Park Avenue Birds and Pet Supply
120 W Center Street
West Bridgewater MA 02379
(508) 580 0032
Date and time of CAPS investigation: 10/08/2018; 5:25 p.m.
Number of dogs observed at time of investigation: approximately 11 puppies
Puppies were in open-topped enclosures and in wire-topped enclosures. Bedding was shredded paper.
A pet shop license and a state-required disclosure sign were on display.
I spoke with a female employee, Hannah, who told me that the puppies for sale came from USDA licensed breeders, not puppy mills. She said the store has worked with these breeders for years. I asked for information on the puppies. Hannah told me that I would get all this information at the time of sale. Hannah eventually left the shop floor and returned to verbally tell me one of the breeder’s names- Dave Baumsheiger/Bomtrager of Missouri. Research shows that these names are not listed as a USDA Class A Dealer (330 CMR § 12.05 Restriction of Sale (2)).
Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) show that Park Avenue purchased puppies from USDA-licensed breeder Barb Neubert in Vienna, MO. Neubert has had myriad serious USDA violations over the years including: dogs’ heads protruding through shelters, no bedding, dogs with matted fur with feces, excessive flies near enclosures, overcrowding, rotting meat and food waste in enclosures, animals not securely contained, dirty and rusty fencing and water bowls, filthy shelters, infected feet, infected puncture woods, diarrhea, fecal accumulation, rodent feces, dead rodents, and puppies’ feet falling through wire flooring, insufficient space for mothers and puppies, sharp and jagged edges, open lesions on leg from dog bite, an accumulation of raw bones inside enclosures.
CVIs also indicate that Gary Felts sold to Park Avenue. In 2015, CAPS investigated Gary Felts, a USDA-licensed dog breeder in Kingsley, Iowa. Our investigation led to the discovery that Felts was concealing assets to avoid paying more than $18,000 in fines for AWA violations. The OIG and the U.S. Attorney relied on our undercover video, reports, and other findings in their case against Felts. Sadly, Felts was allowed to plead guilty to only one count of making false statements. But he was ordered to have no further AWA violations during his probation. However, CAPS discovered that he had serious AWA violations in January 2017, which his USDA inspector failed to tell the OIG. CAPS notified the U.S. Attorney and OIG, and Felts’ license was terminated. Unfortunately, the U.S. Attorney didn’t seize Felts’ dogs to place them in shelters. Instead, Felts auctioned them off to pay his fine. The U.S. Treasury was apparently more interested in settling Felts’ debt than in the welfare of the dogs, which were in terrible condition.
https://caps-web.org/blogs/one-of-the-worst-puppy-mill-breeders-pleads-guilty/
CAPS investigation of Gary Felts, including video.
Another breeder used by Park Avenue is Ed Van Doorn. CAPS received a complaint from a customer this year who had purchased a sick puppy from Park Avenue that was bred by Van Doorn. CAPS has investigated Van Doorn three times. In 1999, all the breeding dogs at his facility had been debarked, which is a cruel process that creates emotional distress to dogs. Here is an investigation from 2006 in which Van Doorn had numerous USDA violations:
https://caps-web.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=233&Itemid=269
CAPS investigation of Ed Van Doorn
CAPS visited Van Doorn’s facility this year. Our investigator wasn’t allowed to see much of the facility.
A fish tank measuring approximately 4’ x 1’ had goldfish and around four dead goldfish. There was some algae growth in this tank (330 CMR § 12.03 Facilities (3) Animal Facilities. Any area where an animal is housed shall be (a) Cleaned and disinfected daily or more often if necessary to maintain a sanitary condition).
