New Stony Brook puppy store sues Save-A-Pet shelter

Protests spark Stony Brook pet store to sue rescue group

Originally published: March 22, 2010 7:12 PM
Updated: March 22, 2010 8:42 PM
By JENNIFER BARRIOS

A Stony Brook puppy store has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against a nonprofit animal rescue organization that has been holding weekly protests outside its doors.

In the lawsuit, filed last week in State Supreme Court in Riverhead, The Perfect Puppy claims that protests by Save-A-Pet of Port Jefferson Station have been disrupting business and stealing customers.

Save-A-Pet has been protesting outside The Perfect Puppy on Stony Brook Road nearly every Saturday since the store opened in January.

Dori Scofield, founder of Save-A-Pet, said she and other animal-welfare activists have been picketing the store because, she said, such stores use so-called puppy mills, which mass breed dogs and often keep them in substandard conditions.

"It's not a problem to sell puppies," Scofield said. "It's a problem where they come from."

But Charles Demonte, weekend manager at The Perfect Puppy, said the store strives to use reputable breeders and if they learn a puppy does come from a puppy mill, "we would send it back."

Demonte said that Save-A-Pet's tactics have led to customers feeling harassed.

"Everyone has the right to assemble for protest," Demonte said. "But when it gets carried away . . . then it becomes a little silly and immature."

The suit also alleges that Save-A-Pet has been trying to direct potential store customers instead to adopt dogs from Save-A-Pet.

Scofield says she's not looking for business - she just wants customers to know where puppy-store dogs come from and urge them to adopt instead.

"I don't care where anybody adopts the pets from. Go to any animal shelter. Municipal shelters are in desperate need of homes for their dogs," she said.

At a court appearance Monday, the two sides agreed that the protesters would stick to lawful protest - something that Scofield says she already does.

Timothy Glynn, a Stony Brook attorney whose firm is representing Save-A-Pet, said the protesters' actions are protected by the First Amendment.

The lawsuit seeks $8 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The next court date is scheduled for April 9.
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The store "strives" to use reputable breeders? What a CROCK. REPUTABLE BREEDERS DON'T SELL TO PET STORES. I like that word "strives". They don't ACTUALLY use reputable breeders. They just strive to.

GO SAVE-A-PET!!!!!

Re: New Stony Brook puppy store sues Save-A-Pet shelter

makes me want to join the picket line on saturday....GO Save-A-Pet GO!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: New Stony Brook puppy store sues Save-A-Pet shelter

Posted by Domino

makes me want to join the picket line on saturday....GO Save-A-Pet GO!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: New Stony Brook puppy store sues Save-A-Pet shelter

Posted by RadioLau

Posted by Domino

makes me want to join the picket line on saturday....GO Save-A-Pet GO!!!!!!!!!!!

Exactly what I was thinking!

Re: New Stony Brook puppy store sues Save-A-Pet shelter

I know a lot of people don't have full access to Newsday anymore so I figured I'd paste the comments, some of them are interesting.

4natalie

I am one of the protesters and must let you know that the Puppy Store tries to start a fight with us. We are practicing our First Amendment right and doing our thing, FAR away from his store. We are following the rules outlined by the law and the police. He comes to OUR line and starts saying things to US and tells the police we are targeting the people in his store. He is not being truthful. He even has the nerve to come to us and tell us, "there is no such thing as puppy mills." He claims I was there harassing people when I have been in the hospital!!! He told people he has video tapes to prove this. I'd like to see it...how can I be there and in a hospital bed at the same time? ...more proof of his nefarious actions...he is hoping to scare us away and force us to quit because we will have to pay for attorneys and such...this is only proving he is not doing the right thing. He should spend his time and money helping reduce the numbers of animals that are abandoned and homeless instead of trying to make a buck off of the cruelty that takes place in the known puppy mills he supports. And last I checked..this was America. We have the right to protest. The problem is, we also have the right to sue anyone and anytime. Our courts must stop such frivolous suits from ever making it to court!!!!! This is a crime.

o 9 m ago

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WarszawaScream

I'm with kerriskandiesinc on this one. Heck I work with animal rescue groups and I understand exactly what they're trying to do, which is great! But there is a point when well-meaning picketing and protesting becomes outright harassment. It's time to move on to a different storefront and spread the message.

o 11:09 AM

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msmojo

The notion that this puppy store is stocked with puppies from reputable breeders is ridiculous. No reputable breeder turns over their litter(s) to a puppy store. All puppy stores get their stock from puppy millers. These millers may call themselves breeders, but the are millers plain and simple.

o 10:34 AM

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DelawareLdy

Is there any proof that the puppies at these locations are from puppy mills? Or that they are abused? Seems a bit much to me.

o 9:39 AM

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triangle

ever heard of a document called the constitution? freedom of speech? i have no connection with the group picketing, but i do applaude them for shedding light on the subject of animal abuse. better still how about the "victimized small business" boutique pet store owners spend some time in cramped, filthy condtions for a while? there are plenty of stray dogs and cats and shelters all over this area--we don't need any more botique pet stores selling puppies for almost $1,000 each. what we need are a return of the mom and pop small business that enhance local economies and strengthen communities.

o 8:42 AM

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grego83

Because they are lazy and live in the area. They probably work at the hospital or university. Ludites who don't care about small business. I hope they are happy when all the nurses and doctors are laid off at student health services by Obama. Why do they need them with free health care?

o 8:11 AM

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kerriskandiesinc

How about Save a Pet picket some other, longer running alledged 'Puppy mill stores' like our very own Puppy Depot' in Coram......why single out THIS particular store?????

o 3/22/10

Re: New Stony Brook puppy store sues Save-A-Pet shelter

I see them all the time outside the store there I always honk my horn everytime for them

Re: New Stony Brook puppy store sues Save-A-Pet shelter

they need to be out there protesting. I feel like the majority of the public have no idea what goes on in a puppy mill