Gifting an Animal this Holiday Season

Gifting an Animal this Holiday Season

If a new puppy or companion animal is on your family’s gift list this holiday season, be sure to adopt, not shop.  We encourage that people spend time thinking about their expectations before “gifting” an animal.  A companion animal is a long-term commitment, and can be the best friend you could ever have.  That being said, proper homework is needed to make the right match.

The holiday season can put some families at additional risk if they are seeking to buy a companion animal. The commercial dog breeding industry times litters to be available for holiday purchases, which can add to the number of unhealthy pets on the market.

Puppy mills are high production commercial breeding facilities that confine large numbers of dogs, often in unsanitary conditions, in wire cages, and without heat or human interaction. Due to the large volume of dogs, and the desire to keep costs low and profits high, dogs in these facilities often go without veterinary care. As a result, puppy mill puppies often suffer from any number of genetic defects and serious health issues.

How can you tell if a puppy has come from a puppy mill?

If a store sells puppies, they are likely coming from a puppy mill or back-yard breeder.  Responsible breeders never sell wholesale to a store. In Michigan, stores are not required to provide information about the pet’s origin. Even if this information is provided, many puppy mills are out-of-state, making a visit to the breeder difficult.

Stores that sell dogs (and cats in some cases), are different from those that exclusively work with rescue groups to offer homeless pets for adoption. Our local pet supplies stores, including Chow Hound, Petco, PetSmart and Pet Supplies Plus, do not sell puppies or kittens. Instead they support adoption of rescued animals. For example, Humane Society of West Michigan has rescued kittens and cats (and at some locations, rabbits) at the following off-site adoption locations:

Chow Hound Off-site Adoption locations

Chow Hound Northland, Chow Hound Standale, Chow Hound Cascade, Chow Hound Breton, Chow Hound Eastern, Chow Hound Byron Center, Chow Hound Jenison

Petco Off-site Adoption location

Petco Alpine

PetSmart Off-site Adoption location

PetSmart East Paris

Pet Supplies Plus

Pet Supplies Plus East Beltline

How should you find your new furry friend?

Families looking for companion puppies, dog, kittens, cats or small animals like rabbits can visit us at 3077 Wilson NW, Grand Rapids, MI or go online at hswestmi.org

http://www.hswestmi.org/shelter-announcements

USDA Breeder Violations & Photos

DATE: 11-27-17

CONTACT: Pam Sordyl, 734-718-7100

PRESS RELEASE: New Grandville puppy store USDA breeder violations & kennel photos released

Recently obtained public shipping records collected by Puppy Mill Awareness - Michigan show that the new puppy store in Grandville, Michigan, The Barking Boutique (located at 2939 Wilson Ave) is not setting new industry standards, rather they have established a puppy pipeline to over 30 puppy farms in the Midwest, including Missouri, Indiana and Iowa. Only eight of these breeders are listed on the store’s website.

https://www.meetup.com/puppymillawareness/photos/28339280/

Over 100 USDA photos are posted to “The Barking Boutique Boycott” Facebook page showing warehouse-like facilities, serious violations of the Animal Welfare Act, and the impact these conditions have on some of the animals. https://www.facebook.com/The-Barking-Boutique-Boycott-187567578487041/

In 2016 one breeder, David Nisley (Drakesville, IA) was cited for a direct violation (versus indirect) of the Animal Welfare Act related to veterinary care.  A female Boxer was extremely emaciated having very little fat covering her body frame causing her flanks to sink behind her rib cage. While in this condition, the dog had a litter of 8 two-week-old puppies that she was nursing. The emaciated dog had not been seen by a veterinarian at the time of inspection. This kennel was also cited with more inadequate veterinary care violations for using expired medicine to treat the eyes of a dog.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/The-Barking-Boutique-Boycott-187567578487041/photos/?tab=album&album_id=187596321817500

The store claims they only source from breeders with no violations of the Animal Welfare Act in the last two years.

The store’s puppy pipeline not only relies on large commercial breeders, but puppy brokers as well, while the store continues to claim they pick-up and transport the puppies directly from the breeders on a weekly basis.

https://thebarkingboutiqueboycott.yolasite.com/Bad-Breeders.php

The shipping records show that over 160 puppies were imported between April and October 2017. 

Concerned west Michigan residents will be demonstrating in front of the store every Saturday during December 11 am -1 pm to educate the public about the store’s suppliers and how to find a humane pet.

SATURDAYS  (DEC 2 – DEC 30, 2017)

Pet Store Demonstration - Grandville MI

Hosted by Puppy Mill Awareness – Michigan

Primary Contact : Pam Sordyl 734-718-7100

11 AM - 1 PM

Location: The Barking Boutique, 2939 Wilson Ave SW, Ste 104, Grandville, Michigan 49518. On the sidewalk in front of the Grandville Plaza

If you purchased a sick puppy, had warranty issues, genetic problems, were sold the wrong breed, discovered the puppy is not a purebred or were misled by the financing package, please contact Pam Sordyl at 734-718-7100.

Photographer files complaint

Photo Credit: Jennifer Waters (Grumpy Pups Pet Photography)

Undercover photographer hired for controversial puppy store’s pre-opening, files complaint

Animal Control Officers find untreated lethargic puppy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2017

CONTACT: Pam Sordyl, (734) 718-7100 or pmamichinfo@yahoo.com

Grandville, Mi – On April 27, 2017, Kent County Animal Control Officers responded to a complaint regarding an alleged sick puppy at The Barking Boutique puppy store which was hosting their grand opening event. The officers reported “The dog appeared to be lethargic and had a high temperature.”

According to the Kent County Cruelty Complaint Report obtained by Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan, a complaint was filed, “Caller states that a brown Newfoundland pup is isolated from the other dogs and has signs of ocular and nasal discharge. Caller stated to have witness [sic] employees handling ill pup and then handling other pups.”

The officers spoke with the store manager who stated “they did have a Newfoundland puppy in the back that was not feeling well.” The shop owner, David Boelkes, offered the veterinary information on the puppy to the officers that indicated the puppy had vaccines in Iowa, but had not received any medical thus far in Michigan.

“Any dog, and especially a puppy, that is lethargic and feverish needs prompt veterinary attention” said Pam Sordyl, Founder of Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan.

Shortly after the store’s preview Grand Opening event the brown Newfoundland puppy was featured on all pages of the store’s new website under the “Need Financing?” button. The puppy was also advertised for sale on May 3, 2017 on the store’s “Our Puppies” website page.

   

During the Kent County Animal Control’s welfare inspection, the defendant David Boelkes stated “they were setting up an isolation area where dogs could be kept in case of illness, but it was not finished.” The officers reported “the area appeared to be a large closet with stacked crates and advised the store not to stack puppies in the crates since they defecate on each other.”

“It was highly inappropriate to have populated the new pet store with puppies before an adequately constructed and ventilated isolation ward was available” Sordyl.   

“It is unclear if this puppy received adequate veterinary care before sale and I am deeply concerned about future shipments of puppies not being properly quarantined after arriving into the state. The store should be isolating all puppies for at least 10 days to determine if they are harboring diseases” Sordyl.

“This store has a history of selling sick animals in the Grand Rapids area and families should be warned that quick wellness checks or health certificates do not guarantee they will be purchasing a healthy pet” Sordyl.

On July 12, 2016 the Bissell Pet Foundation secretly purchased puppies from pet store.

“Bissell said the puppies were diagnosed with a variety of maladies, including coccidia, upper respiratory infections, Giardia, a parasite illness that causes diarrhea, and in one case of luxating patellas, a joint issue common in small breeds. Most were disclosed by Barking Boutique when the puppies were sold. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/07/bissell_foundation_secretly_bu.html

Learn more about Puppy Mill Awareness

https://www.meetup.com/puppymillawareness/

For more information, or to arrange an interview with a Puppy Mill Awareness member, please contact Pam Sordyl at 734-718-7100 or pmamichinfo@yahoo.com. 

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