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Best Friends Animal Society protests pet shops throughout Los Angeles
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IPuppies aren't products campaign sign.
As part of its “Puppies Aren’t Products” campaign, Best Friends Animal Society peacefully protests each week at six stores throughout Los Angeles; three of those are in the Valley area, including Petworld in the Northridge Fashion Square, Just Paws at the Glendale Galleria and Puppy and Me in Sherman Oaks.
“Our goal is to expose the pet store - puppy mill connection, encourage adoption, and advocate for better legislation to combat puppy mills,” said Jennifer Krause, campaign coordinator for Best Friends’ Los Angeles programs.
Volunteers stand outside the shops and hold signs that say “Warning: Consumer Fraud,” “Puppy Mill Puppies Sold Here,” and “Stop Puppy Mills: Adopt a Shelter Pet.” They offer prospective store patrons adoption information (including local shelter contact info), schedules, rescue adoption websites, info on rescue groups, and even offer a matchmaker service where volunteer team members can search for dogs that fit given criteria.
Best Friends has been protesting at Puppy and Me all year long with volunteers standing outside on Ventura Boulevard up to three times a week. “Initially, we presented the owners with information about why we were against their current business model and offered support and promotion if the store converted to a humane business model,” Krause said. “We showed them footage of their breeders and directed them to USDA inspection reports that were full of violations.”
But Andrew Mazor, owner of Puppy and Me, denies selling dogs from puppy mills. Best Friends contends that unless a pet store operates under a rescue-only business model—one in which they can profit only off of food, accessories and services rather than that sale of a pet— it is likely selling puppy mill dogs. “We offered to assist in finding shelter animals for adoption and expanding ancillary business like products and grooming services,” Krause said.
“We invited the owner to visit our rescue-concept partner, Woof Worx [which was previously ‘Pets of Bel Air’, a store Best Friends protested for 8 months before succeeding in getting the shop to change its ownership and business model] to see how the humane model is an ethical choice – [and can become a ] and successful business.”
For more info: Learn more about Best Friends Animal Society’s Puppies Aren’t Products campaign.
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