Petland of the Lost: ARC continues protest efforts
Friday, July 30th, 2010By Meredeth Barzen
Animal lovers braved the cold last winter for an ARC Petland protest.
If you subscribe to Sidewalk Dog’s handy-dandy newsletter (and if you don’t, you should: Sign up here), you’ll recall that we often promote the Animal Rights Coalition’s protests of Petland stores. ARC holds these peaceful demonstrations to protest Petland’s policy of buying animals from puppy and kitten mills, which often keep their animals in inhumane conditions and practice irresponsible breeding. Though organizations like ARC are doing their best to educate the public on this issue, the implications of buying animals from pet stores are still far from common knowledge, so we asked Dallas Rising, program director of ARC and founder of Small Dog Rescue of Minnesota, for some clarity.
SD: Tell us about the Petland issue.
DR: Petland is the largest national chain of pet stores that sells puppies and kittens from mills. I am leading the Minnesota effort to put pressure on stores here to change their policy on that. Twenty-eight Petland stores have closed since 2008. This is in part due to boycotts and protests.
What steps have you taken to get them to stop buying from puppy mills, and how successful have those steps been?
I have written to the owners and attempted to get them to talk with me about this issue—they have ignored all of my communications. We do regular peaceful demonstrations outside the stores, leaflet, run a Facebook page, and have done call-in days to the national headquarters. [This month's protest happens Sunday, August 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the St. Paul Petland on Hudson Rd.]
Does Petland still buy from puppy mills? If so, what’s the next step to try to stop it?
Yes, they do. [We have to] keep the pressure on, keep educating consumers and encourage people to adopt dogs and cats from rescues and shelters—not to buy from pet stores.
Where are you focusing most of your energies? Public education? Policy? Legislation? Other avenues?
We are strictly about public education and pressuring the stores to stop what they’re doing. There are groups who work on legislation…we support them and they support us.
Why focus on Petland as opposed to other pet stores that stock from puppy mills?
They’re the biggest chain—there is a national effort.
What can a concerned pet parent do to help the cause?
I think that the notion of animals as property instead of individuals with feelings, needs, and the ability to suffer is a huge part of the puppy mill problem. When dogs and cats are considered property and commodities, their interests are compromised. If people want to help, here are things they can do:
- Boycott Petland and ask others to do the same
- Join our Facebook page for updates (Minnesotans Exposing Petland)
- Join us at demonstrations, which are posted on the Facebook page or e-mail me at dallas@animalrightscoalition.com
- Make a donation to help pay for the permits we need to hold a demonstration. For $20 you can sponsor a demonstration. Donations can be made though the Animal Rights Coalition website, checks can be sent to us or people can make a donation at the demonstrations.
