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"

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!

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