Within a week, two dogs were abandoned at a pet store in St. Paul.
St. PAUL – On January 15, a man stopped at Pawz ‘n’ Klawz in St. Paul, a pet store that also provides pet grooming services. She brought “Lil Zeke,” a 12-week-old puppy, for a shampoo wash.
Debby Hunter is the owner of the shop. She said the man dropped the puppy off and “asked us to fix him,” But hours passed and the man never returned to get the dog.
“I tried calling the phone number… it’s ringing, but no one answers. No voicemail. And for us, the number comes out as a no service,” he said, telling Lakelandtoday.ca that he posted the story on social media, asking if anyone from the community recognized the name that was left out. Asked She also asked if anyone wanted to help take care of the puppy — the second request the business owner made in a week.
Just a few days before Lil Zeke left, someone else came in and left a dog at the pet store. In that case, after it was clear the dog had been dumped, a groomer at the store took the dog home. Hunter says Lil Zeke has also found a new home.
According to Hunter, local animal shelters don’t have room for dogs, and even if they did, she said the surrender fees that have to be paid for dogs can be a problem for many people who can’t afford them. take care of their pet.
Although both dogs were left at the store for a week, she said there was only one other time – and that was 10 years ago.
Hunter, who also runs a social media page for lost and abandoned dogs, said the recent drop-offs are likely because someone realized they couldn’t care for an animal they initially thought they wanted. She cautions people looking for a new pet, reminding them to do their homework before making a commitment. The local business woman also warned people about where they get their animals. Even though he is a pet store owner himself, Hunter does not encourage people to buy dogs from pet stores.
She believes many pets sold in pet stores may come from puppy mills, and while pet stores sometimes have rescue dogs or puppies available, she asks people to -be careful when looking for a new furry family member.
Ironically, even though he already found homes for the two puppies that arrived at his store last week, Hunter said he sells fish and some live animals, “but no puppies.”
