Pet store neglect
Boise, ID (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Dec 14, 2004
County: Ada
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Ron Hope
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
The Idaho Humane Society filed up five complaints against Pet City in Boise Town Square Mall for animal cruelty. Humane Society officials give the shop 24 hours to improve the living conditions for the animals or they will begin impounding them.
Case UpdatesThe Boise pet store has received its sixth ticket since September on allegations of animal cruelty.
Pet City in Boise Towne Square was cited April 1st, and now one pet owner wants people to know what happened to her puppy she bought from there.
It appeared to be a match made in McCall as puppy Pugsly kissed ten-year-old Keith Brothers on the mouth.
Perhaps that bond grew stronger than ever when Pugsly, showed signs of illness only a day after mom Jessica Brothers bought him from a pet store a few weeks ago.
"He had gotten worse over the day, coughing, sneezing, just kind of lifeless, just didn't want to do a lot for a puppy," recounted Jessica.
Jessica said her veterinarian in Donnelly diagnosed Pugsly with pneumonia.
When the puppy appeared to be getting worse, Jessica's vet recommended she take him back to Boise to a pet emergency room.
Dr. Lana Roberts of Mountain View Animal Hospital in Boise recalled of Pugsly's condition, "It was severe and I think he could've died had he not had treatment for it."
That treatment has so far cost Jessica Brothers around $2000.
Jessica says she feels Pet City in Boise wasn't honest with her when she bought Pugsly from the establishment.
She described the pup saying, "He had kind of a snotty nose and a weird kind of gurgly...is the only word I could use (to describe it). They said that was normal. They said, 'It's a pug thing.'"
Since September, animal cruelty charges against Pet City include accumulated waste in animal cages, sick animals, inappropriate caging and overcrowding and earlier complaints of lack of food and water.
In December, the Humane Society demanded the store clean up it's act or its animals would be impounded.
After the warning, Pet City complied.
But this most recent citation raises more questions.
Pet City's owner had no comment to Local 2 News, but referred our questions to his attorney Mark McHugh.
McHugh said of owner Ron Hope, "Ron's doing everything he's supposed to be doing. Ron has spent thousands of dollars to correct the problems. The maintenance on the cages has improved...workers are very diligent on cleanliness issues."
Whatever the case may be, Jessica Brothers said she just wants people to know what they could be getting themselves into before buying a pet from a pet store.
According to Susan Clark of the Idaho Humane Society, there is no law in Idaho stating that pet stores have to disclose pet health information, so buyer beware.
"They may not understand there are no guarantees for it's temperament or for any future health problems that it may carry genetically," Clark explained.
Jessica Brothers said she feels certain of one thing, "There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, if we hadn't taken him home that day he would've died."
Her son, Keith, said he's happy his new little buddy is feeling much better.
"He's my little duckling. He follows me around everywhere," described the ten-year-old of Pugsly's new-found energy.
Perhaps Pugsly is one lucky duck who will hopefully have a long happy life ahead.
Pet City attorney Mark McHugh said he plans to fight all of the citations with a vigorous defense. | Source: KBCI - April 8, 2005
Update posted on Apr 9, 2005 - 1:30AM |
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