Home >> Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Critters >> Humane Society to Celebs: It Ain't Puppy Love

Humane Society to Celebs: It Ain't Puppy Love

Posted Dec 11th 2007 2:56PM by TMZ Staff

UPDATE: The L.A. Department of Animal Regulations has just shut down Pets of Bel Air because we're told three of the store's permits have expired. Lt. Troy Boswell tells TMZ the store's permit to sell live animals has been expired for three and a half years (yikes!). We're also told the Department has checked out all the animals currently in the store and they all seem to be in good health. A worker at the pet store insists they've done nothing wrong.

The pet store has 48 hours to renew their permits.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) today revealed undercover footage linking a popular pet store-to-the-stars with a puppy mill that supplies them. Oh the humane-ity!
Britney, Paris, Puppies
The HSUS alleges that Pets of Bel Air -- a trendy pet shop that boasts Paris Hilton, Denise Richards, Demi Moore, Britney Spears and Robin Williams among its clientele, who spend as much as $2,400 for a Maltese -- gets their puppies from puppy mills. In fact, TMZ also spotted Britney shopping there just this past weekend.

Pets of Bel Air told HSUS investigators they don't get their puppies from puppy mills, but the HSUS says that simply not the dogs'-honest truth. They allege the shop buys from mills in Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa and Missouri. Undercover footage shot by the HSUS at one such puppy mill shows cage after cage of little dogs locked up and going "cage crazy." Not a pretty sight.

Puppy mills sell dogs who live their entire lives in cages and are continually bred for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever becoming part of a family.

Calls to the Pets of Bel Air shop were not immediately returned.

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16. Do you honestly think that Brit or Paris care about where their puppies come from? NO
These disgusting humans don't consider puppies as pets, they are ACCESSORIES.
Comparable to all of their luxury designer duds coming from sweat shops overseas?! I think so.
People like Brit and Paris shouldn't be allowed to have pets... or kids for that matter!

Posted at 3:44PM on Dec 11th 2007 by CaNaDiAnChIcK

17. This is so sad. Everytime something like this comes on TV I can't even bear to watch it. How do people that work these places live with themselves????? I wish i could save each and every one of them... :-(

Posted at 3:36PM on Dec 11th 2007 by Ledbetter1212

18. Duh, A REAL breeder is not going to sell to a pet shop where they unethically charge you throusands of dollars for a dog.....

Posted at 3:41PM on Dec 11th 2007 by Gonzo

19. Check out the video if Britney, and Ali stealing a puppy Maltese, a few days ago, at this famous celebrity pet store
.
The video was posted this past sunday at, www.x17online.com

I say the pet store needs to press charges for felony retail theft.

Posted at 3:43PM on Dec 11th 2007 by Britney, and Ali are Hillbilly Pet THIEVES

20. Why buy when shelter animals die???

I adopted my puppy last year and it was the best thing I ever done. After seeing where pups from dog shops come from I never wanted to buy one. The conditons they come from are horrible and they have the nerve to charge from $800-$3000.
My puppy Kenny is a mixed cutie. I tell everyone that asks me where I got him to go to petfinder.com. I got him @ 7 weeks old. I'm so content with myself knowing that I can give him a great life. I treat my dog better then most people treat there kids.
It goes to show you that any moron with the cash can buy a dog. There are no forms to fill out and never get a house check after the purchase,unlike adopting when they came to my house before and after the adoption and always email me asking how he is.

And like Renee said if people stop buying the demand for these pups would go down and these mills can shut down.

Posted at 3:44PM on Dec 11th 2007 by Miss Pink

21. I will never understand why people buy puppies - especially at ridiculous prices like that - from pet stores when there are hundreds of thousands of homeless dogs in shelters. Are you that selfish that you want a specific breed of dog and are willing to pay gobs of money for it? A dogs' love is unconditional!! Don't shop, ADOPT!!!

Posted at 3:48PM on Dec 11th 2007 by Carie

22. not only do these dogs live horrible lives in puppy mills, but have you ever seen them at the store???they just lay there, caged up all day and night...no living thing should ever have to live like that...everytime i go to the mall i want to save the puppies but i know if i buy one it'll just be replaced by another....this has to be stopped at the source. all of these celebrities should know better, they are in the public eye and should set the example. they have the opportunity to use their celebrity to make a change, and it'd be nice to see that happen more often.

Posted at 11:20PM on Dec 11th 2007 by say no to pet store puppies

23. Well then have the HSUS shut down the so called puppy mills. That will put a stop to it. I donated for years to HSUS and all I ever see them do is put animals to sleep and reap the contributions. I am an animal lover, but seriously they need to shut the mills down and be done with it, instead of expecting people to donate to their big fat paychecks.

Posted at 3:49PM on Dec 11th 2007 by HERE WE GO

24. I don't blame them for buying pets from a store that they did not know the history of. I do wish though that so many would stop being pet "collectors" when it is obvious that they can not or not willing to provide the animal with companionship, training, proper care, etc.

Posted at 3:58PM on Dec 11th 2007 by MusicisourHigh

25. Here We Go, the HSUS can't shut down the puppy mills.

The LAWS need to change, both state and federal.

They will when the public contacts their legislators and demands that happen.

(And the HSUS doesn't put animals down. What are you smoking? That's the kind of stuff that PUPPY MILLERS come up with to slam humane groups that expose the truth)

Posted at 3:52PM on Dec 11th 2007 by Lori

26. What I don't understand is why people would buy a pet from anywhere but the pound (or SPCA). In the first place, if you want a pure bred dog, seek out a pure breed rescue org (like German Shepherd rescue or Border Collie rescue organizations). Secondly, who really needs a pure bred dog anyway? Mutts are healthier, less expensive, and just as loving as any pure bred dog. Save a life; adopt a mutt.

Posted at 3:54PM on Dec 11th 2007 by clandesta

27. i am from the mid west and.....SHOCKER............i can read!!!!
hillbillylegislation doesn't actually exist in the show me state but
when the mills are busted the dogs are STILL CAGED, STILL FOR SALE
they are carted around from petsmart to petsmart every weekend where they are sold to pretty much anyone in parking lots. cheaper yes much, cared for, again yes. but they are still in cages and still put out there for sale like merchadise. the people that actually run the puppy mills should be punished not the animals.

Posted at 3:57PM on Dec 11th 2007 by helen

28. People should NEVER BUY A DOG OR A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE! Those people are only contributing to this problem. And buying from a breeder doesn't help either. Besides, what kind of idiot spends thousands of dollars on a "designer dog" when any dog you like is on Petfinder.com looking for a home?
Adopt! Let's remember what the holiday season is all about! Do the kind, right thing. Give a dog a second chance from a shelter and create your own little miracle!!

Posted at 10:31PM on Dec 11th 2007 by carol

29. I found my yellow lab about 6 years ago, she must have been 2-3? Best dog ever, why do people have the need to have a puppy? There are great unwanted dogs out there, the best part about an older dog is you already know there temperment, I had a Golden puppy and it turned out to be too high strung for me...

Posted at 3:59PM on Dec 11th 2007 by Mike

30. NO one should ever, ever, ever, ever, ever buy a dog from a PET STORE! They ALL come from Puppy Mills. They are bought through a broker, who buys them from the nasty, dirty, hillbilly Puppy Mill owners. Pet stores like to say they get them from "private breeders." Ask them... that is what they will say every time. The mills are privately owned, so it's the truth! The Amish have a lot of Puppy Mills also - just a little fun on the farm Amish fact most people don't know. (go ahead, Google amish puppy mill and see for yourself). And they keep them outside, even in the cold and hot months, in the snow and rain, cages stacked one on top of the other, and when the dogs go to the bathroom, it unfortunately falls on the poor dog in the cage below.

Why doesn't PETA do anything about these? Make your pitiful usless selves useful for a change.

Posted at 4:06PM on Dec 11th 2007 by Oh COME ON!

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