Pittsburgh Pet Store Becomes Latest Convert to the Adoption Option

A Petland franchise store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has decided not to support commercial breeders anymore. When the five purebred puppies and three designer dogs who were in the store earlier this week are sold out, they're turning over their inventory into ASAP: Animal Shelter Adoption Program.

Store owners Eric and March Caplan will be working with the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society and the Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania. And it's not just puppies — they'll also be bringing in adoptable kittens and rabbits, and hosting adoption events for larger dogs on the weekend.

Although puppy mills tend to get all the attention in the pet store debate, the inclusion of kittens and rabbits is commendable, too. Shelters tend to get flooded with kittens who need homes, and many people don't know that you can find rabbits in shelters, so this will be a great way to give these animals some extra exposure.

"I think it's going to be a wonderful relationship," Les Nesler, executive director of the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society said."It's making a commitment to saving lives."

In contrast, many other Petland stores around the country continue to stock their cages with puppies from large-scale breeding operations. An investigation by the Humane Society of the United States found that almost every Petland store had a history of purchasing dogs from known puppy mills. As Brandon Bosworth wrote last week, the HSUS investigation also found that a high number of these puppy suppliers had been cited for recent violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Petland, Inc. is facing a lawsuit for misleading customers across the country into thinking they were getting healthy puppies from good breeders. As puppy mill dogs are poorly bred and subjected to horribly cruel conditions, they have a tendency to suffer health and behavioral issues throughout their lives.

Mr. Caplan told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the puppies they carried before ASAP were from USDA licensed and inspected breeders, as well as some local breeders. You're probably thinking, That's what they all say. I'll admit that's what I was thinking. And that's what local activists who regularly picketed the store thought, too.

But the reality is that, now, it doesn't really matter, because they're doing the right thing. They're working with rescuers in their community to help homeless pets.

In stark contrast is the Petland El Paso store, which responded to puppy mill allegations and a new ordinance regulating pet sales by filing a lawsuit against local rescuers. If there's one way to guarantee that you won't make a positive impact in your community and you won't win any brownie points with animal-loving customers, it's by suing the people who dedicate themselves to saving lives.

Petland El Paso needs to take a page from the playbook of the Caplans in Pittsburgh: Drop the lawsuit, and take advantage of El Paso's new ordinance to work with the animal rescuers in your city, ASAP.

Photo credit: ngader