City settles with raided pet store for $150,000

A McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center employee carries animals into the center that were taken from The Pet Company at Hamilton Place Mall in this file photo.
A McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center employee carries animals into the center that were taken from The Pet Company at Hamilton Place Mall in this file photo.
photo A McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center employee carries animals into the center that were taken from The Pet Company at Hamilton Place Mall in this file photo.

Following a lawsuit filed in 2011, the Chattanooga City Council voted Tuesday to approve a $150,000 settlement the city reached with United Pet Supply Inc.

It was announced last week the parties had reached a settlement, but the amount wasn't made public until Tuesday at the city council meeting.

City attorney Wade Hinton said McKamey Animal Center settled independently from the city. That figure wasn't made public.

"McKamey was also able to settle the matter," Hinton told the council. "Their insurance carrier is able to resolve this and take care not only of McKamey but the employees that were also sued in this case."

United Pet Supply Inc. filed the lawsuit four years ago because they believed McKamey - which contracts with Chattanooga - violated its Fifth and 14th Amendment rights when the shelter seized 82 puppies, cats and rodents from Pet Company store, which United Pet Supply Inc. is the parent company of. The pet store also had its business records and city permit seized.

The seizure came after allegations of mistreatment of the store's animals made by a store employee.

United Pet Supply Inc. sought $10 million for damages in the original lawsuit.

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