It's possible that “The Petland Bills” HB5916-17 will be voted out of the House after the third reading today and then proceed to the Senate. Please call your legislators and ask them to oppose the bills.
Special thanks to Rep. Sowerby for strongly opposing HB 5917. On Wednesday, Rep. Bill Sowerby (Fraser and Mt. Clemens) reminded legislators in Lansing that Fraser took steps to prevent puppy mill dogs from being sold because they are sick and were bred in inhumane conditions. He didn't forget about predatory lending either! HB 5917 will prevent local governments from regulating pet stores and is a pre-emption bill that only serves the interest of the puppy mill industry.
Link to HB 5916: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2018-HB-5916
Link to HB 5917: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2018-HB-5917
Find your Representative here: http://house.michigan.gov/mhrpublic/frmFindaRep.aspx
Below find a press release that exemplifies the need to oppose this bill. Please stand up for animals and oppose HB 5916 and 5917.
PRESS RELEASE: November 28, 2018
CONTACT: Pam Sordyl, 734-828-1400, pmamichinfo@yahoo.com
A local man is hospitalized after purchasing an infected puppy at Petland Novi
Lawsuit filed after man contracts a multi-drug resistant Campylobacter infection. The CDC traces multi-state outbreak to Petland stores
NOVI, MICHIGAN – A third lawsuit was filed against Petland, located in the Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, MI after a Northville man was hospitalized shortly after purchasing a sick puppy infected with Campylobacter. Doug and Dawn Rose are seeking monetary damages after Doug became infected with a multi-drug resistant Campylobacter infection acquiring weeks’ worth of medical expenses.
The Beagle-Pug mixed puppy named Thor, was also diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection, parasites, coccidia and giardia by the same veterinary clinic in Farmington Hills which signed off on the health of the puppy at the store. Petland has not paid for Thor’s medical expenses.
In January 2018 the CDC completed a multistate investigation of a Campylobacter outbreak linking 99% of the cases to puppy stores. The vast majority of those individuals sickened reported they had contact with a puppy from a Petland store. The investigation included 113 cases across 17 states with 23 hospitalizations.
The most common clinical symptoms of Campylobacter infections include diarrhea (frequently bloody), abdominal pain, fever, headache, nausea, and/or vomiting.
Link to the CDC Outbreak Investigation:
“..people sickened in this outbreak were resistant to commonly recommended, first-line antibiotics. This means it may be difficult to treat these infections with the antibiotics usually prescribed for Campylobacter infections.
The Rose’s puppy came from a commercial kennel, however their puppy and other puppies in the store could have become infected at various points along the distribution chain when they had contact with infected puppies from other breeders or distributors during transport.
In February, seventeen plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Petland Novi and nine more families filed a second lawsuit in April after purchasing puppies from the store. Their puppies suffered from a range of issues, including genetic defects, infections and some had highly contagious diseases, costing the plaintiffs thousands of dollars in veterinary care.
This third lawsuit was filed at the Oakland County Circuit Court and assigned to Judge Phyllis McMillen.
The Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Jenifer Measel of Haas & Goldstein, P.C., a Farmington Hills based law firm which recently prevailed in similar pet store retail fraud cases in Mt. Clemens, Mich.
The founder of Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan, Pam Sordyl, is urging city officials to end the retail sale of puppies and protect families from irresponsible puppy brokers. “Cities should promote humane business models and encourage families to adopt from their local shelter or Michigan Certified foster-based animal rescue organization - many of whom specialize in specific breeds.”
Puppy Mill Awareness of Southeast Michigan is a grassroots organization dedicated to ending commercial breeding "puppy mills" and protecting families from puppy peddlers, pet stores and bad breeders by lobbying for stronger laws, setting up information booths, completing research studies and launching pet store campaigns.
Learn more about Puppy Mill Awareness
Links to prior media coverage:
Petland sold sick, worm-infested puppies, lawsuit claims
Detroit Free Press Published March 19, 2018 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/19/petland-sold-sick-worm-infested-puppies-lawsuit-claims/425661002/
Novi Petland sued for allegedly selling diseased and sick puppies
The Oakland Press 03/14/18
Lawsuit says Novi Petland sells unhealthy puppies
Local 4 March 16, 2018
Couple says Novi Petland sold them sick dog that had to be put down
FOX 2 Detroit MAR 16 2018