Jack Harries teamed up with PETA to expose the cruelty behind Canada Goose jackets.

In the video, Jack explains why he’s taking a stand:

“When the weather drops, we all want to stay cosy and warm. However, there’s nothing colder than wearing fur from animals that have been violently trapped, killed, and skinned.”

©iStock.com/rpbirdman

He goes on to explain that coyotes – whose fur is used to trim the brand’s coats and jackets – are caught in steel traps and may suffer for days from blood loss, shock, and dehydration before trappers arrive to strangle, stamp, or bludgeon them to death. Mother coyotes have been known to chew through their own limbs in their desperation to return to their starving pups.

Jack also points out that birds are hurt for Canada Goose’s outerwear, too: the company uses down feathers from ducks and geese whose throats are slit before they’re plunged into scalding-hot water, sometimes while still conscious.

Jack is part of a growing celebrities – including Justin Long, Maggie Q, Pamela Anderson, and Sarah Jeffery – who have teamed up with PETA or its affiliates to speak out against Canada Goose.

What You Can Do

You may have seen someone wearing a Canada Goose jacket already this autumn. Many people don’t realise that animals endure a terrifying and agonising death for the brand’s fur trims and down-feather fillers, so please speak up by sharing Jack’s video with your friends and family – and together, we’ll make sure everyone learns what’s done to animals for the company’s garments.

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PETA Rescues Turkeys From Slaughterhouse Days Before Thanksgiving

Days before the worst time in America for turkeys, PETA helped rescue 16 gentle turkeys who’d been imprisoned on a farm in Utah, saving them from being sent to a slaughterhouse where their throats would be slit.

PETA’s rescue efforts are a part of a larger liberation project negotiated by PETA friend, Oscar-nominated actor, and animal rights activist James Cromwell and the group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE). Cromwell and DxE arranged for the rescue of 100 turkeys who were facing impending death at Norbest turkey farms outside Salt Lake City just days before Thanksgiving.

PETA transported six turkeys to Wildwood Farm Sanctuary in Newberg, Oregon, while the other 10 went to The Humane Farming Association’s Suwanna Ranch in Elk Creek, California. Check out how these lovely ladies are settling into their new homes!

PETA Turkey rescue Thanksgiving

When we see turkeys as individuals—who, like humans and other animals, value their own lives and don’t want to die—we see that eating their flesh is indefensible.

Sure, humans may look different from turkeys, but when it comes to important qualities such as the ability to feel excitement, create family bonds, cherish life, and experience pain, fear, and love, we’re all the same.

Here’s something that the meat industry would hate for you to know: If you’re lucky enough to have one of these gentle birds as a friend, you’d know that they have diverse personalities and cherish taking care of their babies. These intelligent, naturally curious birds enjoy greeting new visitors and choose which humans they want to spend time with. Turkeys love to have their feathers stroked, and they’ll even listen to music and sing along.

But on farms, turkeys—who are naturally clean animals—are forced to live in their own filth in cramped, dank sheds. To keep the crowded birds from scratching and pecking one another, famers cut off parts of their beaks and toes without painkillers. Most turkeys are babies—only 3 to 5 months old—when they’re slaughtered. But during their short, miserable lives, they’re denied even the simplest pleasures, such as running, building nests, and raising their young.

Save turkeys year-round by sharing vegan meals with your friends and family.

Share this heartwarming story with your friends and family, too, and let them know that the best way to save any conscious, feeling animals raised for their flesh is to go vegan. Spread the compassion by sending someone you love a free vegan starter kit.

Not vegan yourself? No worries! Order a free vegan starter kit for yourself today. By simply leaving living, feeling beings off your plate, you’ll save nearly 200 animals a year from a senseless and terrifying death.

Order Your Free Vegan Starter Kit

Send a Vegan Starter Kit to a Friend

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Caged and Hauled Off to Slaughter Just Like Turkeys Killed for Butterball

Turkeys cried out, struggled, and tried to escape as workers carried them upside down by only the legs, without supporting their weight. Some workers held one bird in each hand as the turkeys frantically flapped their wings.

 

They were crammed into cages on a truck, where they’d have to stay for at least 12 hours—without food or water—en route to a slaughterhouse in Ohio. One of Reese’s contract farmers noted that the turkeys “can’t move their wings [or] legs. … The big turkeys are pretty crammed in.”

 

a trailer full of turkeys headed for slaughter

 

She acknowledged that the birds die in transport because “they just get scared.” A worker added that they “trample … each other.”

 

turkeys stuffed into coops on a truck

 

At the slaughterhouse, they’d be shackled upside down and their throats would be slit—just like turkeys killed for Butterball.

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Why Newt Scamander of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Is a Magical Animal Ally

As Newt Scamander is told in the second installment of the Fantastic Beasts film series, he’s never met an animal he didn’t love.

We feel you, Newt.

We haven’t found a wizard in the Harry Potter universe who cares more about animals than Newt. His version of romance is comparing his love interest’s eyes to those of a salamander. He carries his adorable nifflers with him everywhere he goes, despite the mischief they cause. And his very name is Newt.

Here are five of our favorite quotes from the popular Fantastic Beasts films that are pure animal rights magic:

“There are no strange creatures, only blinkered* people.”

(*“Blinkered” means “limited in scope or understanding: narrow-minded.” Don’t worry—we didn’t know what it meant, either.)

People often fear or distrust things they don’t understand. We applaud Newt for combatting prejudices against animals, as only prejudice allows us to deny others the rights that we expect to have for ourselves.

After all, as PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk has said, “When it comes to pain, love, joy, loneliness, and fear, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. Each one values his or her life and fights the knife.”

“She was born to run.”

Newt knows that animals are meant to live in their natural habitats—not to be abused in captivity.

In Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, we first meet the magical zouwu while she’s held captive in an evil traveling wizard circus. After she escapes, Newt is able to earn her trust with the help of what appears to be a cat toy. (He’s a wizard, so we won’t ask questions.) Newt understands that she’s destined to run free, not live in a cage for human entertainment.

“[T]hey’re currently in alien terrain surrounded by millions of the most vicious creatures on the planet … humans. “

It’s ironic that humans fear animals such as sharks, snakes, and crocodiles, when in fact, our species is the deadliest predator of all.

Newt understands this threat and is always working to protect magical individuals from harm. His enchanted suitcase contains a sanctuary, allowing each animal he saves to roam within their own unique habitats.

“I’m writing a book about magical creatures … to help people understand why we should be protecting these creatures instead of killing them.” 

Magical or not, all animals deserve to be protected.

Teaching compassion for animals is important at any age, especially with young children. Informing kids about empathy reduces the likelihood that they’ll grow up to be abusive toward others and can help end cruel types of behavior before they become a violent pattern. So we certainly applaud Newt’s undertaking here.

Visit PETA’s humane education division, TeachKind, for resources that can help teach others to develop compassion for all sentient beings.

“You do not seek power—you simply ask, ‘Is a thing right?’”

This is the reason that Dumbledore—played by former PETA campaign star Jude Law—gives after asking, “Do you know why I admire you, Newt?”

Newt understands that animals aren’t ours to abuse in any way and knows that protecting those who can’t defend themselves is everyone’s responsibility. PETA knows that sometimes it takes doing what is right—not what is popular—to bring about necessary change in order to save the lives of animals. And our tactics continue to be effective in winning victories for animals everywhere.

But if you come across a magic wand, definitely let us know.

Join Newt and PETA in the fight for animal rights and put your compassion to action!

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Warrant Issued for Arrest of Roadside Zoo Owner and Big-Cat Exhibitor

Police are once again after Jeff Lowe, owner of the ramshackle Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (G.W. Zoo), big-cat exhibitor, and constant PETA target.

Las Vegas Wanted poster for roadside zoo owner Jeff Lowe

In November of 2017, police served a search warrant on a home that Lowe had rented in Las Vegas after hearing from animal advocates that he was selling public interactions and photos with big cats as well as at least one lemur. Authorities cited him for failing to have the required licenses to operate a business and possess exotic animals in the city. They also seized tiger and liliger cubs and a lemur and forced Lowe to pay $10,000 in restitution for their care. The judge gave him a suspended jail sentence conditional upon a “stay out of trouble” order, specifying, “That means no illegal activity including animal violations.”

But Lowe admitted to a Las Vegas reporter that he was still selling animal encounters for private parties, rolling big-cat cubs through hotel casinos in suitcases. When he failed to show up for a mandatory court hearing to check on his progress, the judge issued a bench warrant. Lowe has yet to pay the $10,000 in restitution.

The man from whom he purchased the G.W. Zoo, Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is currently incarcerated while awaiting trial for two charges of attempted murder-for-hire of a big-cat rescuer. He’s also been charged with violations of the Endangered Species Act and the Lacey Act for allegedly unlawfully selling tiger cubs, falsifying records relating to the sale of endangered species, and killing five endangered tigers.

In the past year, PETA has rescued 39 tigers, three bears, and two baboons from G.W. Zoo and assisted with the rescue of two chimpanzees. We’ll continue to fight for all the animals there to be transferred to reputable sanctuaries.

 

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The Presidential Turkey Pardon Is Fake News

In keeping with an inflated and misguided tradition, President Donald Trump will soon “pardon” a turkey so that the bird won’t be killed to become a Thanksgiving centerpiece. But let’s clear up a couple of misconceptions. First, turkeys don’t need to be “pardoned.” They aren’t serving five to 10 for armed robbery. (Although considering the massive amounts of antibiotics that farms pump into these birds during the few short months of their lives, a case could possibly be made for drug charges.)

White turkeys with blue sky in background, one looking directly into camera

© iStock.com/luvhotpepper 

Second, contrary to popular belief, “pardoned” turkeys don’t actually get to live. They don’t leave prison through Intake and Release, collect their belongings, and go home to their families. Because they’ve been bred, fed, and drugged to grow much larger much more quickly than they ever would in nature, chances are good that they’ll die of heart failure while President Trump is still in office.

Trump will pardon one of two turkeys this year, either “Peas” or “Carrots,” based on a public vote. After the pardoning, both will live at an exhibit at Virginia Tech. Peas and Carrots both weigh in at about 40 pounds and both are at such a high risk of dying before they even make it to the ceremony that handlers will have “backup” pardonees. The life expectancy of those granted clemency is so short that U.S. News & World Report once ran a story with the headline “All of President Obama’s Pardoned Turkeys Are Dead.” (Though we should probably still demand to see the actual death certificate.) Trump pardonees “Wishbone” and “Drumstick” have already died as well.

No, the presidential turkey pardon is merely a meat industry commercial filmed on the White House lawn.

This year’s “lucky” turkeys hail from South Dakota. The man who raised them, Jeff Sveen, is also the chair of the National Turkey Federation. He told People that the birds are lap animals who love to be petted. You know, unlike other turkeys who really just want to go to the slaughterhouse.

turkeys in transport cages

The slaughterhouse is where more than 44 million of these lap animals will be sent for Thanksgiving alone. The social, playful birds, who chirp and cluck along to music, will be strung up and their heads will be shoved into the “killing cone,” which is, unfortunately, not just a metaphor for careers in the White House. Their throats will be slit and they’ll be scalded in the tank of boiling water used for feather removal, just so that they can become centerpieces on holiday tables.

If you’re hoping for a happier ending for all turkeys, including the presidential pardonees, PETA offers this reminder: Everyone has the power to pardon turkeys by keeping them off their tables this Thanksgiving. The turkeys will certainly tweet about it.

© Trader Joe’s 

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Jack Harries teamed up with PETA to expose the cruelty behind Canada Goose jackets.

In the video, Jack explains why he’s taking a stand:

“When the weather drops, we all want to stay cosy and warm. However, there’s nothing colder than wearing fur from animals that have been violently trapped, killed, and skinned.”

©iStock.com/rpbirdman

He goes on to explain that coyotes – whose fur is used to trim the brand’s coats and jackets – are caught in steel traps and may suffer for days from blood loss, shock, and dehydration before trappers arrive to strangle, stamp, or bludgeon them to death. Mother coyotes have been known to chew through their own limbs in their desperation to return to their starving pups.

Jack also points out that birds are hurt for Canada Goose’s outerwear, too: the company uses down feathers from ducks and geese whose throats are slit before they’re plunged into scalding-hot water, sometimes while still conscious.

Jack is part of a growing celebrities – including Justin Long, Maggie Q, Pamela Anderson, and Sarah Jeffery – who have teamed up with PETA or its affiliates to speak out against Canada Goose.

What You Can Do

You may have seen someone wearing a Canada Goose jacket already this autumn. Many people don’t realise that animals endure a terrifying and agonising death for the brand’s fur trims and down-feather fillers, so please speak up by sharing Jack’s video with your friends and family – and together, we’ll make sure everyone learns what’s done to animals for the company’s garments.

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WATCH: The New Butterball Alexa Skill Gets Roasted

What if the new Alexa Butterball Skill told the truth about preparing turkeys for Thanksgiving?


Find out in a new funny and eye-opening PETA parody video, featuring Tara Strong:

Butterball’s real Alexa skill won’t tell you this, so we will: Before they end up as holiday centerpieces, gentle, sensitive turkeys spend their short lives on factory farms, where thousands of them are packed into dark sheds with no more than 3.5 square feet of space per bird. They’re genetically bred to grow as quickly as possible, and they often become crippled under their own weight.


During an investigation at a Butterball slaughterhouse in Ozark, Arkansas, PETA eyewitnesses documented that workers punched and stomped on live turkeys, slammed them against walls, and worse. Turkeys sold by the company are killed in a process that involves hanging live birds by the legs, slitting their throats, and then dumping them into scalding-hot water in defeathering tanks.

—Help Turkeys Now and All Year Round—

Go Vegan Today!

An estimated 245 million turkeys are raised and killed for their flesh every year in the U.S. At least 44 million of them are killed for Thanksgiving alone, and more than 22 million die for Christmas.

Give thanks without taking lives. Celebrate a vegan holiday season and spare turkeys—and all animals—a life filled with pain and a terrifying death. Every day, more and more people are making the ethical, compassionate, sustainable, and healthy choice to ditch meat, eggs, and dairy “products” and go vegan.


If you’re ready to get started on your vegan journey, we’re here to help. Let PETA’s free resources guide you as you start making kinder choices for animals.


Order a Free Vegan Starter Kit  Sign Up for a Vegan Mentor

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PETA Rescues Turkeys From Slaughterhouse Days Before Thanksgiving

Days before the worst time in America for turkeys, PETA helped rescue 16 gentle turkeys who’d been imprisoned on a farm in Utah, saving them from being sent to a slaughterhouse where their throats would be slit.

PETA’s rescue efforts are a part of a larger liberation project negotiated by PETA friend, Oscar-nominated actor, and animal rights activist James Cromwell and the group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE). Cromwell and DxE arranged for the rescue of 100 turkeys who were facing impending death at Norbest turkey farms outside Salt Lake City just days before Thanksgiving.

PETA is transporting six turkeys to Wildwood Farm Sanctuary in Newberg, Oregon, while the other 10 are going to The Humane Farming Association’s Suwanna Ranch in Elk Creek, California. Check back next week to see how these lovely ladies are settling into their new homes!

PETA Turkey rescue Thanksgiving

When we see turkeys as individuals—who, like humans and other animals, value their own lives and don’t want to die—we see that eating their flesh is indefensible.

Sure, humans may look different from turkeys, but when it comes to important qualities such as the ability to feel excitement, create family bonds, cherish life, and experience pain, fear, and love, we’re all the same.

Here’s something that the meat industry would hate for you to know: If you’re lucky enough to have one of these gentle birds as a friend, you’d know that they have diverse personalities and cherish taking care of their babies. These intelligent, naturally curious birds enjoy greeting new visitors and choose which humans they want to spend time with. Turkeys love to have their feathers stroked, and they’ll even listen to music and sing along.

But on farms, turkeys—who are naturally clean animals—are forced to live in their own filth in cramped, dank sheds. To keep the crowded birds from scratching and pecking one another, famers cut off parts of their beaks and toes without painkillers. Most turkeys are babies—only 3 to 5 months old—when they’re slaughtered. But during their short, miserable lives, they’re denied even the simplest pleasures, such as running, building nests, and raising their young.

Save turkeys year-round by sharing vegan meals with your friends and family.

Share this heartwarming story with your friends and family, too, and let them know that the best way to save any conscious, feeling animals raised for their flesh is to go vegan. Spread the compassion by sending someone you love a free vegan starter kit.

Not vegan yourself? No worries! Order a free vegan starter kit for yourself today. By simply leaving living, feeling beings off your plate, you’ll save nearly 200 animals a year from a senseless and terrifying death.

Order Your Free Vegan Starter Kit

Send a Vegan Starter Kit to a Friend

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Dogs Killed, Injured at PetSmart and Petco Stores. Don’t Let Your Companion Be Next

Written by PETA | November 20, 2018

Big-box pet store chains like PetSmart and Petco have a long laundry list of incidents involving animals who have been traumatized, allowed to escape, severely injured, and even killed in their grooming salons, like Scruffles and Henry:

LEFT: facebook.com/justiceforscruffles | RIGHT: © twitter.com/newsdamian 

These giant corporations deal in volume. The animals they sell come from cruel mass-breeding mills, where they’re crammed into crowded bins; deprived of food, water, and veterinary care; and killed by being bashed against tables or gassed in coolers. The grooming businesses shove animals through quickly and often carelessly. The boarding facilities, like PetSmart’s PetsHotel, are just as bad. Many dogs and other animals have become ill or died, often from neglect, after being left at one of these boarding businesses.

Profit is their priority, and as a result, countless animals have strangled after being left unattended on grooming tables; overheated in cage dryers; been badly cut on the ears by clippers; and been screamed at, roughly handled, punched, kicked, and strangled by frustrated, impatient, and abusive groomers at these chains’ stores. An investigation conducted by NJ Advance Media confirmed these disturbing findings after examining the suspicious deaths of 47 dogs who died during or shortly after PetSmart grooming appointments between 2008 and 2018. The investigation uncovered “secret agreements,” poor training, and pressure put on employees to meet sales quotas.

Click here to read NJ Advance Media’s full report.

Let the heartbreaking stories below serve as reminders that companionship is not something that can be capitalized upon and that these corporations have no regard for animals’ lives, in either their stores windows or grooming salons.

ANIMALS INJURED AND KILLED AT PETSMART AND PETCO GROOMING SALONS AND BOARDING FACILITIES

While PETA has been alerted to countless other incidents and many have gone unreported, here are just some of the many animals whose suffering and deaths in PetSmart and Petco grooming salons and boarding facilities have made the news:

November 2018

An hour after guardian Tania Lara dropped off her small dog, Susie, for a grooming appointment at the PetSmart store in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, she received a worrisome call from a store employee. She rushed back to find Susie bleeding, crying, and unable to close her mouth. Employees had reportedly attempted to take her to the in-store veterinarian, but the vet was busy. So Lara rushed Susie to her vet, who said that the dog’s jaw was broken in two places. She had to be hospitalized and given a feeding tube, and she underwent surgery—for which Lara received a bill totaling about $4,500. When she tried to file a police report, she was told to file through PetSmart first. As of the time of this publication, she hadn’t yet heard from the company.

October 2018

A dog is dead and a woman is injured after a mastiff broke out of a cage at a PetSmart store on Chicago’s Southwest Side. The dog reportedly bit an employee’s arm and killed another dog in the grooming center. The incident is still under investigation, according to reports.

September 2018

Catherine Hess took her canine companion, Duchess, to the Belleville, Illinois, PetSmart earlier this month for a bath and a nail trim. But when she picked her up from the appointment, something wasn’t right. Hess said that Duchess’ breathing was labored, her tail was between her legs, and “it looked like they took a pair of clippers and just twisted off her toenails.” Hess took Duchess to the vet, where she was told that the dog’s bloodwork looked normal. But her condition worsened over the next day or two, so Hess took her to the vet again, where it was discovered that Duchess’ lungs had collapsed. Out of compassion and necessity, she was euthanized. Unsurprisingly, PetSmart is claiming no culpability.

Baboo—a 7-year-old shih tzu—reportedly sustained a broken jaw during a September 16 grooming appointment at the Clark, New Jersey, Petco. According to his guardian, Jennifer Fay Collins, prior to the appointment, he was in good health. But when she picked him up afterward, “something seemed off.” The groomer blamed it on the vaccinations that Baboo had received the day before. But subsequent X-rays revealed that he had sustained a fractured jaw and needed surgery. According to Collins, Petco staff are still refusing to acknowledge any wrongdoing.

Within the same month, Teddy—a Yorkshire terrier—was taken to a North Texas PetSmart for grooming. The dog, who was reportedly in good health, was said to have left his appointment subdued, weak, and with difficulty breathing. He was dead a few hours later. “I would like to tell anybody that may be taking their dogs up there [the Cedar Hill, Texas, PetSmart] just to be mindful because I didn’t know. Something is absolutely wrong,” said Tim Daffin, Teddy’s guardian.

Not even one week prior to this, a new investigation broke that was conducted by NJ Advance Media. It examined the suspicious deaths of 47 dogs (not counting Teddy) who died during or shortly after PetSmart grooming appointments. Just as PETA’s investigations have revealed in the past, this report shines a light on the pet store chain’s money-hungry practices and the heartbreaking fatalities they cause.

The 47 deaths that were investigated occurred between 2008 and now—and 32 of them since 2015. NJ Advance Media pointed out in its report that not all grooming-related deaths that occur at PetSmart are publicly reported—so the death toll since 2008 is likely much higher than 47.

“Our investigation finds secret agreements and allegations of inadequate training and intense pressure to grow profits inside the leading U.S. pet retailer,” NJ Advance Media reported.

PetSmart employees are reportedly pressured to groom more dogs in less time in order to maximize profits, resulting in fatal errors. According to the new report, PetSmart has attempted to buy the silence of some of these dogs’ guardians—offering them money if they agreed to sign a nondisclosure agreement. But guardians are refusing to be silenced. Many shared their stories with NJ Advance Media, each one just as heartbreaking as the last.

Even PetSmart’s response to the investigation was telling—despite dozens of deaths, the company is claiming that there’s no “systemic problem” here.

Click here to read the full report, and keep reading to discover even more reasons why you should never take your animal companion to a PetSmart.

August 2018

A dog named Dozer died after visiting a Lynchburg, Virginia, PetSmart grooming salon. According to reports, the 7-year-old dog was dropped off at around 3:53 p.m. About 10 minutes later, his guardians got a call from PetSmart staff saying that he had collapsed. He was taken to an animal emergency clinic, where it was determined that he’d likely had a heart attack.

According to his guardian, Dozer was healthy prior to visiting PetSmart. Emergency animal veterinarian Jay Harper explained why these environments can be stressful enough to harm dogs.

“Usually there are lots of other dogs, it’s hot, it’s noisy. Lots of clippers and scissors. The big blow dryers they use are loud,” he said.  

Flat-faced dogs such as English bulldogs (like Dozer) can be even more vulnerable. In brachycephalic syndrome, the short, broad skulls of certain breeds can create breathing problems because of shortened air passages. To minimize risks, guardians should avoid the stressful environments of grooming salons like those at PetSmart and Petco. Spas may be a relaxing place for humans, but they can be the opposite for our canine companions. Learn more about best grooming practices here.

In a separate August 2018 incident, Cynthia Beezer took July—her 4-year-old canine companion—to a PetSmart store in Compton, California, to be groomed. According to reports, July almost lost her tongue after a PetSmart groomer cut it “damn near off.” Beezer shared a photo of July in a now viral tweet, saying that the incident occurred while the fur around her face was being trimmed. Of course, PetSmart is blaming the dog, saying that she stuck her tongue out just as the groomer was trimming her face. But according to Beezer, July’s tongue naturally always hangs out of her mouth—she said the “unique” trait is even one of the reasons she first noticed her. She called the incident an act of negligence and said that PetSmart groomers should be better trained—but this incident and the slew of horrifying others below prove that guardians should never trust PetSmart with their animal companions.

In a separate August 2018 incident, a dog named Rufus was dropped off at a PetSmart boarding facility in Tucson, Arizona. A few hours later, the family received a phone call—he had eaten plastic and was being taken to an emergency veterinarian. According to the family, the veterinarian told them that Rufus had been hit by a car on his way to the hospital and had died.

July 2018

According to reports, a 10-month-old puppy named Ziggy was injured during a PetSmart grooming session in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Staff members allegedly told the dog’s guardian that he had been attacked by a Great Dane while being groomed. However, the clean, straight laceration and the flap of skin that was left hanging off the small dog’s body have led many online to wonder whether that’s true. A police report was filed, and an investigation is ongoing. (Warning: graphic images)

In a separate July 2018 incident, Corey Dixon took his 4-year-old service dog, Aspen, to a Toronto PetSmart’s PetsHotel for a weeklong stay while he was out of town. But when he returned to pick her up, she was “extremely sick,” shaking, and surrounded by vomit and saliva. He rushed her to an emergenandcy animal hospital, where she remained in intensive care for several days.

Aspen’s condition worsened, and when she began struggling to breathe, her family made the painful decision to let her go. It’s believed that she became sick while in PetSmart’s care and that staff didn’t immediately call the vet. “If she’d seen the vet when she started showing signs of being sick, maybe she would have had a better chance,” Dixon said. Unsurprisingly, PetSmart denied any culpability.

May 2018

On May 22, Brandi Villarreal picked up her dog, Lexi, from a PetSmart store in San Antonio, Texas, and found her distressed and breathing heavily. Her tongue was blue, and her gums were purple. After multiple trips to the vet over the next two days—during which time PetSmart called the distraught Villarreal requesting the veterinary paperwork—the previously healthy dog was found to have a consolidation in her chest (fluid in the lungs), likely caused by trauma, and had to be euthanized because of her declining condition.

In a separate May 2018 incident, the Soto family took their little dog, Fabio, to the local PetSmart in Tampa, Florida, to be groomed. Just over an hour after dropping him off, he was dead. The Sotos got a call from PetSmart telling them that their dog was unresponsive and they needed to come back to the store immediately. Workers reportedly brought over the veterinarian from the on-site Banfield Pet Hospital, but the dog went into cardiac arrest, and the vet wasn’t able to save him. Then, according to the family, PetSmart offered to buy them a new dog—but with a caveat: They would have to sign a nondisclosure agreement prohibiting them from discussing their experience with media outlets. The family declined the offer, and a necropsy report later revealed that Fabio had heartworms and cited stress as a factor contributing to the cardiac arrest.

April 2018

Ollie, a 4-month-old Maltese mix, sustained a broken leg during a grooming session at a Petco in San Antonio.

March 2018

Oliver Buttons, an 18-month-old cairn terrier, needed stitches for lacerations to his face and neck as well as surgical glue for nicks all over his body inflicted by a Petco groomer in Appleton, Wisconsin.

A cat named Cloudy died during a grooming session at a Petco in Providence, Rhode Island.

Abby, an 8-year-old corgi, died during a grooming session at a PetSmart in Toms River, New Jersey.

February 2018

A PetSmart groomer in Houston was fired after a video of her violently handling a small dog went viral.

December 2017

At least two dogs allegedly died, and a third sustained a back injury, after being taken to a New Jersey PetSmart for grooming. Just over an hour after his guardian dropped him off, Scruffles, a healthy 8-year-old bulldog, was reportedly taken to a veterinary hospital, where he was dead on arrival. The store apparently refused to give any information regarding what took place during his fatal grooming session.

An 8-year-old shih tzu named George allegedly returned home in extreme pain and arching his back. Veterinarians found that he’d sustained a back injury and prescribed him heavy steroids and 10 days of cage confinement.

Another dog, named Ranger—who was reportedly lethargic after returning home—died two days later on Christmas Eve. His heartbroken guardian had to break the news of his death to her children on Christmas morning.

July 2017

Michigan resident Allison Yates and her husband claimed that Beauvine, their 7-year-old Great Dane, lost 28 pounds in the nine days he spent at a PetSmart PetsHotel in Rochester Hills. The couple said that they chose the PetsHotel because the facility offered soundproof rooms and private time, and their dog has a nervous temperament. According to Yates, PetSmart called four days into Beauvine’s stay to report that he had diarrhea and had vomited. Had she known the severity of his condition, Yates said, she would have returned home immediately.

The couple claims that when they dropped Beauvine off at the PetsHotel, he weighed 138 pounds, but when they picked him up—nine days later—he weighed only 110 pounds. They also said that their veterinarian informed them that Beauvine was dehydrated and appeared to have “been neglected for a week.”

March 2017

Ollie, a 5-year-old pug in Newport, Rhode Island, died after a grooming session at Petco. E.J. Finocchio, president of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said that it was clear the Petco technicians were not trained to deal with an emergency. “It’s very troubling here, what happened,” he said. “We have an otherwise healthy dog that goes to have his nails clipped, and he ends up dead, and there’s not much we can do about it.”

When Pepper got home from a grooming session at a La Quinta, California, PetSmart, she wasn’t acting like herself. Her guardian immediately took her to the vet, who found that the dog had ruptured blood vessels as a result of “some sort of trauma.” While PetSmart denied wrongdoing, it paid for Pepper’s vet bills.

August 2016

When Demon’s guardian came to pick him up from a grooming session at an O’Fallon, Illinois, PetSmart, she immediately noticed that he had labored breathing. He was rushed to the vet, where it was discovered that his temperature was over 103 degrees. Within 20 minutes of arriving at the vet, he was dead.

June 2016

When 5-year-old Casper was taken to a Petco groomer in Moses Lake, Washington, his guardian, Desiree, had no idea that he’d never make it back home. Instead of getting a call from the store to let her know that her dog was ready to be picked up, she got a call informing her that he was “non-responsive” and being taken to the vet. Sadly, he passed away.

May 2016

A dachshund named Henry reportedly died after being taken to a California PetSmart for a routine grooming session, and an employee was arrested on suspicion of felony cruelty to animals. According to reports, just minutes after Henry was dropped off for a haircut, employee Juan Zarate emerged from the grooming office with the dog, who was bleeding from the mouth and having difficulty breathing, and took him to an on-site veterinarian. He was said to have died shortly after the vet began treatment, still in the store. His guardian may never know exactly what happened in the back room of that PetSmart store, but a necropsy revealed that the dog had sustained two broken ribs and a punctured lung and died of strangulation.

April 2016

Shortly after Buff, an 11-year-old golden retriever, went in for grooming at a Poway, California, Petco, he began to have trouble walking and developed an infection. Soon after, he died.

March 2015

An employee of an Atlanta Petco was fired after reportedly being caught on a cell phone video violently yanking on a dog’s paw and shoving the terrified animal around on a grooming table while trying to clip his or her nails.

July 2014

When Sierra was taken to a Beckley, West Virginia, PetSmart for grooming, she came home with razor burns and a cut on her foot pad that needed suturing. PetSmart paid for the dog’s vet bills.

July 2011

A California woman reportedly sued Petco after her dog Sadie suffered from heat stroke, internal bleeding, and burns when a groomer left her locked inside a cage dryer. Sadie had to be euthanized because of the extent of her injuries.

If it isn’t possible to groom your animal companions yourself, hire a groomer who makes house calls, and insist on staying with them at all times during the process. Groomers who have nothing to hide should welcome your presence, and it’ll help your animal companions to feel at ease, too.

Always thoroughly research and screen potential groomers, and don’t hesitate to get your animal companions and leave if something seems suspicious or “off.” Here are more tips on finding a reputable groomer:

  • Choose veteran groomers who are confident in their skills, recognize their own limitations, and are knowledgeable about animal behavior. An experienced professional will know the individual needs of different types of dogs. For example, elderly dogs may have heart problems, and some breeds may have breathing issues. All these factors are of special concern when it comes to bathing, drying, brushing, and clipping. If a groomer appears to be afraid of or impatient with animals, take them elsewhere.
  • Consult the Better Business Bureau regarding groomers you’re considering using, and do Google searches to see if any patrons have encountered problems with them. Look on Google, Yelp, and other review sites for comments from previous and current customers.
  • Request references from other clients.
  • Use a groomer who is a graduate of a training program and a member of a trade organization. Although groomers aren’t required to be licensed, an affiliation with groups like the National Dog Groomers Association of America, Inc., can indicate experience and professionalism. Evidence of participation in industry seminars is also a good sign.

If, despite all your precautions, your animal companion is injured by a groomer, you can file a small-claims suit or a lawsuit against the groomer or salon. You can also warn other animal guardians not to patronize the groomer by sharing your story with local television stations and newspapers.

You can apply many of these same rules when choosing a sitter for your animal companion. Your best bet is to select someone you know personally and trust, such as a relative, close friend, coworker, or neighbor. Be sure that the person you choose likes and is comfortable around companion animals. It’s best to have the person come to your house at least once prior to your trip so that he or she can meet and get acquainted with your animals. Click here for more tips on finding the right companion-animal sitter.

Remember, you’re your animal companions family members’ advocate and protector. Never just hand them over to service providers while simply hoping for the best.

Help us spread the word by sharing this article with your friends and family:

Pledge never to buy pet supplies from retailers that sell any animals. Let PetSmart officials know that you’ll shop at businesses that don’t sell animals—such as Target, Walgreens, or online retailers—instead:

Have you had your own nightmare experience with grooming services at PetSmart or Petco? Use #PetSmartGroomingNightmares or #PetcoGroomingNightmares to share your animal companion’s story on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram—urge your family, friends, and followers to shun these big-box pet store chains and their cruel practices.

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