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First Rescued Pet Store Replaces Pets of Bel Air

February 26, 2009, 10:9PM MT
By Sandi Cain
Woof Worx offers adoption options in place of puppy mill dogs

Woof Worx offers adoption options in place of puppy mill dogs

By Sandi Cain, Best Friends Network Volunteer

Los Angeles has its first Rescued Pets Store as a result of the Puppy-Store-Free campaign. Woof Worx opened to the public—appropriately—on Valentine’s Day and is dedicated to ‘selling’ only animals from shelters and 501(c)3 rescue organizations. It replaces Pets of Bel Air, which closed in December as a result of the Best Friends campaign.

“This is the culmination of our eight-month effort to stop Pets of Bel Air from selling puppy mill dogs, and to guide and support Woof Worx in the creation of a viable Best Friends-approved pet store,” said Elizabeth Oreck, Los Angeles Programs Manager for Best Friends Animal Society.

What’s even more remarkable is that Woof Worx is owned and operated by Jamie Katz, who previously worked at Pets of Bel Air. Katz, who always wanted to start a store of her own, says she tried to persuade the Pets of Bel Air owner to “do the right thing” and shift from selling puppy mill dogs to shelter dogs, but he wasn’t interested. Once the store closed, she decided the timing was right for her to make her move.

“I wanted to do something I could be proud of,” she said.



It didn’t take her long to get there. Woof Worx brought in some puppies from the West L.A. Animal Shelter a week after opening. All but one puppy had been placed within six days. Katz was thrilled with the response. Woof Worx also has doggie day care and Katz hopes to add adoption events later.

Katz may be new to store ownership, but her philosophy should be well received in an area where many people are anxious to see more dogs adopted. Katz said it’s important to have employees who are educated about where the animals available for adoption come from and why a humane approach is better than buying from puppy mills.

“People need to know (the dogs) aren’t just arm candy,” she said.

Help celebrate this momentous occasion and support the store’s new humane model.

? RSVP to attend the Woof Worx Grand Opening celebration with refreshments the evening of Thursday, March 12. Space is limited, so please contact Elizabeth Oreck at elizabetho@bestfriends.org.

? Please help make sure Woof Worx’s compassionate approach is a success by patronizing this “Best Friends endorsed pet store.”

Woof Worx
2924 N Beverly Glen Circle
Los Angeles, CA 90077
Phone: 310-474-1211
E-mail: jamie@woofworx.com

For more information:
• Go to A Puppy-Store-Free LA

• To learn more about puppy mills and how you can stop them, go to The Truth About the Pet Trade Resources

How you can help: To join in the Puppy-Store-Free-LA campaign, contact Jennifer Krause at jkrause@bestfriends.org

Photos by Best Friends staff of Woof Worx entry; adoptable rescue dog
Comments
Posted March 02, 2009, 2:59PM by bicycleboy
BRAVO BRAVO !!!!!!
Such a simple" I should of thought of it" idea. Maybe, someday, the more difficult shelter dogs i.e. black coated, older, not so perfect one can get their chance. Peace
Posted April 14, 2009, 6:42PM by lovrgirl
I bought a mixed breed "rescue puppy" from Woof Worx on April 2, 2009.
On April 9, 2009 my puppy was very sick and I took her to my vet who tested her for Parvo. She tested positive. My vet used two different tests to confirm the positive results. The incubation period for Parvo is 7-14 days.
Be very careful where you get your pet!
Posted February 27, 2009, 3:54PM by watsonsmom1
HOORAY I have got to visit this weekend to buy some treats, humane stores should be supported in Los Angeles.
Posted March 23, 2009, 4:16PM by erice
Janejane, I understand your skepticism, but let's give Jamie the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she educated herself, you never know. This is literally a case of "putting your money where your mouth is", and I'd like to see it succeed.
Posted March 03, 2009, 11:30PM by janejane
Sorry, but can't get too enthused just yet. This is the same Jamie Katz who was recorded on tape by the Humane Society instructing her employees how to sell puppy-mill puppies! How to downplay their illnesses! Basically, how to hoodwink the buyer into thinking they weren't getting a puppy-mill puppy. My memory is not that short...
Posted February 27, 2009, 9:41PM by LA_animal_lover
this is great news! but I think that Orange Bone on Melrose, which switched from being a puppy mill store to an 100% rescue and shelter animal store on Jan 1 2009 was the first
Posted March 01, 2009, 12:7AM by ahouck
LA_animal_lover, I believe they mean this is the first store that has opened as a result of the Best Friends campaign. It looks like the Orange Bone was done by the owners on their own (awesome). Either way, I pray this catches on and that people realize how awesome rescue dogs are and how puppy mill horrors aren't things that animal nuts make up or something. These stores renew my faith in humanity.
Posted February 28, 2009, 9:56AM by ncstorace
What a great idea !!!! People are sometimes scared of going to shelters (either due to concern about the "mutts" or because they can't handle seeing dogs that might be put to sleep). This gives them a much nicer environment and the chance for the dogs to appear in a more normal, friendly environment.
Posted March 06, 2009, 8:10PM by angelpaws
ahouck - I believe Orange Bone going humane was the result of a Last Chance for Animals campaign. Regardless, great to have alternatives to pet stores.
Posted April 15, 2009, 6:0PM by elizabetho
Lovrgirl, I'm so sorry to hear that your puppy contracted Parvo. Unfortunately, all puppies are succeptible to Parvo, no matter where they come from, just as a child who goes to an expensive, private kindergarten is just as succeptible to catching a cold as the child who goes to public school, by virtue of the fact that they are exposed to a lot of other children.

I spoke with Jamie and she told me that the dog was healthy in her store for 3 weeks before going home with you and being vaccinated (which I believe she paid for). If you received a Parvo vaccination, which involves the Parvo virus being injected in the dog to create an immunity, perhaps that is the source of the contraction, which is quite common.

Regardless, I know that Jamie does not want to have any dissatisfied customers and is anxious to resolve this situation. She offered to pay for the treatment and even pick up and drive the dog to the vet herself, but has not heard back from you. If you contact her I'm sure you can come to a mutually agreeable resolution.

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