Animal Kingdom is using phony rescue groups as middlemen — laundering puppies that have been commercially bred and labeling them as “rescue” animals.
Laundering puppies?
Believe it or not, this is the latest scheme to exploit animals — and we’re
fighting to stop it.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the Animal Kingdom pet
store for engaging in an unlawful puppy laundering scheme to circumvent the
California law that prohibits retail stores from selling dogs and puppies
from commercial breeders — better known as puppy mills.
The law, which also applies to cats and rabbits, is a huge step forward in
combating puppy mills and their deplorable practices by requiring that
stores obtain animals only from public animal control agencies, shelters, or
rescue groups — not breeders.
For puppy mills, the goal is to produce the largest number of puppies as
quickly as possible — without regard for sanitation, the heath of the
mothers, or the wellbeing of the puppies. These animals often live in wire
cages stacked atop one another, and often lack access to necessities such as
clean water and veterinary care.
In banning the sale of dogs from commercial breeders at retail stores,
California made the commitment to protect countless animals. We won’t stand
by and let the Animal Kingdom pet store sidestep the law and harm more
animals.
Renew your support for the Animal Legal Defense Fund today and your
contribution will be doubled up to $42,000 to drive legal work like this on
behalf of animals.
Animal Kingdom continued to sell 8-week-old purebred and designer puppies
for over $2,000 after the retail pet sale ban went into effect, claiming
they come from a rescue group. That claim is wrong.
As alleged in our lawsuit, Animal Kingdom is using phony rescue groups as
middlemen — laundering puppies that have been commercially bred and labeling
them as “rescue” animals.
With your support, we can end this scheme and ensure that California’s
retail pet sale ban is enforced. And we can continue our work to fight puppy
mills at every level — suing exploitative businesses like these, working to
pass new laws that protect dogs, and more.
So please renew your support before May 31 and your contribution will go
twice as far to fight for animals in need!
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