A Hamilton Place mall pet store will find out in a matter of days if the Tennessee Department of Agriculture will allow it to keep selling pets or if violations to the state code of animal care could lead to the suspension of the store’s license.
The Pet Company gained unwelcome attention June 15 when the city of Chattanooga raided the store, removed all its animals and slapped it with 90 violations of local city ordinances that deal with animal cruelty.
The state Department of Agriculture inspected the store the same day and recommended on June 22 after a second inspection that The Pet Company’s license to operate probably should be suspended.
Among the violations were an air conditioning system that hadn’t worked for three weeks, improper watering of puppies, sanitation issues and questions about the training of store employees.
A hearing in Nashville on Monday allowed The Pet Company to make a last-minute showing of compliance to the agriculture department before regulators decide if it will issue a notice of intent to suspend the store’s operating license, department spokesman Tom Womack said Monday.