[WiscTiger]

I just wanted to let everyone know what power we have as consumers.

Before the store opened and the first few weeks after, the Humane Society, Rescue groups and concerned citizens picketted the store.

Everyone tried to reach out to people who were thinking about buying a puppy. Recently a Pup died 2 days after purchase.

From the Appleton Post Cresent:

Quote:Closed

Petland at 3329 Express Court in Appleton has closed. Calls to the franchise’s headquarters in Chillicothe, Ohio were not immediately returned.

Steve and Wendy Veith of Menasha opened the Appleton Petland in June. When the store was contacted, an automated message noted that customers with questions should call Petland’s corporate office at 800-221-5935.

The message also noted the store closed for economic reasons.

 

[Kayos and Havoc]

The power of the consumer!!!

No more pups and kittens sold at Petland.

 

[CertainlySpoiled]

That's great that no more pups or kittens are sold there!

 

[Catu]

A few months ago Petland left Chile too. The bad note is that they fired their employees and left them without any compensation.

Sadly Petland opened a niche for other pet-stores for selling pups there. Now it will be hard to eradicate the custom. They were the first, but by now there are many others.

 

[GSDolch]

So ALL of petland stores are not selling them anymore?

Cause there is on in the town I grew up in and where I live now its actually the 'closest' 'petstore' around, but ive been traveling further to petsmart cause of the dog/cat thing...if they actually stopped there then I might actually go and buy stuff from them again...(I did at one point, ya gotta work with what ya got, but I got to the point that I couldnt stand going in there)

 

[WiscTiger]

I can't say. The only thing I know is that people in my area worked really hard to make it difficult for them to stay in business. I don't think Petland will stop selling pets, too big of an outlet for the puppy mills.

 

[WiscTiger]

Re Petland Store NOT OUT for good

Found this on a blog for the news paper.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/APC03/80506087/1979

Post Crescent - Appleton, WI
Q: I was wondering if you knew why Petland closed?

A: Last Friday’s Buzz reported Petland closed at 3329 Express Court in Appleton. The pet store’s franchise owners, Wendy and Steve Veith, had put up a closed sign Wednesday.

But a sign posted later tells a different story: “Petland Appleton is temporarily closed.”

The Veiths bowed out for financial reasons, but it appears the store will reopen under different ownership.

“We do look forward to the store reopening in the future, but we have no specific information at this time on when a reopening will happen,” said Julie Washburn, Petland spokeswoman in Chillicothe, Ohio.

The store had been a target of local animal rights groups, including the Fox Valley Humane Association. They contended one of the store’s puppy suppliers, Hunte Corp., was a broker buying from inhumane puppy mills. Deb Lewis, FVHA executive director, did not return a call asking for comment.

Wendy Veith, however, said the FVHA boycott was not the reason for the closure of the 6,500 square foot store with 30 employees. “It has absolutely nothing to do with the boycott,” she said. “It actually brought us sales. The publicity was great. We had so many people come in because of that.”

Veith said sales were good, but overhead was too costly.

“We had a turnkey operation given to us by corporate. They did the lease negotiations, the loans, the leasehold improvements. Our break even was too high.”

Veith said they’d sold about 700 puppies in the 10 months.

“We have so many happy customers. I don’t want them to think they made a mistake buying from us,” she said.

Veith said many rumors about the shop were untrue. One puppy had died from parvovirus, but “We paid for all the vet bills and paid them back for the puppy,” she said. “We only did ‘adopt a cat’ as a community service. The fee people paid covered the vet fees, vaccinations, worming and feline leukemia check, which we did before they were brought into the store.”

Animals left at the end were sold and the fish were donated to a school, she said. “We made sure every animal, down to the crickets, had homes.”

If Petland customers have warranty issues or want to claim spay/neuter reimbursements, they can call 800-221-5935.

Well this is just sad on so many levels 700 puppies in 10 months. Looking for another sucker to open the store again.