COLUMBUS, Ohio — A day after the U.S. Humane Society accused Petland Inc. of scheming to sell sick puppies bred in filthy conditions to thousands of unsuspecting people, a former Petland employee told 10TV News that she had "been waiting" on legal action against the company.
     
Petland intentionally misled thousands of customers into believing the puppies came from the finest breeders and were healthy, the Humane Society of the United States said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday against the company, which is based in Chillicothe.
     
The group said it conducted an investigation showing that many of the puppies sold by Petland in its 131 U.S. stores were bred in mills in horrific conditions or through brokers such as The Hunte Corp., based in Goodman, Mo. Investigators for the Humane Society saw "puppies living in filthy, barren cages reeking of urine, with inadequate care and socialization," the complaint said.
     
The lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Phoenix by attorneys representing members of the Humane Society, which calls itself the nation's largest animal protection organization, and other pet owners who say they were sold sick puppies.

The plaintiffs are seeking changes in how the puppies are bred and financial damages to help recover veterinary costs they say were associated with keeping their puppies alive. They also are seeking to stop what the lawsuit alleges are unfair and deceptive sales practices.
     
Petland, which also has 61 stores overseas, said it was outraged and disappointed by what it called false accusations.  The company maintained that health is a top priority and that animals are vet-checked before they get to the store and before they go home with owners.

"It is absolutely absurd, a ridiculous accusation to think that we could conspire to sell sick puppies," said Elizabeth Kunzelman, director of Petland communications.
     
Denise Masters, who runs Gentle Paws Dog Rescue, said nearly half the animals that she cares for were once for sale at Petland. She said she once managed kennels at a Hilliard Petland for more than a year and said "she had been waiting" on legal action against the company, 10TV's Lindsey Seavert reported.

SLIDESHOW: Masters' Dogs

"Ninety percent of the dogs they had there were sick, or leaving sick," Masters said. "So I felt I could make a difference."

Masters claimed that she was told to withhold information about a dog's health while working at Petland.

"Basically, I was told not to let people know (the dog) had pneumonia; it wasn't relevant," Masters said.

Dean Vickers with the U.S. Humane Society said his organization filed the lawsuit after conducting a year-long investigation.

"The goal of Petland, as with any retail store, is to make a profit," Vickers said. "It isn't about the welfare of animals."

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