Written by 
My wife Cathy and me with our beloved Labrador Retriever (not from Puppyland)
When Puppyland opened in Renton a few years ago, several of their business practices seemed out-of-step with the City of Renton’s Mission Statement. Our Mission Statement includes the words: ” Provide a safe, healthy and vibrant community”; and “Building an inclusive, informed and hate-free city with equitable outcomes for all in support of social, economic, and racial justice.”
The Renton Puppyland store is now closed, and the company is under investigation by the Attorney General for a number of issues including selling sick puppies, predatory lending and using threats to silence online reviews. All of these alleged violations are inconsistent with our Renton Mission Statement.
From the Attorney General’s press release:
“Puppyland’s standard purchase paperwork included an illegal non-disclosure provision that attempted to prevent consumers from sharing truthful information about their experience. Individuals who signed the paperwork agreed not to “disparage, defame, sully or compromise the goodwill” of Puppyland, or face the threat of legal action”
I gave some history on this topic, including the controversy regarding the approval of the anti-puppy-mill ordinance that Renton implemented in response to this store, on a blog post on July 1st. As with most of my posts, an online discussion arose in the comment section, and a Puppyland lobbyist joined in. In her comments the lobbyist offered the opinion that Puppyland actually supported equity by giving more people an opportunity to have dogs. I and other readers argued against that claim, saying predatory lending, outrageously high prices, and ongoing veterinary costs are not what any residents need, that they can be destabilizing for family finances, and there are better ways to get a dog. The online comment discussion heated up and soon became enlightening on its own, and I encourage readers to review it.
I remain very sympathetic for the customers of Puppyland who were taken advantage of, and I hope those who have not lost their puppies to health issues (or repossession if that’s ever happened) will find joy in their cute new family members in spite of the business and health issues they may have encountered. It’s not the puppies’ fault, and the little bundles of joy deserve all the love our community can dish out.
As a Council Member and Renton resident I always worked to help us demonstrate the values and achieve the goals our City of Renton Mission Statement and Business Plan, a document I helped write and modify over many of years on City Council. This plan is extremely important, and as a co-author of it, it summarizes my values very well.
Readers can read the entire comment stream here.
Can a financed animal be repossessed? I understand how a car and such could be repossessed, but a animal?
This is a good question. I don’t know if they can be repossessed on a financing contract. I’ve seen a report on a 2019 Seattledogspot blog that accused Puppyland of enticing some customers into leasing programs, where the customer believed the dog belonged to them but it still belonged to Puppyland.
https://www.seattledogspot.com/washington-pet-stores/ In a lease-program like this, it’s possible Puppyland (or a third party they assign) could take the dog back for lack of payment. Puppy leasing became illegal in our state in 2019 due to abuses like this. https://aldf.org/project/urging-washington-lawmakers-to-stop-unfair-and-deceptive-pet-leasing-practices/
Well, hello there, Puppyland lobyest! Allow me to toss you a bone.
I’ll sell out Renton to you for a whopping $499. Not because I’m generous, but just to undercut Kim’s outrageous $500 price tag.
That’s funny.
Puppymill people should be in jail, not on the council. Anybody but Kim.
The mission statement is fine I guess. Right now I’d settle for being able to see my elderly neighbors walk without fear in town.
Having signed many retail sales contracts over the years, never, ever have I been presented with a Nondisclosure Agreement for a retail purchase. Usually businesses want you to talk about your experience and refer potential customers. I have a copy of the PDA but the file is too large to upload. I’m happy to email a copy if you wish.
Puppyland is afraid of what their customers have to say. Finally, though advocacy and education our small group was able to provide the City of Renton with facts and documentation about this business model. Prior customers provided testimony about their experiences that resulted in a sick puppy, dead puppy, eyebrow raising price tags, and outrageous interest rates, etc. this was an 18-month process.
With Puppyland, secrecy is the game. Retail puppy sales is a dirty business from the puppy mill TO the puppy sales broker/distributor TO the veterinarian who routinely signs off on the health of puppies before transport TO the USDA which is understaffed and overworked and unable to provide adequate inspection of puppy mills TO the pet stores that make 7 figures ++ selling puppies TO the predatory lenders that facilitate these sales. The AKC even has their hand in the money pot because they get a fee/kickback for each “purebred” puppy mill puppy registered.
Although all of these processes are legal, I ask…”are they ethical” and can Renton be proud of having this type of business operating here? Fortunately, the store closed 1/12023, preemptively I might add, the date Renton’s ordinance went into effect.
Thanks you for helping Renton remove these jerks.
Puppyland is also out of step with human decency.
Let’s do some logic
Predicate 1: Puppyland = animal abuse + usury
Predicate 2: Kim Van = Puppyland
Rule of Inference says that….
Kim Van = animal abuse + usury
Kim will win this election if we don’t do something. She’s already raised over forty thousand.
Kim’s decisions on Renton City Council reveal where her priorities lie. Instead of protecting innocent animals and consumers, she was swayed by a lobbyist.
Puppy mills not only produce unhealthy and distressed pets, they burden families with unexpected medical bills on top of inflated purchase prices. When a puppy is sold, so often is a high-interest financing plan that can lead to the traumatic repossession of a beloved pet.
Kim eventually supported the ordinance when public opinion overwhelmingly favored it and the rest of the council was unanimous. But her initial choice tells us more about her. She hesitated when she should have acted, siding with a special interest over the welfare of our community.
Don’t reward a politician who prioritizes campaign contributions over compassionate decision-making. When casting your vote, remember: our community and its pets deserve better. Choose a representative who will stand firm for what’s right, not what’s profitable.
Greg
Just a friendly reminder. Seattle is buying an election in Renton.
Of all the money raised by the Seattle Socialist party for “Raise the Wage Renton,” only 1% comes from Renton.
You all are being mean to Kim. All she wanted to do was make sure a small business could sell puppies. Some people have never had a puppy, and it was the first time in their life to have a puppy for a few months. Kim fought for that puppy love.
Awww, poor Kim. Being attacked by the anti-puppy mill crowd. Boo hoo
Kim is a good person and is a vegetarian. She doesn’t eat meat and she fights for people to have puppies! Puppyland did a lot of good and gave away turkeys for Thanksgiving to poor people. Now they are gone and there’s no more turkeys.
Are you ok? Need a turkey?