More than 25 protesters showed up to participate in a CAPS–sponsored protest of Puppy Town in Sarasota on Sunday, April 15. Puppy Town, which also has a store in Tampa, buys dogs from puppy mills in the Midwest that have serious violations of the Animal Welfare Act and from Judy Hulett in Rhine, Georgia, whose USDA licensed was cancelled on 9/18/11. ABC Sarasota and Sarasota News Network (SNN) covered the protest.
CAPS has started a pet shop campaign in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, which includes trying to get ordinances passed in both counties that would ban the sale of pet shop puppies and kittens. CAPS is hoping to get Benderson Development, which owns shopping centers around the country, including two that have Petland franchises in Sarasota and Bradenton, to go humane, following the lead of the Irvine Company and Macerich Corporation.
Watch the SNN coverage of the protest:
