Markham pet store closed after puppies, kittens found under hot lights with no water

'They were crying, the puppies and the kittens': animal activist

Yorkreigon.com
Jan. 18, 2017
By Tim Kelly

When animal activists Ashley Cote and Hanna Stec walked into a local Markham pet store earlier this week, they were shocked by what they saw.

The pair from the Waterloo area, who randomly visited Teddy Club Pet store at 7220 Kennedy Rd., say they saw puppies and kittens in distress under hot lights and without water in their dishes.

Alarmed, Cote and Stec filmed what they saw and alerted the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which soon showed up at the store, took charge of the situation and reportedly closed the store.

"We were very concerned. The first thing that was very evident was how the animals were kept in display cases. The front was glass, the back just boards. They had nothing to play with, puppies and kittens with snot stuck to its face, the other thing was how desperate everything was and how they were crying, the puppies and the kittens," said Stec.

A customer who visited the store on Wednesday was told that the store was closed for renovations.

Melissa Kosowan, a spokesperson for the Ontario SPCA, said the store was under investigation, saying "we can't share details about it at this time."

She did say "The society takes all reported concerns of animal cruelty seriously. Any time that we receive a report or concern, we follow up to check the validity of that concern. When distress is identified, as per the Ontario SPCA Act, the society will take all measures under its legislative authority to ensure the welfare of an animal."

Kosowan said she wanted to remind the public to call 310-SPCA (7722) to report animal cruelty concerns to the Ontario SPCA's provincewide dispatch centre.

Mayor Frank Scarpitti said City of Markham staff were looking into the matter to make sure Teddy Club Pet Store was in compliance with proper zoning.

"I think it's great that the public put the spotlight on this situation because we take allegations that were associated with this particular operation very seriously," he said.

But Scarpitti added that cruelty to animals was under the authority and mandate of SPCA.

Asked if Markham was considering the prohibition of the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores, as is prohibited in Toronto and Vaughan, Scarpitti said it was possible, but didn't feel that would it solve the problem of animal cruelty.

"I think you will. I just caution that if everybody thinks that that's the panacea that once we ban this from happening in retail that it won't be happening anywhere else, they're fooling themselves. If people think this is the only issue we've got when it comes to animal care, they have a very limited view. In all organizations, the city, the OSPCA, the public, we have to be vigilant in making sure that when we discover these things they're brought to light. "

Kasey Dunn, an animal advocate who started The Social Petwork after she was successful in helping get a bylaw passed in Vaughan to prohibit the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores and has seen successful similar bylaws passed in Ottawa, Oakville, Cambridge, Waterloo, Ottawa and Richmond Hill, is hoping the same thing happens in Markham.

"If people see things that are wrong, don't just post it on Facebook, take action. We are here," said Dunn.