Protest of Woof & Co

Got this this morning! P.S. The company announces they're changing their name to Rufus, Inc. We will not be fooled o deterred. These are still puppymill dogs, and an atrocity!

See here for more info.


WHAT: Woof & Co Demo for the Pups, their Parents, and the Shelter Dogs they
will displace/become.

WHEN: 2:00-4:00pm, Saturday March 27, 2004.

WHERE: Woof & Co. Braintree puppy store (South Shore Plaza is located at the
intersection of Route 3 and I-93, 781-848-0178). We will be on Rt. 37--also
called Granite Street. It is a very busy, divided highway with a fairly wide
median in places. We will between the two mall entrances off Rt. 37 where
we will have high visibility to almost everyone entering and leaving the
mall by car. (See Parking & Directions, below.)

SIGNS: Will be provided. We will also have literature.

WHY: Please join us at a peaceful demonstration to convey our opposition to
the new chain of puppy stores (Woof & Co.) debuting in MA as a test case for
the rest of the country. Two MA stores have already opened; six more are to
follow very soon. Woof & Co. plans to take over the national puppy market.
Hunte Corporation of Missouri (a major puppy mill state) supplies the
puppies to Woof & Co. And Hunte is the nation's largest and most notorious
USDA Class B puppy broker with big-time links to puppy mills. They try to
use tricky wording such as "the puppies are not raised on wire but suspended
floors" to avoid the puppy mill stigma. According to pet advocacy experts,
if a puppy comes from Missouri and is sold by a Class B broker, there is a
very high likelihood that the puppies are from a puppy mill.

Already puppies are showing up at local shelters. And, of course, shelter
dogs will continue to languish and die while people buy these puppy mill
pups from Woof & Co. Further, it has been observed that there are no toys in
the cages that are too small for play room. One puppy chewed off the tip of
her tail out of boredom, so Woof & Co put her on sale! We are also concerned
about the pups' health.


RSVP/INFO: RSVP would be extremely helpful: [email protected]. Also, if
you're willing to pick up people, let us know. If you need a ride, let us
know. We will try to connect people. This is a weather permitting demo---if
it is snowing, major snow is predicted, or it is raining, we will send out a
postponement email. But if you have heard of this from a forwarded email, we
will have no way of knowing, so please email us before going to the demo on
Saturday if the weather is looking iffy.


DIRECTIONS:
By MBTA - Take the Red Line to the Braintree stop. Take Bus #236 or Bus
#238. Both bus routes run every 20 minutes.

>From Boston and Points North - Take I-93 South to Exit 6 (Granite Street,
Rt. 37 in Braintree). Bear right off the exit. At the second set of lights,
make a left into the mall parking lot.

>From Points West - From Mass Turnpike take Route 90 East to Route 128 South.
Follow Route 128 South to I-93 North to Exit 6 (Granite Street, Rt. 37 in
Braintree). Bear right off the exit. At the second set of lights, make a
left into the mall parking lot.

>From RI and Points South - Take I-95 North to Exit 12 (which becomes I-93
North). Follow I-93 North to Exit 6 (Granite Street, Rt. 37 in Braintree).
Bear right off the exit. At the second set of lights, make a left into the
mall parking lot.

>From the South Shore and Cape Cod - Take Route 3 North to I-93 South. Follow
I-93 South to Exit 6 (Granite Street, Rt. 37 in Braintree). Bear right off
the exit. At the second set of lights, make a left into the mall parking
lot.

PARKING:

We recommend parking in the Circuit City lot which is off the second
entrance to the mall (it's the second entrance if you're coming from Rt 93).
Then walk the short distance back up the hill to where we will be holding
signs on Rt. 37 (Granite Street). At the first demo, some folks parked
elsewhere, as well and seem to have had no problems---use your own judgment.

For more info about puppy mills, see: http://stoppuppymills.org/



Email prepared by Helen Rayshick
for The Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition (MARC)

I wish I lived closer Karen. I do know some folks in that general area and will forward this very timely (and horribly sad) information. How dare they try to come off as "pet friendly" :mad: :( :mad:

I wish i lived closer too! well, i send my support from seattle. Good Luck!

Thats an outrage!:mad: Don't people buying these dogs know or care? Put a fancy label and name on the store and people would buy. I wish I could be closer - I'd certainly be there.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Karen

Woof & Company announces they're changing their name to
Rufus, Inc.
We will not be fooled o deterred.
These are still puppymill dogs, and an atrocity!

See The worst marketing idea of 2004 for more info.

---

Thanks for the New Info, Karen!!

Here's a brief story about the Name Change from
Woof & Co to
Rufus, Inc >>>

Name Change to Rufus, Inc
Scroll ALL the way to the BOTTOM of the displayed page.

/s/ Phred

Prayers for the poor animals and the wonderful protesters.

Good luck guys! Good job. I wish I lived closer. I hope y'all can protest this often, because every time you're out there you educate, educate, educate!

Quote:

---

Originally posted by catnapper
Thats an outrage!:mad: Don't people buying these dogs know or care? Put a fancy label and name on the store and people would buy. I wish I could be closer - I'd certainly be there.

---

A lot of people simply do not know about puppy mills. The more people who know, the better of we all are. There was a very sweet Schnauzer at the protest last time who had been purchased at Woof & Co. by an owner who didn't know about puppy mills - the pup went into a coma two days after she was purchased, that's how sick she was. She has since recovered, and her owner was educated about puppy mills and the horrors there-in.

I so wish I lived near there! I'd be there right along with you. Good luck and may no dogs be purchased!

Thanks for all that new information, Karen and Phred.
I forwarded it to several members of YGRR in MA and hope that some will get involved.
Perhaps the change of name and the statement they made is the result of the protests and they want to improve their image. Of course, nothing will change for as long as they get their pups from the puppy mills. The only hope is that they will go out of business, the sooner the better.:mad:

I send my support from MI, and if I lived closer, I WOULD be there. So much evil just to make a buck, and in the middle are innocent animals and heart broken humans when something happens to their new pet. I am glad I was raised with this knowledge, and hopefully we can all spread it so this can stop. I don't know if I'm more sad or sickened by this. :(
"He is working with animal activists and veterinarians..."
A quote from what Cinder and Smoke posted. I would love to know A)who these vets and animal activists are and B) how much they are being payed to go along with this because what vet would support it and where did they find an animal activists that aren't protesting it? :confused:

I would like to know that as well. I don't see how they can/would follow up on the puppies that were purchased, either. I hope they go out of business very quickly. You can see from the pics that Karen posted that they aren't cared for.

Here's another Web site of people protesting against Woof & Co.
http://www.schafer.is/gsd/bulletins_read/10494.htlm

My favorite band, Guster, is from that area! Right now, the site is not allowing me to post on the message board, something about a script error. But, as soon as I can, I'm going to post the link to this thread so that hopefully some music lovers that love animals can know what's going on in their hometown. I'll let you know if I get any responses. I wish I could be at the protest! Good luck!

A puppy mills is a puppy mill is a puppy mill!!! Doesn't matter HOW many times the name is changed. It's obvious they have something to hide.

Shame on them!!! :mad: :mad: I certainly hope these people seeking out puppies wise up and smell the dog poop!!!

Great, thanks!

Paul's immediately commented that "following up" with the people is just another way to sell them more stuff.

Notice the articles do not quote any actual "animal activists?" Grrrrrrrr

I did a search and came up with this link. It tells the name/address/and phone number of the CEO of the company. Let's all send them some snail mail. That's more effective than phone calls.
http://www.inhumane.org/Alerts/Woof%20&%20Company.htm

Not sure if this is old news... my transport group recieved this:

Quote:

---

The self-styled "upscale" puppy mill pet store, Woof & Co. -- which has opened two retail outlets in the Boston area and are planning to go national in 2005 -- is changing its name to Rufus Inc. and, in a brilliant PR move, positioning itself as a friend of companion animals! For those of you who are unfamiliar with this atrocity, this company calls its puppy sales area "The Adoption Center" and sells puppies from Missouri mills, brokered through the Hunte Corporation, for between $750 and $1800.

The link below will take you to a "story" about their new positioning. Amazingly, this "story" -- which is nothing more than a company press release -- appears in the newsletter of the American Animal Hospital Association, a nonprofit organization supposedly serving veterinarians.

http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/...004-03-10.html

The AAHA has published numerous position papers on animal welfare, including neutering as early as possible to reduce the companion animal overpopulation problem. Please write to them ([email protected]) to complain about the free positive publicity given to this atrocious business venture by their newsletter editor, who is obviously unqualified at best and an idiot at worst!

We need massive action to stop this company from fulfilling its plan to open its pet stores all across the country next year. When puff pieces like this one are printed in the newsletters of veterinary organizations, it's a huge step backward for all of us.

Thank you.

Pamela Erbe

---

BEST OF LUCK WITH YOUR PROTEST KAREN!!! :)

Yes, we all got that story in the email from the protest organizers - hence my post talking about their desire to "follow up" with the puppies. As I replied to the protest organizers, even if I legally changed my name to Arnold Schwarzenegger, it wouldn't change the fact that I am neither male nor Austrian nor a millionaire governor. I'd still be who I am. No amount of marketing can change the facts. As long as they sell puppy mill pups, as long as they keep puppies in otherwise empty cages with no toys, blankets or any mental stimulation, the are still an awful place.

As Karen said, the CEO of this company says he works with
"animal activists" in this business venture.

Woof & Co. to be Rufus Inc.
Several months after opening two stores in Boston, Mass., Woof & Co., a retail companion animal outlet, is redefining its image to encourage a holistic approach to pet sales and ownership.



Employees will counsel would-be owners about the demands of each breed and follow-through after purchases to ensure safe, healthy homes for puppies sold, said Don Jones, CEO. The new company – Rufus Inc. – will be announced to the public in May to “enhance the quality of lives of companion animals and the services that we offer,” said Jones. He is working with animal activists and veterinarians to ensure that the new stores will “enhance the communities where we live and work” by educating customers, establishing a welfare network for clients who cannot keep pets they buy and following up with pet owners at critical stages of a puppy’s life


No animal activist organization would ever be associated with
selling pups through a retail outlet.:mad: I'd love to call him on
that statement.:mad:

MAKE A STATEMENT ALL OF US. DO IT NOW. WE HAVE HAD POWER BEFORE, LET'S DO IT AGAIN. NO MORE OF THIS STOP THIS MADDNESS!!:mad: :mad:

The 2 open stores are >>

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

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

THIS IS the Corporate Office for Woof & Co >>>

WOOF & COMPANY -
(Answers with "Woof & Co, Family Pet Centers" :rolleyes:
55 CARTER DR.
DEISON, NJ. 08817
Tel: (732) 339-1232, ext 4200 = Don Jones

AND - the Corporate number I found on March 11 >>
Tel: (732) 339 4201 ~ Answered TODAY (3/19)
with "Rufus, Inc; Alan Brown".

I CALLED both the Corp Office AND the
South Shore Plaza Store (On March 11) ...

Store had :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:

/s/ Phred

Quote:

---

Originally posted by lizbud
Employees will counsel would-be owners about the demands of each breed and follow-through after purchases to ensure safe, healthy homes for puppies sold, said Don Jones, CEO.

---

I also read that, Liz. Who will take care to make sure that the puppies, and their parents, are healthy while they are at the puppymill?:mad: :mad: :mad:
This is making me more and more enraged every time the subject comes up.
The only solution is to attack the problem at the roots, to close all the puppymills. I've written to the Connecticut legislators many times. Perhaps if we do that for every congresman and senator from all the states, they might al least know how strongly we feel about it.

P.S.: I just sent an e-mail to AAHA protesting the publication of that press release.

Today's the protest folks! Anyone coming?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke

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

---

I paid $75 for my rottie, how stupid are people:mad:

I wish I could come.
This has also been discusses on the Shiba board I frequent, and I believe some people in the area are going.

If I could I would Karen!! Give it to them from me too!!! Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

WOW!!! I just got hung up on by the asst manager!!! lol Must have struck a nerve eh? <evil grin>

I asked why they furthered the growth of puppy mills by buying from the Hunte Corporation, the largest class B dealer in the country and she went off on a tirade about how they loved puppies and they loved and cared for them yada yada yada yada and then refused to listen to me and said thank you and hung up on me! Really professional behavior! NOT! :rolleyes:

Thanks, mugsy! :) If they loved pups, they'd feature shelter dogs, not puppy mill babies!

Well I TRIED to get that out but she hung up on me first! lol

I'll try corporate on Monday....see how many people hang up on me there.:p

heeheehee good job mugsy;)

Anything we can do to stop this chain from growing is good. Write letters, make phone calls, protest!

Quote:

---

Originally posted by mugsy

WOW!!!
I just got hung up on by the asst manager!!! lol
Must have struck a nerve eh? <evil grin>
:rolleyes:

---

You're doin it wrong, Mugsy! :p

To them - Time is MONEY :mad:

Every minute they spend on the phone
is a minute they are NOT selling dogs...

Soooo...
Call em up and have a "nice", LOOOnnnng *chat* ~
Ask em every *dumb* question you can think of...
Ask em to tell you what they have in "stock"...
Ask em about Special Ordering a dog...
Ask - ask - ask -
Keep em on that phone as long as possible...

Then call back - chances are a DIFFERENT one will answer -
if you really wore out the first one! :D

I can burn some "free" minutes on the cell phone
(with "free" long distance too) on Saturdays...
Last Sat I had a lovely time-consuming session with
one of the Braintree clerks - he had NO Clue he was being strung along!
Battery started to *croak* - so I had to let him go with a promise I'd be
"in to see him in an hour or so"...
I hope he skipped dinner "waiting" for me!! :p

I recharged the cell-dinger and had at em again later...
but the girl I got was SOOO DUMB I had trouble finding dumb questions
that she could handle. :rolleyes:

TRY IT! - You'll have a *blast*!!!
Gotta "talk nice", but remember - while YOU have em tied up -
They are NOT selling pups!!

:D

/s/ Phred

Got a new email today of What to Do:

1. Call DC Retailers who owns Woof & Co at their toll free number:
888-243-1988 and tell them your concerns about Woof & Co. puppy stores.

2. Write and/or call the manager of the South Shore Plaza: Joe Koechel,
Manager, South Shore Plaza, 250 Granite Street, Braintree, MA 02184,
781-843-8201

3. Submit an online message to South Shore mall owners. Go to: Simon.com,
then click investor relations, then corporate governance highlights, then
contact spg. From that same homepage click find a mall, scroll to south
shore plaza, click contact the mall and you can e-mail them.

4. Help us find vets and customers who will submit comments to proposed regs
by April 14, 5:00pm, and/or attend the hearing on April 7; and/or attend our
demo at Saugus on April 17, 2-4pm. Hearing will be at: Walthan 4-H Center,
aka Waltham Field Station 240 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts at 9:00
am.


5. Also there is a second hearing on April 7th listed at 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Natural Resources Conservation Service, 451 West St., Amherst, MA in the Conference Room.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Karen
Got a new email today of What to Do:

1. Call DC Retailers who owns Woof & Co at their toll free number:
888-243-1988 and tell them your concerns about Woof & Co. puppy stores.
-------------------------------

4. Help us find vets and customers who will submit comments to proposed regs
by April 14, 5:00pm, and/or attend the hearing on April 7; and/or attend our
demo at Saugus on April 17, 2-4pm. Hearing will be at: Walthan 4-H Center,
aka Waltham Field Station 240 Beaver Street, Waltham, Massachusetts at 9:00
am.


5. Also there is a second hearing on April 7th listed at 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Natural Resources Conservation Service, 451 West St., Amherst, MA in the Conference Room.

---

Item #1:
The toll-free number > 888-243-1988
is listed several ways...
to Woof & Co
to Woof & Company, Family Pet Centers
to Rufus, Inc (reported by some to be the "new name"
. . for the "Woof & Co" pet stores)

Chances are that calling that number will get you to someone in
the Corp Office or "Upper Management" of Woof & Co -
and complaints will probably fall on "deaf ears" :p :mad:

Items 4 & 5 >>>

These Public Hearings are to discuss the "New Proposed CHANGES"
to Mass Public Law # 330 CMR 12.00
"PROPOSED REVISION OF REGULATIONS at 330 Code of Massachusetts Regulations 12.00
(“330 CMR 12.00”),
“LICENSING AND OPERATION OF PET SHOPS”

Here are some *links* >>>

330 CMR 12.00 - AS WRITTEN "now"(a .pdf file)
Several pages, with some Detailed Requirements for Pet Shops -
be good reading for anyone who can VISIT Woof & Co -
you can see how closely they FOLLOW the Regs!

The Public Hearing Announcement (a .pdf file)

Mass Dept of Agriculture - "Pet Shop Page"
NOTE: This page has a LOT of *links* that don't display as *links*
unless you scroll over them... "mouse around" the page!
In the LEFT Column is a *link* to the
"New Proposed Pet Shop Regs" - but the *link* doesn't work! :mad:

I have not found any display of the New Proposed Reg changes. :(
Here's what the Hearing Announcement says...
"In response to bio-security concerns, issuance of pet shop licenses needs to be dealt with in a more efficient manner. There is a need to create standard record requirements that will facilitate state disease investigations and inspections of pet shops.
The proposed changes introduce definitions and clarify certain licensing and operating requirements to reduce ambiguity in current regulations. It creates three different classes of licenses according to which types of animals are sold and then sets forth the different standards each class must meet again, clarifying the requirements for each. Dividing licenses into classes allows the Department to concentrate their energies on the animals that pose a greater bio-security threat and require the most attention.

Sounds to me like they're more worried about Homeland Security issues than Animal WELLness. :(

/s/ Phred

Posted on PT - June 13, 2005 >>>

Quote:

---

Originally posted by QueenScoopalot
http://news.bostonherald.com/localRe...=88532&format=
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YAY!!!!! This 'glorified' puppy mill vendor's been shut down! I've never set foot into the store, and don't go into these type places, but too many puppies suffered before victory! ;) Good riddance!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woof stores go poof: Turn tail after Herald report


Embattled mall pet store chain Woof & Co. turned tail and quietly slinked out of Massachusetts last week, six months after a Herald special report spotlighted serious problems with the way the chain handled its high-priced pooches.

``We kept picketing, but, finally, we think the Herald articles put it over the top,'' said thrilled Jamaica Plain animal rights activist Mary Felthouse-Weber.

The Herald reported in December that Woof & Co. piled up 19 complaints and 27 violations of state pet store regulation in less than two years at its stores in the Square One Mall in Saugus and South Shore Plaza in Braintree.

An outbreak of the contagious intestinal parasite giardia at both stores a year ago prompted town health officials to intervene to protect the public.

Saugus health agent Sharon McCabe ordered employees at the Square One Mall store to get tested for giardia after the outbreak there.

Employee-turned-whistleblower Sara Purcell, who told the Herald the New Jersey chain routinely offered sick dogs for sale, yesterday said she was relieved to see Woof & Co. leave.

``It's a big thing. I didn't think they were going to close down this quick,'' she said. ``I figured they would have fought more. But every time I've gone by there (since the Herald series) it seemed like there were less and less people in the store.''

The manager of the Square One Mall said the company broke its lease and closed up shop at both Massachusetts stores last Tuesday night. Calls to the chain's New Jersey offices weren't returned yesterday, and both local numbers have been disconnected.

Helen Rayshick and other members of the Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition picketed both Woof & Co. stores several times to protest the company's treatment of its pups.

``Thank goodness this company won't be able to do this in Massachusetts any more,'' she said.

The chain, which is incorporated under the name Rufus Inc., pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges and got slapped with a $9,800 fine in New Jersey last month for allegedly allowing a sick Shar Pei puppy to languish in the back of a store for 21 days without treatment. Inspectors also said they found dead puppies on ice in the store refrigerator.

---

The above quote is from the thread:
Woof stores go *POOF* after Newspaper exposure

And *THANKS* to Mayor Karen, and ALL the others who helped the Cause
with Protests, phone calls, and GOT INVOLVED!! :) :D

Finally!!!:D :D :D
It's been a long time in coming, and I wonder how many puppies had to suffer while the stores were opened, but I hope this will stop them from opening shop in any other cities.
Thanks to Karen and all the people who were involved in bringing this happy conclusion to the horrible story.

oh no..I missed all of this?! I would have done something too!

but WOOHOOO!!

we thank you for you!!!!!!!