For over 18 months the Humane Society of the United States has conducted the most comprehensive investigation of large-scale commercial dog breeders, known as puppy mills, ever undertaken. Its primary target: the largest puppy-selling retailer in the country, Petland. This film chronicles this massive effort, focusing on its final phase. It follows “Mike,” a young animal cruelty investigator, as he assumes a new identity, goes undercover with a covert camera, and talks his way into dozens of puppy mills in the Midwest suspected to be key suppliers to Petland.
Undercover Operation Reveals Polluted Breeding Conditions
DISTURBING QUESTIONS ABOUT LARGEST U.S. PET RETAILER ARE RAISED AS ANIMAL PLANET INVESTIGATES: PETLAND
-Undercover Operation Reveals Polluted Breeding Conditions-
(Silver Spring, Md.) – Millions of Americans own dogs and know the joy of bringing a pet home for the first time. Children are filled with excitement at the promise of a visit to the pet store; this heart-lifting emotion is topped only by the ultimate thrill of bringing a puppy home. But how many know about the torment many of these puppies endured prior to arriving at the pet shop and before being lucky enough to find a loving home? Surprisingly, many people are completely unaware of the congested and polluted kennels that are “ground zero” for commercial puppy breeding.
Unfortunately, many pet owners trust pet stores when they should be more wary. On Monday, May 17, at 10 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet’s new special ANIMAL PLANET INVESTIGATES: PETLAND does the digging for you. This special reports on a Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) investigation into Petland’s alleged sale of puppies from “puppy mills”– which the retailer denies — and a resulting lawsuit brought by Petland customers. Meet “Mike,” an undercover investigator for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), who’s investigating Petland, the largest retailer of puppies in the U.S. and its alleged connection to mass, commercial breeders suspected of producing unhealthy dogs. Mike begins his deep dive by sniffing out breeders who have sold puppies to their local Petlands. It’s a dangerous, ominous investigation as Mike comes across unwilling interviewees and roadblocks.
While hundreds of consumers have contacted the HSUS to complain about health problems in the puppies they purchased from Petland, the retailer firmly states they do not purchase from puppy mills. This special shows footage of employees saying that all of their puppies are provided by a USDA-certified breeder, yet Mike shows a connection between the retailer and breeders operating under questionable conditions.
Mike discovers a laundry list of possible violations and inhumane practices at numerous breeders including more than 140 dogs housed in chicken-wire kennels, water bowls encrusted with mold and containing green water, pungent aromas of wet dog and one breeder’s confession that she kills healthy dogs because of their less-than-stellar looks.
“In our ANIMAL PLANET INVESTIGATES specials, we are committed to providing viewers with a raw and unrestricted access to crucial animal issues,” says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. “It’s our responsibility–however horrifying as it may be–to raise questions about the practice of mass dog breeding and to question whether hard profit is put before the welfare of animals.”
As commercial breeding of dogs has become a popular way to make a profit, more and more puppies are raised in revolting conditions and sold to pet stores. Too often, these dogs become seriously ill shortly after arriving in their new homes, and the consumers say they are left to pay the costly medical bills and suffer the emotional consequences including, in some cases, the harsh reality of an all-too-sudden death. ANIMAL PLANET INVESTIGATES: PETLAND features several heartbreaking stories of families affected by Petland’s alleged involvement with inhumane breeders.
Replays of the show are at 12 AM and 5 AM , Tuesday, May 18th.