A to Z Pet Shop
185 Boston Post Rd
Orange, CT 06477
(203) 553-9997
Date and time of CAPS investigation: 4/23/19; 18:36
Approximate number of puppies observed at time of investigation: 20
Puppies were kept in pens with solid walls and windows on one side, with solid floorings partially covered in wood shavings. Two to four puppies were in each of enclosure. A consumer rights sign and a sign offering information about puppies’ breeders were on a wall near the puppy enclosures. Pens had information posted on them with information about puppies’ breeders, including names, and addresses, with an equal amount of information for any brokers. The top of the sheets had an area for “Breeder or Broker USDA#,” and the breeder’s license number was noted if there was no broker. If a broker was used, then the broker’s number was listed with the breeder’s license number alongside the breeder’s name.
I spoke to an employee (Caucasian female, about 20 years old, 5’5″, 100 lbs., with long brown hair and brown-rimmed glasses) about the store’s breeders. She told me that brokers are used to ship puppies to the store, but some breeders use other means of shipping. She said, regarding her breeders, that “We have to get from the platinum and platinum plus breeders. So, I believe that they’re, in order to be that they have to have less than a certain number of dogs. I’m not one hundred percent sure.” I asked, “And the platinum, is that like a USDA thing?” She answered, “Yeah. That’s on their website.”
She admitted not knowing specifics about conditions of all breeders’ kennels, but she pointed to breeder information for John Miller (USDA license # 43-A-6036) and said, “I know that for specifically John Miller, he is an Amish man on a farm, he has his puppies with his farm animals and his children and they run around. So, it’s that type of environment for these people without the broker.”
Evidence of false statements and misrepresentations of breeders by store:
The employee’s claim that the USDA has “platinum” and “platinum plus” breeders is false. The USDA has no ranking of any kind for their licensed breeders.
The employee’s claim that breeders that are “these people without the broker” have puppies with “children and they run around” is false. Of the thousands of USDA-licensed dog kennels CAPS has investigated, none have had puppies running around with children and other animals.
Breeder info:
The following named were obtained from papers on puppy enclosures with breeder information for individual puppies:
Breeder / Broker
- John Miller 6012, Hwy Y, Sturgeon, MO 65284, 43-A-6036
- Danny Schrock, 37048 CR 1730, Coalgate, OK 74538, 73-A-2761 / Pinnacle Pet, 11863 Kenobi Ln, Neosho, MO 64850
- Daniel Gingerich, 1809 Audrain Rd 173, Clark, MO 65243, 43-A-6014
- Titus Coblentz, 1527 State Hwy 64, Tunas, MO 65764, 43-A-6163 / Pinnacle Pet
- Valerie Sinden, 36408 Maries Rd 623, Dixon, MO 65459, 43-A-6124 / SanJon Kennel, 2650 US Hwy 65, Louisburg, MO 65685
- Elmer Raber, 3383 N 1000 E, Loogootee, IN 47553, 32-A-0571 / Pinnacle Pet
- Joann Moore, 100585 South Hwy 99, Prague, OK 74864, 73-A-2642 / Pinnacle Pet
- Willard E Borntrager, 23647 Stagecoach Ln, Brashear, MO 63533, 43-A-6069
- Elizabeth Pohrs, A&K Kennels, PO Box 294, Lamount, OK 74643, 73-A-2262 / Pinnacle Pet
- Norman Gingerich, 5388 Audrain Rd 161, Sturgeon, MO 65284, 43-A-6353
- Chrissie Yoder, 4646 Hwy Y, Clark, MO 65243, 43-A-6039
- Dawn Troupe, PO Box 125, Dibble, OK 73031, 73-A-2675 / Pinnacle Pet
- Josh Jess, 356 E CR 300 N, Arthur, IL 61911, 33-A-0560 / Pinnacle Pet
The following was obtained from a USDA inspection report (not all inspection reports were seen):
- Samuel E & Polly R Borntrager, Borntragers Kennel, 5210 Hwy Y, Clark, MO 65243, 43-A-4255
