WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – A group of protesters gathered Sunday outside The Puppy Place, a recently opened pet store on New Center Drive in Wilmington.
Protesters expressed concern that the store sources its puppies from other states and from puppy mills that breed puppies for sale, usually under inhumane conditions.
“Wilmington has no place for this. Our goal is to ultimately ban this type of business,” said Amanda Cowing, one of the protesters. “Someone in this store knows what is going on is wrong.”
The Puppy Place declined to answer questions, including whether they source puppies from other states and from puppy mills, and did not make the store owner available for an interview.
Cowing said the store’s opening is particularly concerning because the Wilmington area – and the entire state of North Carolina – struggles with overcrowded shelters and high euthanasia rates for dogs in shelters. A recent study by Shelter Animals Count shows that euthanasia rates have risen to a three-year high and North Carolina ranks second in the U.S. behind Louisiana in euthanasia of shelter animals per capita
“For every dog purchased from a store like this, that’s a space in the shelter that could have been made available for another dog. That means no more animals would have to be killed on a cold table and thrown into a landfill,” Cowing said.
Cowling’s brother, Bryan Michael, organized Sunday’s rally. Michael said he had been concerned since the store opened and created the “Shut down puppy place” Facebook page with over 700 members and helped plan the protest.
Michael said there would be significant implications if The Puppy Place – or other businesses – took in dogs from out of state.
“Bringing puppies to a place where we have an absolute pet crisis – an overpopulation crisis – will result in our taxpayers having to fund even more programs and will harm the overall situation for animals in Wilmington,” Michael said.
New Hanover County officials are beginning to address animal welfare issues. met Thursday to discuss the creation of an animal welfare advisory committee, and Commissioner Dane Scalise said county staff had already begun putting it together after receiving a positive response from the other commissioners. The committee, Scalise said, will review current laws, hear the opinions of county residents and recommend improvements to combat animal cruelty. Protesters are scheduled to meet with commissioners on Monday.
“I have listened to many citizens expressing concern about the state of animal welfare in New Hanover County,” Scalise said. “These concerns are valid and I believe we could and should do a better job of protecting our county’s animals.”
Cowing agrees.
“Animals have no voice,” Cowing said. “And we have to be on the right side of history.”
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