Puppies Aren't Products: LA

Resources

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:06:59 GMT

Documents

Action Kits

How to Organize a Peaceful Pet Store Protest.pdf

Protest sign

Store-specific mini flyer

Links

Wanna rescue dogs from the shelter for Best Friends Rescued Pet Store Program?

jkrause — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:11:38 GMT

Rescued Pet Store – Volunteer Shelter Liaison
Puppies Aren’t Products Campaign

Reports To: Jennifer Krause, Campaign Coordinator
Commitment: weekly
Work Location: Los Angeles, CA

Goal of Position: To support Best Friend’s Endorsed Rescued Pet Store by facilitating shelter adoptions

Responsibilities
• Scouts out local city and county shelters and websites to find specified dogs and cats to be adopted out at Rescue-only pet store
• Connect with Rescue-only pet store owner/manager by sending available dogs/cats to choose from on daily/weekly basis
• Possible transporting of dogs from shelter to Rescue-only pet store if available
• Complete all required volunteer paperwork and New Volunteer Orientation
• Report your volunteer hours every month

Qualifications
• Experience working shelter system
• Regular access to camera/phone and cell phone
• Regular access to a computer and the Internet
• Professional demeanor; reliable; flexible; and creative

Benefits
• Increase shelter adoption rates
• Decrease euthanasia numbers by adopting out dogs/cats from shelters
• Actively improve animal welfare efforts in your community
• Recognition from Best Friends staff in a variety of ways

ATTENTION VOLUNTEERS: BIGGIE RECRUITMENT CALL "Puppies Aren't Products"

jkrause — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:57:29 GMT

Join us at one of 9 pet store locations throughout the city, and beyond.

Would you like to be a part of an educational movement to help end the sale of puppies from irresponsible breeders, encourage pet stores to adopt a humane model and increase the adoption of homeless animals in need?

Peaceful pet store protests are extremely effective opportunities to educate the public about the realities of puppy mills and the benefits of adopting rather than buying a pet. Our presence in front of the pet store helps people understand the connection between the puppies they see for sale inside and the cruel and inhumane conditions under which they are bred, as well as the direct impact it has on our already overcrowded shelters.

Join us at local pet stores each week. The more volunteers recruited, the broader our reach. This is a volunteer-driven campaign. We need YOU to make it successful.

Please let us know if you are available to *table at a local pet stores at any point this year or if you are interested in managing a protest in your area. It is a really rewarding experience where we have the opportunity to educate the public, collect petition signatures, accumulate unhealthy puppy testimonials, and share footage of the unethical breeders.

*table = “free speech activity” (a form of protest or boycott) that occurs inside a shopping mall on permitted day (usually Sat and/or Sunday). When we table, we have a legal contract with mall where they provide us a space within shopping center, table, and chairs, while Best Friends provides literature, signage, petition, and breeder footage.

Our success at the Beverly Center/Pet Love was attributed to tabling!

Check out undercover investigation of Barkworks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXsejw58qGk

To sign up, please email:
jkrause@bestfriends.org tiffanih@bestfriends.org

For more information about the campaign,visit:
www.PuppiesArentProducts.com

CHECK OUT LOCATIONS:

BARKWORKS

Brea 
2001 A Brea Mall 
Brea, CA 92821   

Los Cerritos 
116 Los Cerritos Center 
Cerritos, CA 90703   

Mission Viejo
184 The Shops
Mission Viejo, CA 92691

Tyler 
1118 Tyler at Galleria 
Riverside, CA 92503    

Westminster 
1041 Westminster Mall 
Westminster, CA 92683    

Westside Pavilion
10800 West Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064

PUPPY AND ME
13753 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

JUST PAWS: GLENDALE GALLERIA
2312 Glendale Galleria
Glendale, CA 91210

PET WORLD: NORTHRIDGE FASHION CENTER
9301 Tampa Ave #74
Northridge. CA 913244

ATTENTION: RECRUITMENT CALL: 8 new pet stores!

jkrause — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:47:51 GMT

Would you like to be a part of an educational movement to help end the sale of puppies from irresponsible breeders, encourage pet stores to adopt a humane model and increase the adoption of homeless animals in need?

Peaceful pet store protests are extremely effective opportunities to educate the public about the realities of puppy mills and the benefits of adopting rather than buying a pet. Our presence in front of the pet store helps people understand the connection between the puppies they see for sale inside and the cruel and inhumane conditions under which they are bred, as well as the direct impact it has on our already overcrowded shelters.

Join us at local pet stores each week. The more volunteers recruited, the broader our reach. This is a volunteer-driven campaign. We need YOU to make it successful.

Please let us know if you are available to *table at a local pet stores at any point this year or if you are interested in managing a protest in

ATTENTION: RECRUITMENT CALL: 8 new pet stores!

jkrause — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:38:53 GMT

Shelter Liaison

jkrause — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:32:18 GMT

Rescued Pet Store – Volunteer Shelter Liaison
Puppies Aren’t Products Campaign

Reports To: Jennifer Krause, Campaign Coordinator
Commitment: weekly
Work Location: Los Angeles, CA

Goal of Position: To support Best Friend’s Endorsed Rescued Pet Store by facilitating shelter adoptions

Responsibilities
• Scouts out local city and county shelters and websites to find specified dogs and cats to be adopted out at Rescue-only pet store
• Connect with Rescue-only pet store owner/manager by sending available dogs/cats to choose from on daily/weekly basis
• Possible transporting of dogs from shelter to Rescue-only pet store if available
• Complete all required volunteer paperwork and New Volunteer Orientation
• Report your volunteer hours every month

Qualifications
• Experience working shelter system
• Regular access to camera/phone and cell phone
• Regular access to a computer and the Internet
• Professional deme

Puppies Aren't Products Campaign Heads to New York

cmoon — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:14:34 GMT

If it can make it there…

For complete story, click here.

Stock photo by Clay Myers, Best Friends Staff
Posted by Cheri Moon, Best Friends Staff

Check out our protest schedule

jkrause — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:08:27 GMT

Would you like to be a part of a public service campaign to end the sale of puppy mill dogs at pet stores in greater Los Angeles?

We are holding peaceful protests at local pet stores each week. The more volunteers we can recruit, the more we can expand across the city.

We are currently at:

Puppy and Me (Sherman Oaks)

13753 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 
(Just West of Woodman Ave.)

Day: Saturdays
Shift: 12-3pm
*Times/days are subject to change on weekly basis as reflected in weekly alert.

Special Instructions:
• Park at meters or in neighborhood
• Please bring a cold drink - it's hot out there!
• Signs and literature provided
• No doggies, please

BARKWORKS - Westside Pavilion

10800 West Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064 
(Cross Street Westwood)

Day: Saturday

Shifts: 12-2:30, 2:30-5pm

Special Instructions:
• Park at lot for Landmark theaters & Barnes and Nobles (free)
• Signs and literature provided
• No doggies, please

This is a volunteer-driven campaign, and we need YOU to make it successful. If you are interested in participating in a peaceful protest or supporting the campaign in another way, please contact:

jkrause@bestfriends.org cc: tiffanih@bestfriends.org

---
Nationwide, up to 30% of dogs in shelters are pure breeds, and almost all puppies sold in pet stores come from puppy mills and backyard breeders, and they’re breeding faster than the animal welfare community can find homes for dogs.

Peaceful protests are extremely effective opportunities to educate the public about the realities of puppy mills and the benefits of adopting rather than buying a pet. We actively encourage the public to boycott stores that purchase dogs from irresponsible breeders, and promote adoption from shelters and rescue groups.

Our presence in front of these stores helps people to understand the connection between puppies they see in the pet stores and the cruel and inhumane conditions under which they are bred in addition to the direct impact it has on our already overcrowded shelters.

The way to shut down these breeding operations for good is to take away the profit motive. If people stop buying puppies from the pet store or the Internet, the puppy mill owners will have no incentive to continue operating.

We are also at Barkworks in Orange County (The Shops at Mission Viejo)

Sick Dog Testimonials - 'Pet World'

jkrause — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:08:34 GMT

The following are testimonials from people who have bought a sick dog from 'Pet World' at Northridge Mall

Sick Dog Testimonials - 'Just Paws'

jkrause — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:07:22 GMT

The following are testimonials from people who have bought a sick dog from 'Just Paws'

Sick Dog Testimonials - 'Puppy and Me'

jkrause — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:04:15 GMT

The following are testimonials from people who have bought a sick dog from 'Puppy and Me' in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Sick Dog Testimonials - 'Barkworks'

jkrause — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:03:09 GMT

The following are testimonials from people who have bought a sick dog from a 'Barkworks' store

BarkWorks.2.3

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:29:48 GMT

BarkWorks.1.3

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:29:35 GMT

USDA.3

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:43:18 GMT

SickDogsPet Love.3

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:42:49 GMT

CrueltyPetLove.3

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:42:08 GMT

ConsumerFraud.3

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:41:29 GMT

Pup My Ride Making the News

jhayes — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:51:47 GMT

Best Friends program to be featured tonight on Access Hollywood

What can be more enticing than a television star with cute dogs? Saving lives of course!

Pup My Ride, part of the Best Friends Puppy-Store-Free LA campaign, is being featured tonight on Access Hollywood, highlighting Grey’s Anatomy co-star, Katherine Heigl, and her mother helping to make the program a success.

“Many small breed dogs are dying in Los Angeles area shelters due to a surplus created by puppy stores and backyard breeders, while in other cities, small dogs are virtually unavailable via adoption,” according to Kate Schnepel, Best Friends Associate Director for Community Programs & Services. “Through Pup My Ride, Best Friends is meeting that demand by transporting at-risk, small breed dogs from L.A. area shelters to communities where the demand is high but the supply is low. In 2008, 650 dogs were rescued, transported, and adopted into new families via Pup My Ride.”

► To find out more about this inventive project and actress Katherine Heigl’s transport help, click here.

When: Tuesday, January 27
Where: KNBC, channel 4 in Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. Pacific
KTVX, channel 4 in Salt Lake City at 6:30 p.m. Mountain
Or check your local listings (click here to find out where to watch Access Hollywood)

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Anyone interested in helping with the Pup My Ride transports should contact Robin at robinh@bestfriends.org.

Assistance needed includes:
• Picking up one or more dogs from a local shelter and fostering it overnight before departure.
• Picking up one or more dogs and taking them to someone else for the night.
• Helping to load dogs and supplies the morning of the transport.
• Driving the transport (a good driving record and car insurance is required).

For more information:
• Pup My Ride: Shuttle Service for Small Dogs Leads to New Homes

Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff
Photo credit: taken by Jennifer Hayes

The Things Some People Believe About Pet Stores

jkrause — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:48:30 GMT

“He’s such a nice guy and the staff is so friendly and helpful.”

Of course he’s a “nice” guy; he sells precious puppies to people in the neighborhood. Nobody would want to buy from a mean guy—a guy that profits from dogs living in misery. He wants your business.

That is sadly the perception that many people (perhaps most) come away with after visiting a pet store…unless they’re “in the know”—or have at least a general idea of what a puppy mill is—and even then—it’s not always enough. Pet store owners and their staff have all the right answers…they’re not stupid, after all. Except, you can’t always blame the staff—they may need their jobs—or may not even know the real story. Now the owners, that’s a whole ‘nother story.

“My wife loves dogs, dogs and babies, that’s why we got into the business,” was what I was told by the owner upon my visit to a pet store in my Los Angeles neighborhood (before I really knew the whole story about puppy mills). I asked the very pleasant couple where they got their dogs from, and their response was: “From conventions (as in auctions) and private breeders in the Midwest (as in puppy mills).” I like to consider myself an intelligent person, but I’ll admit, they almost had me. Until I realized how silly it would be for a California pet store to import animals from private breeders in the Midwest when they could much more easily get them from private breeders locally. Not to mention that responsible breeders don’t sell to pet stores—let alone—out-of-state pet stores. But I learned quick.

Many of us do…then there are those others who need a little more convincing. Take for instance a pet store that opened not too long ago in Northern California (an area of the state known for its progressive stance on animal issues). The organizer was vilified, as were the protesters by many of the locals on an area newspaper’s Internet forum. About half of the posters were supposedly “satisfied customers” taking up for the store, and the other half were puppy mill protesters, including some of us from the Los Angeles area.

“I can’t believe people can be this evil. I bought my miniature schnauzer puppy from that store and I called the USDA and SPCA in the city the breeder is from and they both said that the breeder is a reputable breeder,” posted one woman, who went on to say, “I am thrilled that the store is in our community. I love my puppy. All the employees there are super friendly and knowledgeable. People need to worry about other things in our community, like homelessness.”

The same old story: if you worry about animals being abused…then of course it means you don’t care about people—after all—they’re mutually exclusive. And we can only venture to guess what this woman does for the homeless—my guess being “nada.” Not to mention the notion that the SPCA would actually vouch for a dog breeder—let alone a dog breeder that supplies pet stores.

Another caring “humanist” echoed a similar sentiment later in the forum: “There is a war in Iraq and Afghanistan, American soldiers are getting killed daily. We are in severe economic times. And a pet store has 126 response, what is wrong with your priorities? There is something wrong with our culture when puppy mills get more attention than the war, shame on all of you.”

I don’t believe any of us ended up asking him, since there is a war going on in Iraq, why is it that he’s wasting his time scolding people on an Internet forum? Shouldn’t he be out there fighting the good fight or lending moral support—or whatever it is he thinks those of us with screwed-up priorities should be doing?

And still, yet another of the pet store supporters proposed that an investigation be opened by the local police to uncover the source of the protest organizer’s “information” (documented evidence of puppy mills). Where is her solid proof, he demanded to know. He went one step further to suggest that: “If no solid facts are found, the organizer should be brought up on charges and held accountable for attempted sabotage of a locally owned business.” Then he bemoaned the fact that he has to live in a place where so many people “protest” everything under the sun. Obviously not from here (“here” as in the United States).

Said another woman: “I went to see the store owner and he had no idea of what Hunte (as in Hunte Corporation…the name just screams mom and pop kennel, doesn’t it?) and Lambriar (both puppy mill brokers) were all about. He only got one order from each of them when he first opened the store. He has not ordered from them since. He is dealing with the breeders directly. He even had a flight itinerary to go and visit the breeders himself. He is flying out at the end of October and taking a video camera with him to show the breeders’ kennels and homes.” She went on to say that he is even willing to take one of the protesters with him. Then she asked if anyone would be willing to go because he will pay for expenses, since he’s a “really nice guy.”

Then one of the practical protesters suggested to the owner: “In these tough economic times, why not save the plane fare? If you give us the names of the breeders that provide your puppies, we will see what we can find out.”
This same wise person also proposed to the owner that he make available the breeder information in his store window because it could only help his cause, right? To the best of my knowledge, he hasn’t gotten around to it yet.
At one point, someone from “our team” thought he would try to appeal to these forum pet store apologists by way of reason: “Now, it is true that a puppy mill puppy is still a puppy and deserves a home, but here is the problem with buying that puppy: the money goes to reward the dealer, the pimp, the slave trader. By giving money to the pet producers you tell them that they should keep breeding; business is good! What you need to do is NOT buy that puppy, and when the pet store sends that unsold puppy to the pound to be euthanized, you can go save him--he’ll love you all the more for it! You can even use some of the money you save on a store-bought dog to make a donation to the shelter system so they can keep abandoned and lost dogs longer before euthanizing them,” he wrote.
“And if enough people stop buying dogs, and instead adopt dogs from the shelter system and rescue organizations, then the puppy mill business will dry up and stop. And the cruelty and misery they create will stop too.”

So eloquently put, you’d think (or at least hope) that would be the end of discussion. No such luck. There was a slew of well thought out retorts, including my favorite:

“I have the right to a pure breed if I choose. You can’t always find what you want at the shelter. Freedom of choice!! Why arent you people protesting LUCKY’S for selling dead animal meat…cuz you eat meat! Hypocrites. (Busted…not a vegetarian or vegan among us animal activists).

So, as we see from this one little forum…it’s an uphill battle…but if we persist, there’s no way it won’t be mission accomplished. Because just as with Prop 2…we have the truth on our side.

Prop 2 sent the message loud and clear that, “No—happy cows DON’T come from California”—nor do chickens and pigs. And hopefully some day very soon—they will find out that pet stores are not what they seem either.

Story Written by Melissa Maroff
Writer, and Puppy Store-Free-L.A. Volunteer

Posted by Jennifer Krause, Best Friend's Staff
Coordinator, Puppy Store-Free-L.A.