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.
This is a true tragedy. This happens too often and these poor little helpless animals are the ones who suffer! These places are no different than puppy mills....same conditions! I'm furious!!!
First of all there are over 4000 names on the petition vs. 1000 stated in your article. Second of all...no working air conditioning for three weeks (if indeed that did occur). Deplorable!! I would assume that THAT is Hamilton Place Mall's problem because this "pet store" was inside the Mall.
Letters that I have read from customers, observers and mainly from employees must and I assume WILL be taken into account when they face the Judge July 1. Kudos to McKamey Animal Shelter for being able to take in these abused critters. My donation to McKamey is upcoming NOW.
Mary Jo Ulin
Isn't there a city or county agency that's responsible for routinely inspecting pet stores for sanitation and pet health conditions?
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