation into Petland was initiated over one year ago in conjunction with Dateline NBC’s puppy mill investigation and subsequent expose. Hundreds of health certificates were obtained that document shipments of puppies to Petland stores by USDA licensed brokers.

"Being USDA licensed is hardly a guarantee that puppies were born and raised in clean, healthy or humane conditions," said Marshall Smith, a former USDA Investigator and current Director of Investigations for IDA. "USDA officials agree that a high percentage of facilities fail to meet minimum standards. Petland supports the vile and pernicious puppy mill industry with their aggressive marketing of puppy mill bred animals. And that continued support clearly demonstrates greed rather than a concern and love for the animals."

By tenaciously marketing puppy mill animals, Petland is directly taking homes away from the millions of animals currently being euthanized in our nation’s shelters – twenty-five percent of which are purebred animals. The well-publicized plight of animals in shelters is intertwined with the ongoing cycle of breeding animals on puppy mills.

"Petland’s literature carefully explains the care exercised by their buyers to obtain good-looking puppies that are sound and healthy," said Smith. "Noticeably omitted are descriptions of ‘factory farms’ housing hundreds of breeding animals in cramped, hutch-style cages until they die. The public needs to be made aware of Petland’s contribution to this heinous and cruel industry."

Petland currently operates 123 stores in the United States and has 57 more in foreign markets.

More information about IDA's boycott of Petland