08/08/2024
Excellent article by THE NEW BARKER magazine.
When are we going to do something about these retail pet stores with their continued abuse /neglect of the dogs, refusing them vet care which caused this puppy's death, and predatory lending practices?? Pinellas County deserves better (and so does anywhere that allows these stores to exist).
Here is the original video of the very sick puppy, which died due to the owner of Sunshine Puppies refusing to take him to the vet.
https://youtu.be/xR9CHchBY_w
Please sign our petition below to phase out these 6 pet stores in Pinellas County:
https://form.jotform.com/240956780144057
Please write the commissioners:
Commissioner Kathleen Peters , Charlie Justice , "Comm. Dave Eggers" , Rene Robinson-Flowers , Brian Scott , "Janet C. Long" , Christopher Latvala
Bodhi's Life Mattered – We're Going to Make Sure
On or around July 13, 2024, a male Husky puppy died for lack of much-needed medical care. During that time, we shared a disturbing video that a concerned citizen took of the suffering puppy.
The puppy was for sale at the Largo, Florida location of Sunshine Puppies – one of three Sunshine Puppies storefronts selling puppy-mill-sourced puppies (Clearwater, Largo and Palmetto locations). To our knowledge, the store's owner, Dan Cohn, has refused to turn over the medical records stating the cause of death. He was fined a mere $149 by Pinellas County Animal Services, and is allowed to continue operating. No county inspection of the premises. No protocol to temporarily close to clean and disinfect, then inspected by county officials to re-open. Nothing.
In post-death, we've given this puppy a name, Bodhi. We will work hard to make sure people know his life mattered. "Bodhi" means awakening, enlightenment – which is perfect for our mission: to enlighten the Pinellas County Commissioners and awaken those considering purchasing a puppy from Sunshine Puppies.
1) You may recall that Sunshine Puppies is one of two puppy-mill industry-related businesses that continues to partner with the SPCA Tampa Bay. One of their goals, when they announced the partnership, is to import "imperfect puppies" and "retired" breeder dogs to the shelter – because "the block-headed dogs are not what the public really wants," said Martha Boden, the SPCA Tampa Bay CEO, to THE NEW BARKER almost a year ago.
Another one of the original goals of the partnership, stated by the players (SPCA Tampa Bay, Sunshine Puppies and Pinnacle Pet), is to improve the standards of the inhumane commercial breeding industry (aka puppy mills). So far, SPCA Tampa Bay, Epic fail. EPIC. FAIL.
2) We have recent videos taken of all three Sunshine Puppies locations with an eyewitness overview for each. To compare what we're working with, we also have videos of the other four businesses in Pinellas County that sell puppy-mill sourced puppies. Sunshine Puppies is, by far, the worst in terms of kennel conditions (dirty, rusty) and sanitation protocols. There were visual indications of unhealthy puppies (runny noses and goopy eyes, diarrhea, and neurological-type behavior).
3) Since Bodhi's death, we have sent letters to the Pinellas County Commissioners, the County Manager, and to Pinellas County Animal Services. What did Bodhi die of, and what were the other puppies in the Sunshine Puppies store exposed to? What has the public been exposed to? Isn't anyone concerned that this could be a health risk? To date, only one Commissioner called us to discuss. For the record, we have also heard from Pinellas County Animal Services.
4) We also voiced our concerns at a recent campaign rally in Pinellas for Commissioner Charlie Justice's re-election and Cookie Kennedy's campaign run to fill Janet Long's seat.
5) To the current BOCC: You have a business with two Pinellas County locations selling inferior/damaged merchandise for thousands of dollars to an unsuspecting consumer base. If this was a car dealership, a home builder, or a roofer defrauding your constituents, dear Commissioners, you would be motivated to act.
6) Two years ago the Pinellas County Commissioners voted against allowing any new businesses within the county to open and sell puppies and kittens. While doing so, they opted to grandfather in the existing 6 stores and allow them to continue selling puppy-mill-sourced puppies. Reminder: two of those stores are Sunshine Puppies.
Question: Isn't it a conflict of interest, or a violation of the aforementioned County Ordinance, that the SPCA Tampa Bay is importing puppy-mill-sourced puppies to sell them – under the guise of adopting them? The SPCA Tampa Bay was once vehemently against puppy mills. Now, they are in bed with them.
Would you like to help us, in the name of Bodhi, change the Pinellas County ordinance that grandfathers in the 6 retail stores selling puppy-mill-sourced puppies? Please sign the petition at this link: https://form.jotform.com/240956780144057
And, please tell your family and friends not to purchase a puppy from a retail store or online. There are ethical breeders if you're looking for a puppy or specific breed. There are breed specific rescue groups.
Special gratitude to Emerson's Humor for Bodhi's illustration.
National Mill Dog Rescue Bailing Out Benji
The Humane Society of the United States - Puppy Mills Campaign
Pinellas County Government
ABC Action News - WFTS - Tampa Bay
WFLA News Channel 8
Spectrum Bay News 9
FOX 13 News - Tampa Bay
Make it Illegal to sell Dogs/Puppies in Pet Stores
Rescue Pink
Florida Leaders in Lifesaving
Best Friends Animal Society