Humane Society sues Petland and Hunte Corp. over 'puppy mill' dogs
Humane Society files suit: Humane Society files suit against Petland and Hunte Corp. over sales of 'puppy mill' dogs -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Humane Society files suit against Petland and Hunte Corp. over sales of 'puppy mill' dogs
By Mc Nelly Torres | South Florida Sun Sentinel
11:56 AM EDT, March 17, 2009
The Humane Society of the United States filed a class-action lawsuit Monday against Petland Inc. and the Hunte Corporation alleging the companies are conspiring to sell unhealthy puppies from large-scale breeding facilities to unsuspecting consumers in numerous states including Florida.
Petland is the nation's largest chain of pet stores with numerous stores in South Florida and Hunte is one of the country's largest distributors of mass-bred dogs.
The lawsuit comes months after the Humane Society released the results of an eight-month "puppy mill" investigation stating that animals sold at Petland Inc. stores across the country come from massive commercial breeders.
The group reviewed USDA inspection reports for more than 100 breeders that supply dogs to Petland stores and found that 60 percent were cited by inspectors for animal-care violations, including: dirty and unkept enclosures, inadequate shelter, dogs kept in small cages and poor veterinary care.
Petland and Hunte officials were not immediately available for comment.