The House Rabbit Society
PETA, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, elicits strong reactions from people, and for good reason. They are controversial, and even strong animal advocates winch at some of their causes, such as saving flies from President Obama.
Then, there are times where people who care about animals are glad that PETA exists to take up causes that others avoid. Like this one:
PETA was alerted to a Facebook photo and discussion thread indicating that a Petland employee named Elizabeth Carlisle deliberately drowned two rabbits on July 28 at a Petland store in Akron. PETA wrote to Petland's founder, Ed Kunzelman, and its president, Frank Difatta, calling for an end to rabbit sales at the national pet store chain.
PETA is also asking Petland to conduct an internal investigation of the incident and is calling on Petland's corporate office to support the criminal prosecution of Carlisle, if warranted, as well as to immediately review and strengthen company procedures pertaining to euthanasia and the treatment of sick and injured animals.
The Facebook photo shows a grinning Carlisle -- who worked at the Petland store located at 2000 Brittain Rd., Ste. 41, in Akron -- dangling two dead, soaking-wet rabbits by the scruff of their necks. Carlisle confirms a Facebook friend's guess that she drowned the rabbits, writing, "[T]he manager took the pic for me. [S]he reminded me that there were people outside as [I] was swearing at them to just hurry up and die but then she was so kind as to take this picture."
Carlisle's other comments indicate that the rabbits had been allowed to "attack" and "eat" each other (behavior that may have been caused by crowding and poor husbandry) while in the store's "care" and that rabbits had sustained injuries, including "deep wounds all over," "an eye missing," what Petland staff "suspected was a broken jaw," and paralysis from the waist down. The case is currently under criminal investigation by law-enforcement authorities.
"Petland has no business selling any animals," says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "Its management and staff seem unable to provide rabbits with basic supervision and care and don't appear to have anything close to a decent attitude toward them. But at the very least, Petland should follow the example of other national pet store chains and immediately stop selling these small, vulnerable animals."
I understand they don't do such a good job with puppies either.
Source: Press release: PETA
To learn how rabbits should be treated, visit House Rabbit Society.
Comments
Petland should not be allowed to stay in business! I could hardly believe the rabbit story--how sick and twisted. I visited my local Petland and the puppies were in cages that were not clean. In some cases, multiple dogs were packed into one tiny cell. So sad!! PETA may be a little extreme at times--but it's better to be extreme in the defense of animals than the alternative!
this twisted individual should be locked up for her animal abuse! SICK SICK this loser should be in jail where she belongs or better yet let someone drown her and take her pic
I know that no one should sell animals for profit, and yes Petland should be partly held accountable to the treatment of the animals in their stores, but for individual incidents of blatant abuse it needs to be taken to the people that caused the abuse. These people need to be fined, fired and jailed if necessary. Petland needs to be more strict and have higher standards if living animals will be kept at their stores.
This is a sick sick story..and I agree this girl should be drown and have her picture taken. Petland along with other pet stores do not take good care of any of their animals..especially the puppies..The cages are never clean..and the puppies always look sick. I don't think any pet stores should sell animals, only animal merchandise. None of these animals are treated well. I hope this girl gets what she deserves!
Yikes, this is just awful. Reminds me of a pet store in Madison a few years back where employees put "feeder" animals into the freezer to die because "it was the most humane way to kill them before feeding them to the snakes." Wow. Some people never cease to amaze me.
Poor little things. What did they ever do to her? I HATE injustice like this. Something should be done, NOW. Those rabbits can hop around anymore but she can still walk.
The good news is that I just called the Corporate office and the Akron, Ohio store has been disenfranchised, the signs have been remove and Ms. Carlisle has been charged with animal cruelty charges. I think the person who is taking the picture should be to, to the full extent of the law!
Generally not much of one to call for violence, but in some cases...eye for an eye and all! Between stories like this and that hopefully-soon-to-be-shanked-bitch that put a kitten in an oven as a "joke," I find it hard to have sympathy for some people...
GREAT article! Keep 'em coming!
Russ
twitter / russjosephs
Give me 2 hours with that b""tch - I will show her EXACTLY what it felt like for those 2 babies.
I knew there was something wrong with that f***ing store when I walked in one day and tried to pet a bunny... who wouldn't even move to run away like the other bunnies did, and I could feel and see her ribs. Oh, the things I DON'T miss about Akron.
This is common practice in MANY pet stores - I unfortunately worked for one 15 years ago where there was an iguana returned and the owner asked me to simply "bank it's head off the counter and kill it" I told him no, and he then said for me to "foot the cost for keeping it" since it had a leg injury. So, I boxed "Igor" up and took him home. He lived for many years with my brother and was a loved family memeber.
I worked in a petland briefly as well 6 years ago, yes - those dogs come from filth - much of the time sick, and always very dirty and reeking of sour milk and poo. I never saw pups come in clean and healthy, and much of the time dogs like pugs and boston terriers had luxating patellas that were so bad the dogs needed operations, yet petland sold them to unknowing customers - who didn't realize what they were getting into.
I can never go into a Petland, not even to look, because I know firsthand what I'm looking at and I know firsthand that the mill allegations are truth.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!