[digits mama]

Today on the way home from work..I drove by a new shopping center...and in big bold red neon letters I seen the words "Petland"...Needless to say..I whipped my dumptruck in to check it out..Doors were open and it looked stocked.. I walk in and immediately see the 1000? foot wall of glass with empty cages in it. A man in a blue shirt came up to me and asked if he could help me. I said.."yea, I just noticed this place" He says they werent open yet..On the 22nd they will open to the public..The whole time..I am staring at the wall of glass...I asked.."Oh, Yall are gonna be adopting out shelter dogs? He says Oh no (with a smile) we are going to have lots and lots of puppies! along with other live animals.. My eyes welled up..My goddaughter was with me and tugged my arm to go...I didnt say anything..I wanted too..But I didnt know what to say..Im so mad..I have never been in a large petstore that sells pups by the dozens..It has really messed up my day.

So...Where do I start? Who do I go to? What as an individual can I possibly do to stop this or at least put the negative aspects out to the public?..We have a petsmart in gulfport and I see rescues and shelters there trying to find homes for dogs. I just dont think it has a place here.

Dogforums has opened my eyes to the real world of puppymills..And I am at a point to where I cant remain silent..This is one of those times where the old adage "Ignorance is bliss" steps in..I wish I didnt know the truth...But yet..Very happy that I do all in the same sentence.

Any advice?

[LuckyLabMom]

Put together a flyer, make a bunch of copies, and pass them out in the parking lot on opening day (although if its a private shopping center you have no free speech rights so they could make you leave or have you arrested).

Collect $ from like-minded folks and put an ad in every paper they advertise in laying out the problems of puppy mills.

I don't know, just some thoughts.

Heartbreaking, isn't it?

[terryjeanne]

Could you stand on the sidewalk and hand out flyers? I think that's public property.
Put up flyers at the animal shelter and all the pet food stores?

[chul3l3ies1126]

You could pass out the flyers... but you need to be careful. A woman was arrested here for doing that and disturbing the peace when she went in front of our PetLand.

It sucks... but I do not know what you can do that will actually be effective. People try going against PetLand EVERYDAY. There are strikes against it... and they pickett in front of it... but what happens? There are 10 times as many Ignorant people STILL buying the puppies... and still making an open spot for more puppies. No matter how many people try to get the word out... I've always seen that there are still people out there wanting a PetStore puppy, and wanting an AKC Reg. puppy... thinking that because they pay thousands for the pup... it is going to be great and perfect. I have tried to get the word out about PetLand here... but to no avail... as well as our SPCA which I work with. People are so damn blind and ignorant... and even when you try to educate them... Most do not care. Ugggghhhh!

I'm sorry digitsmama... you can try... but I (dont want to sound mean) dont know what good it will do. People try everyday. (I being one of them) I would just say, tell as many people as you can, in whatever way... and hope that you get it into those peoples heads. (I have even had friends of mine tell me I'm crazy and stupid... what friends huh? and that I should breed to make money EVEN after I tell them how terrible it is) PetLand is Hell on earth for dogs and other animals.
nessa

[Mr Pooch]

I hear you Digits Mama.
Unfortunetly in this day and age these "stores" have a place everywhere!!

If only more people were educated on why such organisations are so bad.

Everyone else has put forward good ideas,try em out V.

[Dogstar]

If I were you? I would get together with a group of likeminded friends. Check the local papers and see where Petland runs ads. Any weekend day they run an ad? Your group runs one too about the horrors of puppymills. (If you can get someone sympathetic in your newspaper's classified department, you may manage to get it run directly above or below theirs- just a link to "Don't buy from a pet shop - prisonersofgreed.com or nopuppymills.com" (a one line ad) can be effective.

It won't do anything about the foot traffic, but it *will* educate the 'We need to get a puppy, let's look in the paper" folks, and it can be effective over time.

[Love's_Sophie]

Awww...I'm sorry V...

Others have put out some good ideas, other than that I don't really have much more to offer

[ChrissyBz]

Aww V. I'm so sorry. I wish I had some sage advice, but on this subject I'm unfortunately adviceless.

[Pai]

That's so horrible... there isn't such a place near me (the only petstores around here just sell fish/birds/rodents/reptiles. I would totally help picket such a store if they ever DID show up around here though, that's a fact.

Only thing one can do is try to get people to understand what they're doing when they buy from such a store... it's a fight to educate that never seems to end.

[applesmom]

Most local TV stations have discussion boards frequented by individuals in their area. Post factual information about Petland and where their puppies come from along with information about puppy mills. You'll reach an entirely different group of individuals that aren't even aware that pet forums exist.


It won't shut them down, but as the information spreads throughout your area, it will have a snowball effect, and a lot of would-be pet purchasers will become enlightened. In turn they'll pass it on to their friends and neighbors.

I've been participating in local forums for years. It's amazing to discover how many good caring people don't have a clue about the horrors of puppy mill/pet shop puppies!

[MyCharlie]

Applesmom's reply made me think also of the Letters to the Editor section of the newspaper. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but I would think they have to print all the letters that are sent in. People here write the paper complaining about things all the time, and often others will write in to respond to the original letter. Kind of like DF but a slower version LOL. I guess anything to increase public awareness is your best shot and, unfortunately, your only route.

Is it possible to find out where they get the puppies from so you can have more info to educate people? You know, if you pretend you are interested in buying a pup and tell them you want to see the conditions where the pups were raised, etc. (sort of like what they did on Oprah)?

If you get really into it, and raise enough money, maybe you can even take out a billboard ad? I know that's ambitous, and you would have to look into the legalities of it, but just a thought.

Let me know if I can do anything to help, I'd be more than happy.

[Ella'sMom]

Awwww I can imagine how you must have felt.

We don't have any petstores around here. We used to. I used to take my kids there all the time to gawk at the puppies. I didn't know any better then. If they were still open I don't know how I would be able to contain myself now that I am aware of how horrible this is.

[digits mama]

Thanks Everyone.. Your replies mean alot.

This shopping center is one of many in that particular strip. Walmart is across the street and I have put flyers on cars before in that area with no problem before (for a local candidate) I have already talked to a few nephews and neices and they are willing to help.

There is a "sound off" section of my local paper and I will be emailing them a write up after i get my facts straight.

As for when the store opens..Ill be in there asking about where the puppies come from. I havent a clue as to where to find factual information.But I will do some research. I can see the front and back of the store and I would like to see how the pets are transported. I have fear of this big semi pulling up with crates and crates of puppies.

I will check discussion boards for our local radio stations and media outlets.

I have recently noticed billboards popping up all over the town of Diberville from the local shelters speaking of saving a life. I never have seen HSSM signs before until recently...I am wondering if it is just ironic..or if it the shelters own way of trying to get the word out without slandering Petland. Makes me wonder though...

I have a list of alll of the advice givin...Thanks very very much.

[borzoimom]

Good suggestions already posted. Just thought I would add -I saw on a show once that the HS stayed on petstores like bug guts on a highway car.. They were coming in daily- checking water, food bowls, health conditions of the puppies, correct paperwork of transport on arrival,ages etc. Constant pressence.