WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – A group of protestors spent Sunday rallying outside The Puppy Place, a recently-opened pet store on New Centre Drive in Wilmington.
The protestors raised concerns the store is bringing its puppies in from other states and puppy mills, which breed puppies for sale – typically in inhumane conditions.
“Wilmington doesn’t have a place for this. Our goal is to ultimately have this kind of establishment banned,” said Amanda Cowing, one of the protestors. “Someone in that store knows that what’s going on is wrong.”
The Puppy Place declined to answer any questions, including ones asking if they sourced puppies from other states and from puppy mills, and wouldn’t make the owner of the store available for an interview.
Cowing said the store’s opening is especially concerning because the Wilmington area, and the entire state of North Carolina, is struggling with overcrowded shelters and high euthanasia rates for dogs in animal shelters. A recent study by Shelter Animals Count shows euthanasia rates have climbed to a three-year high, and North Carolina ranks second behind only Louisiana for euthanizing shelter pets per capita in the country.
“For every dog that’s purchased at a store like this, that’s a spot in a shelter that could’ve been opened up for another dog, meaning that another animal wouldn’t be killed on a cold table and thrown in a landfill,” Cowing said.
Cowling’s brother, Bryan Michael, organized Sunday’s rally. Michael said he’s been concerned about the store since it opened and helped create the “Shut down puppy place” Facebook page, which has over 700 members.
Michael said there’s a sizable impact if The Puppy Place – or other stores – bring in dogs from outside the state.
“Bringing puppies into a place where we have an absolute pet crisis – an overpopulation crisis – is going to cause our taxpayers to have to fund even more programs and just damage the overall condition of animals in Wilmington,” Michael said.
New Hanover County officials are beginning to take notice of animal welfare issues. County commissioners met Thursday to discuss establishing an Animal Advisory Committee, and Commissioner Dane Scalise said county staff have already begun putting that together after positive reception from the other commissioners. The committee, Scalise said, would study current laws, hear from county residents and propose enhancements to help combat animal cruelty. Protestors are set to meet with the commissioners on Monday.
“I have listened to many citizens express their concern about the state of animal welfare in New Hanover County,” Scalise said. “Those concerns are valid, and I suspect we could and should do better about protecting our county’s animals.”
Cowing agrees.
“Animals don’t have a voice,” Cowing said. “And we have to be on the right side of history.”
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