WHO: Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), www.caps-web.org, is the only national non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to protecting companion animals from cruelty in pet shops and puppy mills. CAPS President Deborah Howard, who has been interviewed on Animal Planet, CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX, is available for phone interviews. CAPS has done several stories with CBS 2 Chicago, including coverage of the Kathy Bauck investigation and criminal case. Bauck, who was one of the largest dog brokers and breeders in the country, was convicted of animal cruelty in March 2009 based on evidence from a six-week undercover employment investigation by CAPS. USDA issued a Decision and Order on December 2 that terminates Bauck's license. Bauck sold to pet shops in the Chicago area. WHAT: CAPS is protesting Happiness is Pets, which has six locations in the Chicago area, to draw awareness to the connection between pet shops and puppy mills. Almost all pet shops obtain dogs from puppy mills. Informing the public about the dangers of purchasing pet shop dogs is more important now than ever as people consider purchasing companion animals for gifts this holiday season. WHEN: Saturday, December 19, 2009 from 1-3 pm CST WHERE: Happiness is Pets, 616 E. Roosevelt Rd., Lombard, IL 60148 WHY: Happiness is Pets sells dogs from puppy mills -- commercial breeding facilities that mass-produce puppies for resale through pet shops and brokers. USDA licensed facilities are puppy mills. -- CAPS completed several very successful protests in the Los Angeles area, resulting in pet shops converting to humane business models that provide shelter animals for adoption. -- Millions of healthy and treatable dogs and cats are killed each year in shelters. CAPS urges consumers to adopt companion animals from shelter and rescue organizations rather than through pet shops, the Internet and breeders. HOW: CAPS wants to alert consumers to the problems associated with purchasing puppies from pet shops. At these peaceful protests, CAPS protesters distribute fact sheets on pet shops and where to adopt in Chicago and CAPS brochures. CAPS protestors want Happiness is Pets to convert to a humane business model that provides dogs from local shelters, especially kill facilities, rather than from puppy mills. CAPS has investigated the following USDA licensed breeders or brokers in Iowa who sell to Happiness is Pets: Steve Kruse (largest broker in Iowa; has more than 1,000 dogs), Brian Mohrfeld, Kruse Farm Enterprises (see Jordan Kruse), and Les Knust. CAPS has also investigated Delilah Jean Wagler in Indiana, who operates without a USDA license in violation of the Animal Welfare Act and sells puppies to Happiness is Pets through USDA licensed broker Levi Graber. You can find investigation reports, photos and undercover footage on the CAPS website under "CAPS Investigations Reports."About CAPS Founded by President Deborah Howard in 1992, Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to protecting companion animals from cruelty in pet shops and puppy mills. CAPS actively addresses the abuse and suffering of pet shop and puppy mill dogs through investigations, education, media relations, legislative involvement, puppy mill dog rescues, consumer assistance and pet industry employee relations.
Contact Information: Media Contacts: Ida McCarthy Protest Organizer cell: 630-479-4673 idamccarthy@yahoo.com Deborah Howard CAPS President cell: 339-236-0978 caps@caps-web.org Mara Stefan Emerge PR cell: 781-771-6911 mstefan@emergepr.com