PetSmart

An NJ Advance Media investigation documented 47 cases across 14 states since 2008 in which families claim they took their dog to the nation’s leading pet retailer for a grooming — everything from a nail clipping to a haircut — only to have it die during or shortly after the visit.

When cases settle, they result in confidentiality agreements, said Jill Ryther, an attorney who has represented owners suing PetSmart and is a specialist in animal rights.

Today Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced that her office, with 22 other District Attorney’s Offices in California, resolved “greenwashing” cases with Chewy, Inc., PetSmart LLC, Petco Animal Supplies, Inc., and Target Corporation. The cases were based on allegations that the companies sold dog waste bags and other plastic products such as bowls and brushes to California residents that were labeled with a variety of misleading environmental claims in violation of numerous laws.

Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced today that her office, along with 22 other District Attorney’s Offices in California, resolved four “greenwashing” cases with the following companies: Chewy, Inc.; Petsmart LLC; Petco Animal Supplies, Inc.; and Target Corporation. These cases were based on allegations that the companies sold pet waste bags and other plastic products to California residents that were labeled with misleading environmental claims regarding their biodegradability, in violation of California law.

PetSmart, which operates 35 stores in Colorado, promoted the entry level Grooming Academy program as “free” and “paid” training to their employees via ads and internal promotional materials. After the employees enrolled in the program, PetSmart used training repayment agreement provision contracts, or TRAPs, that locked these groomers in their jobs for at least two years or repay $5,500 in training costs that they were initially told was free.

Colorado is suing the pet care retailer PetSmart for allegedly “trapping” dog groomers in their jobs by having them sign contracts in which they agreed to pay thousands of dollars in training costs if they quit too soon.

An investigation by the Worker Protection Unit in the Colorado Department of Law found evidence that PetSmart deceptively advertised its Grooming Academy as “free” while requiring workers to repay training costs if they left their jobs early. Under the settlement, PetSmart is required to comply with Colorado law for any future training repayment agreement provisions (TRAPs) and related advertisements. PetSmart also agreed to notify Colorado workers that they are released from obligations under the TRAP and to stop all collection activities against Colorado workers, including directing third-party credit agencies to remove negative credit information.

During the course of this investigation, PetSmart — which is based in Phoenix and operates more than 1,600 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, including 48 in New Jersey — announced several new procedures to “provide pets with an even safer” grooming experience.

Lisa Cook claims in a lawsuit she was wrongfully fired as a grooming salon manager at a store in Union Township, New Jersey, in April 2016 as retaliation for speaking up about employee misconduct. She notified her superior several times that co-workers were violating safety policies, including hitting a dog and placing breathing-challenged dogs into drying cages, according to the lawsuit.

Increasingly, the company is pressuring groomers to meet sales quotas, the employees said, and many felt either ignored or retaliated against when they spoke up about safety concerns or wrongdoing by colleagues.

Trinity, a 2-year-old English bulldog, was more than a companion to Thomas Cunningham.

Some former employees allege PetSmart’s groomer training — which the company touts as the industry’s very best — can fall short of what’s advertised. They say they have seen unprepared trainees rushed into stores because of short-staffing, putting dogs at greater risk of injury.

Katelyn Douglas said she worked as a PetSmart groomer in North Carolina for 16 months before quitting in April to protest what she called “numerous (pet) safety violations.”

PetSmart says it has the “highest safety standards in the industry,” boasting a more than 800-hour bathing and grooming training program. But some former employees said training can fall short of what’s advertised and be inconsistent, putting dogs in dangerous situations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that PetSmart Inc., of Phoenix, Arizona, has agreed to pay a $4.25 million civil penalty for failing to immediately report to CPSC that “Grreat Choice” and “Top Fin” brand fish bowls contained a defect that could create a substantial product hazard or that the fish bowls created an unreasonable risk of serious injury. CPSC staff also alleged that PetSmart knowingly misrepresented to CPSC the scope of the products that were subject to a recall.

It is the policy of the Commission to publish settlements which it provisionally accepts under the Consumer Product Safety Act in the Federal Register in accordance with the terms of the Consumer Product Safety Commission's regulations. Published below is a provisionally-accepted Settlement Agreement with PetSmart, Inc., containing a civil penalty in the amount of four million, two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($4,250,000) within thirty (30) days of service of the Commission's final Order accepting the Settlement Agreement.

4. Between April 2009 and September 2013, PetSmart imported and offered for sale in the United States, approximately 127,444 “Great Choice” or “Top Fin” brand 1.75 gallon, brandy snifter-style glass fish bowls (“Fish Bowls” or “Subject Products”) .

He died in May 2017 after a grooming at PetSmart in O’Fallon, Missouri, Huffman said. (Jerry Naunheim | For NJ.com)

Amber Hosford, who was hired in 1999 at the PetSmart in Castleton, Indiana, said safety practices and training in her store were “very intensive” and “very hands on” when she began.

On multiple occasions, PetSmart has offered out-of-court payments for as little as a few hundred dollars to owners whose pets die. In return, some owners must sign non-disclosure agreements that require them to delete social media posts and negative comments.

On Feb. 1, 2017, with Capone’s nails starting to curl, Pomilio, 72, a former mailman, said he took the dog, then about 7, to a PetSmart 2 miles away from his house.

She died Nov. 6, 2017, after being groomed at a PetSmart in Philadelphia, Glover said. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

She died Nov. 6, 2017, after being groomed at a PetSmart in Philadelphia, Glover said. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

In one case, filed in November 2016, the co-owners of Henry, a 1-year-old dachshund, sued PetSmart, alleging their dog died after suffering two broken ribs and a punctured lung at the hands of a groomer at a store in San Mateo.

Two recent lawsuits in California claim PetSmart was aware of a pattern of serious injuries and deaths but failed to take proper action.

The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office said Tuesday that PetSmart has agreed to pay $1.46 million for overcharging customers, false advertising and unfair competition.

LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- PetSmart will pay $1.46 million to settle a lawsuit filed by prosecutors in Los Angeles and other California counties alleging the retailer overcharged customers for items that were advertised for lower prices.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that PetSmart LLC has been ordered to pay $1.46 million to settle a lawsuit that alleges the company overcharged customers for items it listed in advertisements.

In July, it filed a counterclaim for defamation in a case brought by Danielle DiNapoli of Lambertville, New Jersey, the owner of Scruffles, who publicized her dog’s death through the Justice for Scruffles Facebook group.

Further, the EEOC charged, PetSmart not only failed to take prompt and effective action to stop the harassment, as required by law, but engaged in unlawful retaliation against a female manager after she complained. The store manager allegedly yelled at the woman, belittled her in front of subordinates, followed her around the store and disciplined her despite her good job performance. As a result of the unrelenting harassment and unwarranted retaliation, the EEOC said, she was forced to quit her job.

In September 2017, a woman and her two sons sued PetSmart, alleging a groomer “killed” their 14-year-old Chihuahua, Arnold, in 2016 at a store in Palm Springs. The dog did not have a heartbeat when he arrived at an animal hospital, according to the lawsuit.

On Feb. 23, 2017, Bomford said, he dropped off Angel and Katie for their regular grooming at a PetSmart in Altamonte Springs. When he returned several hours later to pick them up, Bomford said, an employee carried Angel out of the grooming area “like a sack of potatoes” over his shoulder.

A former dog groomer for PetSmart LLC is suing the company for allegedly discriminating against her and firing her due to limitations and leave associated with her pregnancy.

Points

With a lack of independent oversight and little public transparency, it’s nearly impossible for anyone to know how many pets die during or after a grooming at any groomer. Both PetSmart and Petco, the second-leading U.S. pet retailer, declined to disclose how many deaths have occurred at their stores since 2008.

She died Jan. 17, 2018, after being groomed at a PetSmart in Toms River, New Jersey, Yezzo said. PetSmart denied wrongdoing. (Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)​

Individual donors gave 15 large ($200+) contributions to this PAC in the 2021-2022 election cycle

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Points

<table id="DataTables_Table_0"> <thead> <tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Cycle</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Total</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Democrats</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">% to Dems</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Republicans</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">% to Repubs</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>2014</td> <td>$33,350</td> <td>$23,600</td> <td>70.76%</td> <td>$9,750</td> <td>29.24%</td> </tr><tr> <td>2012</td> <td>$108,349</td> <td>$54,350</td> <td>61.52%</td> <td>$33,999</td> <td>38.48%</td> </tr><tr> <td>2010</td> <td>$14,500</td> <td>$8,700</td> <td>60.00%</td> <td>$5,800</td> <td>40.00%</td> </tr><tr> <td>2008</td> <td>$11,550</td> <td>$450</td>

He died July 20, 2015, after a grooming at a PetSmart in Rio Grande, New Jersey, Nash said. (Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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