Pet Store Boiled Toad, San Francisco Suit Charges

Reuters ^ | 6-20-2002

[Cagey]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - How much is that dead doggie in the window?

Petco Animal Supplies Inc. may not sell dogs in San Francisco, but the city is charging the No. 2 U.S. pet supply store with stocking plenty of other dead, diseased and disfigured animals, ranging from a moldy turtle to a toad that had been boiled to death in its own cage.

In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera accused Petco of numerous health and safety violations at its two San Francisco stores and seeks to block the chain from doing business in the city.

"The problems we are alleging are only in the San Francisco stores," Marc Slavin, a spokesman for the city attorney said Wednesday. "We don't know if there are problems elsewhere."

A spokesman for San Diego-based Petco, whose slogan is "where the pets go," said animal care was a top priority at the chain's 573 stores but added he could not comment on the San Francisco charges because the company had not yet seen the lawsuit.

Petco's two San Francisco stores sell reptiles, fish, birds and small animals. According to the lawsuit, health inspectors found sick and dying animals in a freezer in the back of one of the stores and dead animals mixed in with live ones in some cages.

Officials, who acted on tips from customers, also allege that many animals did not receive enough food or water and are kept in dangerous conditions -- which in one instance caused a toad to be boiled to death because its cage was too hot, Slavin said.

"There were dead hamsters, dead lizards, dead turtles," Slavin said. "They don't dispose of the dead animals properly."

[MotleyGirl70]

This is sad. I hate to hear about pets being mistreated.

[coloradan]

Petco Animal Supplies Inc. may not sell dogs in San Francisco, but the city is charging the No. 2 U.S. pet supply store with stocking plenty of other dead, diseased and disfigured animals, ranging from a moldy turtle to a toad that had been boiled to death in its own cage.

Laywers from Petco countered that San Fransisco is bringing the suit for political reasons. "Although it is widely known in some circles, it isn't widely known to San Fransiscans, that if you turn up the heat slowly, you can boil a toad to death, without it even realizing it," the lawyer said. "We have boiled the toad as a reminder to those that support large and growing governments, how dangerous that support really is. Hopefully, someone out there will realize the danger. Meanwhile, we fully understand why the San Fransisco government would be trying to suppress this knowledge, and prosecuting anyone who would disseminate it by example." Officials in government had no comment.

[Cagey]

I hate to be the one to bring you this sad news.

[p. henry]

Boiled toad? Does Petco also sell eye of newt and wing of bat? Has the CEO of Petco been seen swinging a dead cat by its tail over a stump at midnight during a full moon? If not, maybe Petco should consider these acitivities. In San Francisco, engaging in witchcraft is probably encouraged in the name of "diversity."

[rogercolleridge]

Boiled toad? Does Petco also sell eye of newt and wing of bat?

Yes -- I believe Dr. Bombay shops there.