The manager of The Pet Company at Hamilton Place defended the store’s procedures Tuesday, denying allegations of animal mistreatment, including the claim that she threw a live hamster into a trash compactor.
Brandy Hallman said the hamster she threw away was already dead and half-eaten in a fight with another hamster.
She testified during the third day of a Chattanooga City Court trial in which city officials are trying to put the company’s local branch out of business.
Ms. Hallman, who has held her position since December, told the court that she loves her job.
“I love pets. I love puppies, and I love all of them,” she said in court.
Witnesses finished their testimonies today and closing statements are scheduled to start today at 1 p.m.
After several visits to the store generated alarm over the animals’ welfare, officers with the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center raided The Pet Company on June 15. They seized 82 pets and slapped the store with 90 City Code violations.
In her testimony, Ms. Hallman described in detail the employees’ daily procedures, a regimen she claimed included cleaning kennels twice daily and making sure animals have sufficient food and water throughout the day.
The McKamey center’s lawyer, Mark Litchford, questioned The Pet Company’s employees, focusing on their adherence to the company manual for the treatment of pets. Employees are expected to self-train in animal care by reading a set of three manuals and taking short exams at the end of each manual.
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During Mr. Litchford’s cross-examination, Ms. Hallman and Pet Company kennel technician Kirby Miles admitted that there were several violations of the company’s guidelines at the store. Included in the violations were temporarily putting a dead puppy in the refrigerator instead of taking it immediately to the veterinarian, allowing birds to defecate in their water bowls and failing to keep medication properly labeled and locked away.
They also acknowledged failure to keep all dogs collared, failure to house pet genders separately, use of nonapproved cleaning chemicals in the store, and failure to adhere to a formal checklist.
“What it comes down to is that you did not follow the manual like you were supposed to do,” Mr. Litchford said.
He also questioned whether certain animals had received adequate veterinary care, particularly a puppy that died overnight earlier this month and a hamster with a three-quarter-inch cut in its chest.
Ms. Miles said employees had been attentive to both pets and believed their problems were not dire enough for immediate veterinary attention.
Ms. Hallman testified that, though the store’s air conditioning was not properly functioning on June 14, she and co-workers were continuously supplying the animals with water and watching for signs of dehydration.
Also on Tuesday, Pet Company lawyer Andrew Pippenger questioned McKamey Executive Director Karen Walsh, asking about several animal deaths that occurred under McKamey watch in the past two years, including puppies that died in a truck last year.
Ms. Walsh responded that McKamey has instituted strict standards to prevent similar situations and has a self-imposed procedure for isolating and treating sick animals.
Continue reading by following these links to related stories:
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