Chattanooga: State inspector removes animals from pet store after warnings

After state officials and Chattanooga police helped the McKamey Animal Shelter remove animals from The Pet Company at Hamilton Place mall this morning, an attorney for the pet store owner asked for an injunction asking that the animals be returned to the store.

The store has received "several warnings from McKamey beginning in January this year after receiving numerous complaints from employees and customers on the conditions in which the animals were being kept," according to a Chattanooga police news release.

McKamey Animal Center CEO Karen Walsh noted more than a dozen violations, one of which included no working air conditioning at the store for more than three weeks.

She said McKamey received complaints from the public, workers and a 1,000-signature petition about conditions at the store.

An attorney for United Pet Supply, the parent company of the pet store, has filed an injunction in court, asking that animals be returned to The Pet Company.

A judge will determine what to do with the animals when store representatives are in court on July 1.

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