The worst marketing idea for 2004.

This from the last issue of the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary magazine:
"Boston, Massachusetts: A group of former executives of IKEA and the Gap are hoping to sell puppies like they've been selling chairs and blue jeans.
Woof & Co. has opened two stores in Boston malls, with plans to add six stores in 2004 and go national in 2005. The chain is selling purebred puppies and upscale accessories to people who don't know better than to buy them–hoping to carve a niche in the "upscale market."
"The company gets its puppies from Hunte Corp., a Missouri-based broker for puppy mills. These "breeders" keep dogs in appaling conditions–tiny wire cages, where they live as long as they are capable of breeding. The puppies are sent to pet stores. Many of them then end up in shelters.
'We are a lifestyle store,' said Linda Povey, one of the executives." Is that a "lifestyle"? People will not stop at anything to make money.
Anybody close to Boston who can gather enough friends of animals to picket the stores? :mad: :mad: :mad:

Albea,

I saw this on another dog site;


Animal Lovers Alarmed By 'Puppy Retail' Venture
by Sherry Morse

A group composed of retail veterans who were formerly involved with Gap and IKEA have started what they call "lifestyle stores" selling puppies in Boston.

The new venture, known as Woof & Company, plans to compete with private breeders selling purebred puppies and upscale accessories in what they describe as a distinct niche in the United States "pet industry."

Linda Povey, a partner in the consultancy that created the company, says of other chains like Petsmart and Petco, "We're not interested in going head-to-head selling dog food. Their strategy is high volume, low prices. We're a lifestyle store."

However, neither Petsmart nor Petco sell puppies. Instead, both stores provide pet adoption days for local animal welfare groups.

The two stores that the new company has opened in Boston-area malls, as well as the other stores they plan to add over the next two years, will feature puppies from Hunte Corporation, a Missouri puppy broker.

Hunte Corporation, which also exports dogs overseas, is the largest puppy broker in the United States. The company has been linked to a number of negligent pet stores and breeders such as the Ohio-based PETLAND, INC.

Over the last three years the United States Department of Agriculture has loaned the company more than $4 million for expansion and upgrades.

Woof & Company plans on pricing their puppies from $750 to $1800 with an average fifty-percent profit margin expected on each puppy.

Doug Jones, a former Gap, Inc. executive who has twenty-five years experience leading retail chains, commented, "There is no clear market leader in retail market for puppies."

Jones said he wants to leverage the unique store format of the new company to creatively merchandise and market puppies and supplies.

The news has been received with horror by animal advocates. Given the masses of dogs languishing in animal shelters across the nation who desperately need homes, and given the cruel conditions endured by mothers and pups in commercial breeders' puppy mills, animal advocates consider Woof & Company's pedigree puppy venture morally unacceptable.

"While selling high volume at low prices may have worked well with stores like Gap and IKEA, it does not fare well when the product is little puppies being mass produced under horrible circumstances by the commercial puppy mills who supply the likes of puppy pimp Hunte Corporation," was the comment of one concerned individual on a Web discussion forum about the proposed puppy stores.

Woof & Company is already building a database of puppies and owners and is planning on increasing marketing when the markets they are focusing on get a critical mass of stores.

Woof & Company's parent company, Meridian Venture (www.meridian-venture.com), can be contacted by phone at 610-254-2999, or by fax at 610-254-2996.

© 2004 Animal News Center, Inc.



I hope Boston Dog lovers give this company a very hard time
& try to discourage this stupid idea.

Where in Boston? I certainly live close enough ... we don't have IKEA anywhere near us, that I know ... but I will do whatever I can. I looked at the website you linked to for their parent company, and didn't see anything about it ...

I can find nothing but the same story posted over and over to BBS-type places. I'm gonna check further, but I'm beginning to doubt this is real.

Trust me, if it is, I'm gonna be ther with hand-outs and knowledge.

I can't find the article in the most recent Best Friends magazine, Karen, but since that's where Alicia saw it, then maybe contacting Best Friends might be a good place to start. Let me know if I can do something from a distance.

Logan

Logan,
The article is in the March/April issue, page 18, in the lower left hand corner in a pink background.

To everybody be aware that this disgraceful enterprise is the brainchild of former executives of IKEA and the Gap. The stores themselves don't have anything to do with it. Also remember the 4 million dollars given to these people for expansion (if this information is accurate) when you go to vote in November.
Karen sent me a message, she'll investigate this further.
For anybody interested in checking with Best Friends, their Web site is:
http://www.bestfriends.org

Alicia, now I know why I couldn't see it. The only copy they had on line at Best Friends was the January/February edition. I can't remember if I've seen the March/April issue yet or not.

What's the deal about the $4 Million? I remember reading a long time ago about a government guaranteed USDA loan to Hunte Corp (this has been several years ago, if not longer). So now you have my curiosity aroused.

Logan

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Karen
I can find nothing but the same story posted
over and over to BBS-type places.

I'm gonna check further,
but I'm beginning to doubt this is real.

---

Sorry Karen - it *IS* for real... :( :mad:

Do your search two ways -
"Woof & Co" and
"Woof & Company" ...
Google turns up a few NON-BBS hits with Company spelled out.

Two different supplier sites LIST these two addresses for "Stores" >>>

BRAINTREE
Woof & Company - Store # 101
South Shore Plaza
Attn: Dustin
250 Granite St.
Room 2024 A
Braintree, MA 02184
Tel: 781-848-0178

SAUGUS
Woof & Company - Store # 102
Attn: Lisa
Square One Mall
1201 Broadway Rt. 1 South
Saugus, MA 01906
Tel: 781-941-2291

And the http://www.dogtra.co.kr/eng/ (Manufacturer of Shock Collars)
site give This Address & Phone

WOOF & COMPANY - (IS the Corporate Office for Woof >>>
55 CARTER DR.
DEISON, NJ. 08817
Tel: (732) 339-4201

I CALLED both the Corp Office AND the
South Shore Plaza Store...

Store has :eek: 42 Pups "in stock"...
"Companion Size Dogs" = Goldens, Labs, a ROTTI (for $1400), Irish Setters...

I asked about a Shepherd...
"Too Big for us to stock; but we can 'special order' for you" :rolleyes: -
50% of $1100 down payment (sight UN-seen!)
(Takes two weeks.)

Store dogs "see a Vet" once a week...
Dogs do come from HUNTE Corp...
ALL AKC "registered" "companion dogs" (not intended for
show or breeding...
"We have a Rapid Turnover" - dogs only in store "a week or so"...

And they have a real (NOT) informative web site >>
http://www.woofandcompany.com/
No plans to have Puppy Info on the site -
"dogs don't stay in store long enough"...

Typical Puppy Store! :mad:

Go Get'um, Karen!!

/s/ :mad: Phred

Logan,
read Lizbud's post, right after my first one in this thread, about another article on the subject and the Department of Agriculture contribution to this enterprise.

Phred,
you posted at the same time I was writing this.
Thanks for the information. Now, unfortunately, we know they are for real. Perhaps not only Woof & Co. but all the stores in those two malls should be threatened with a boycott for as long as they rent space to those people. Money talks.
:mad:

Here's a very long and somewhat enlightening "read" about
the Hunte Corporation...

http://www.critterhaven.org/partners.htm


And the Hunte Corp web site >>>

http://www.thehuntecorporation.com/

**EDIT: Just noticed the *Links* didn't *link* :eek:

Try them now.

/s/ Phred

Anyone other than Mayor Karen *close* to these two
Woof & Co stores??

I think they're both Suburbs of Boston, Mass.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Albea
Logan,
read Lizbud's post, right after my first one in this thread, about another article on the subject and the Department of Agriculture contribution to this enterprise.

Phred,
you posted at the same time I was writing this.
Thanks for the information. Now, unfortunately, we know they are for real. Perhaps not only Woof & Co. but all the stores in those two malls should be threatened with a boycott for as long as they rent space to those people. Money talks.
:mad:

---

Albea,

I don't think Logan reads anything I post anymore.:( Long
story, but.....


As to your second note to Phred,

Unfortunately, it's true. Money talks big in this society.:mad:
I do hope Sandra sees this thread as she also lives in the area.
With what is known about pet store dogs nowadays, it's sad
that some people would still consider buying from a puppy from
a store.:(

Thanks a lot, Liz, for your helpful commentary. :( :( :( I guess I just can't win. My total response was in regards to Alicia and Karen's posts.

Alicia, that's the money I was thinking of. I did not read the complete article that Liz posted before I responded earlier. Thank you for clearing that up. I guess eventually I will learn to read every single response very thoroughly before I say anything.

By the way, just for a little education on USDA loans, the USDA loans are usually government guaranteed loans, but they are made by another lending institution such as a bank or a non-bank financial institution. The government does not lend the money, just guarantees a portion (a big portion) of the loan. There are some direct lending programs through the government, but I daresay the Hunte Corporation would not qualify for those.

A little info on Hunte Corporation loans.


For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, September 5, 2001 Contact: Dan Wadlington
[email protected]
417-889-1800

USDA Approves Loan to McDonald County K-9 Distributor Blunt Announces

Goodman, Missouri -- The Unites States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a $900,000 guaranteed rural development loan to allow the Hunte Corporation, located in northern McDonald County, to purchase equipment, restructure it’s debt and provide working capital for expansion Southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt has announced. Hunte Corporation Chairman Andrew Hunte said, “The loan will allow us to expand business and increase employment in McDonald County.” The company received another loan for $3.5 million from the USDA last year.
“The dog breeding industry has suffered a black eye in recent years, but we are out to change that image by putting animals first and ensuring they get the best humane professional treatment,” Hunte said. “We deal with breeders in several Midwest states who can meet our standards of quality care. One of our goals is to help breeders improve their operations.” Hunte explained, “We get the puppies at 8 weeks old and they undergo a week of quality care to make sure they are healthy before they are shipped to upscale pet stores around the country.”

The Hunte Corporation operations near Goodman include more than 150 employees under the direction of six veterinarians. The dogs are housed in a 30,000 square foot building that is climate and odor controlled. The operation is federally and state inspected.

Hunte said, “We added 18 employees this year and we hope to keep expanding.” “We want to be the educators of the industry. We are committed to excellence. The federal guaranteed loan will allow us to continue to move in that direction.” Ten years ago, Hunte Corporation consisted of seven employees and a million dollars in sales. Hunte says sales this year will exceed $26 million.

Hunte Corporation is the largest distributor-wholesaler of puppies in the United States. The company also exports young dogs overseas.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke
Anyone other than Mayor Karen *close* to these two Woof & Co stores??

I think they're both Suburbs of Boston, Mass.

---

Phred,
I'm going to send all of this information to the office of Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue. There are thousands of members in New England, most of them in Mass. I'm sure many will be willing to do something about it.
Unfortunately, the only way to stop traffic on dogs is to close all the puppy mills, something that's not going to happen any time soon. However, we can all write to our legislators voicing our concerns. Maybe, this being an election year, they would pay more attention than usual.
Also, it would be great if anybody else involved in rescue would mobilize their local organizations.

Thanks for finding all that out, Phred. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.......

Today was the first protest of Woof & Co. that I found out about. See here for pictures (including some inside the store) and details. I'll let everyone know if I hear about another protest being organized.

http://KarenWatts.com/woof/big-sign.jpg

I think you furgot to mention a Very Important Item...

http://www.karenwatts.com/woof/Karen-protest.jpg

Our Mayor Karen WAS THERE!!

"It was pretty windy there, the biggest challenge of the protest
was keeping the sign from blowing out of my hands.
Yes, that's me (Karen) behind the sunglasses and windblown hair.
It was a busy street, and many people beeped or shouted support :) to us."

THANKS, Miz Karen -
for Being There!!

/s/ Phred

Thank you for being there, Karen. Those pictures of the puppies in their cages break my heart.
That there are people stupid enough to buy a puppy from a store is nothing new, but, are there really enough people in that area that can afford to spend $2,000 in a pup? The only hope is that at those prices they will not sell enough to stay in business. Until, and if, that happens, the poor pups will continue to suffer.:mad: :mad: :mad:

Thank you Karen & bless you heart for picketing this store.:)

It may be a little fancier than most, but cannot hide the fact
that they make money on the misery of all the parents of these
puppy mill dogs.:( I wish there was a way to show the mothers
and sires of these poor dogs & let people know what it is they
are supporting by buying these pups.:(

I hope they lose money & go out of business.

My pal lives in New Bedford Mass. and is a dog lover, I will email him and see if he wants to do anything at all.

Thanks, folks. Tell your New Bedford friend that it's right off 93/Route 3 - literally - the signs for the higway are what you see behind me in the picture, so it'd be easy to get to.

I'll let all of you know when the next demonstration is planned, I promise.

GRRR!! I hope the protests help!

Having dogs in the mall isn't an entirely bad idea...if they are dogs from the shelter, not from puppy mills!

We have something called Furburbia, I haven't been there, but it sounds like a great idea. http://www.utahpets.org/furburbia.html

Wow Amy! The picture gallery for Furbia is a stark constraction compared to the pictures Karen posted for the Woof & Co.

Karen, how sickening.... :( :mad: Best of luck with all the protests. I hope they go out of business soon and are revealed for what they really are.

Can you let me know next date for the next demonstration please Karen, my friend has shown an interest, I would at least like to pass the info onto him, and he can take it from there, thanks.

Carole, when I hear of the next one, I'll let you know - all of you - she said it would probably be once a month, unless someone else steps up to organize it. The Furburbia idea sounds great. That's what SHOULD be in a mall.

Good for you for protesting, Karen! Those pics of the puppies made me very sad. I did a search for them in Florida but came up with nothing. If they come out with one near me, I'll be there to protest. I'm sure the Orlando area would be a possible location. I can't believe this.

Hugs to you Karen for being there! As you know, I've been protesting the Debbie's Petland here on Cape Cod for a couple of years now. It's amazing to learn how many people are unaware of the horrors of the puppymill; or even the term! Edlucation is the key to shutting these little shop of horrors down as it seems the govt., be it local, state or federal just doesn't seem to get the message!:(:(:( It's heartbreaking to see these defenseless animals languishing in their cages. But it isn't until the demand dries up that these places will go out of business. I'll be looking out for an update on future demonstrations Karen. Maybe we can meet up:)

Mayor Karen just Announced the NEXT Protest
at Woof & Company in Boston
on Saturday, March 27, 2004 ~

READ ALL ABOUT IT at >>>

Protest at Woof & Co

BE THERE if you can...
TELL your Friends!

/s/ Phred

WOW!!! Y'all ROCK! Keep up the GREAT work!

WAY TO GO MAYOR KAREN!!!

Put in a few protests for me! I wish I could be there! If I was still living in CT I would.

I hope they get shut down!!!