Exposing Petland's cruel tactics

Pet stores sell puppies to make a profit, so puppies with expensive medical needs often don’t get professional veterinary care that would cut into the store’s revenue. Instead, they receive ad-hoc treatment from staff members in back rooms that are not open to the public.

Petland stores across the nation routinely deceive consumers into believing the dogs they sell are raised humanely, vet-checked and guaranteed healthy by multiple warranties. But in reality, Petland stores regularly sell sick puppies. In many cases, families spend thousands of dollars trying to save the life of their new puppy.

In addition to the animal welfare concerns, pet store puppies have also been linked to human disease outbreaks. The CDC warned that the overuse of antibiotics in pet stores increases public risk for drug-resistant strains of disease. Approximately 95% of pet store puppies have been medicated with strong drugs, sometimes as a preventive measure, which leads to drug-resistant strains. 

Advocating for puppy mills

While many pet stores around the nation have transitioned to a more humane model by no longer selling puppies from commercial breeders, instead focusing on pet products and services, Petland doubles down on its outdated model by lobbying against laws that would stop the sale of puppy mill dogs in pet stores.

Petland is joined in this effort by the American Kennel Club (AKC), which places signs throughout Petland stores and offers “registrations” even for the mixed-breed dogs Petland sells, creating a false impression that all of Petland’s breeders have been quality-checked by AKC.

Due to strong consumer concerns about the welfare of puppies in pet stores, more than 450 cities and towns, as well as six states, have moved to prohibit the sales of puppy mill dogs in stores. Petland is the last large national chain of stores in the United States that clings to this outdated model.