Petland faces suit for selling dogs from puppy mills
Petland faces suit for selling dogs from puppy mills
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
By Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Petland Inc., which has five stores in Pennsylvania including four in the Pittsburgh area, has been named a defendant in a federal lawsuit claiming that the chain sells sickly dogs from puppy mills to unsuspecting customers.
The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, was filed yesterday in Arizona by six plaintiffs who bought puppies from Petland at various locations between 2005 and 2008.
They are seeking monetary damages, as well as a court order to stop the sale of puppy mill puppies, and attorney fees and costs. The complaint was based in part on an investigation done by the Humane Society.
The lawsuit, which also names as a defendant the Hunte Corp., which is the nation's largest puppy broker, cites violations to the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
The plaintiffs allege that Petland forced its franchisees to only purchase puppies from suppliers it has approved, including Hunte, and that nearly every one is either a puppy mill, or a puppy mill broker.
Petland, headquartered in Chillicothe, Ohio, has approximately 140 stores in 31 states.
More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.