CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

robincdm

July 30th, 2011

Then it looks like we have more work to do! [*"Gardner said. “If it’s just a few people, we can’t make an ordinance, but obviously if it continues to get bigger, we’ll take a look at it.”*] Then we need to change those laws to help protect those animals! [*“I think the only thing B.I.D. should do is to be supportive of a business coming into town that’s not breaking any laws,” said Tom Nicholson, vice chairman of the B.I.D.*] Los Angeles County is -getting it-, other states, cities and towns are -getting it-. It's time for Corona del Mar to step up and -GET IT-! Russo's pet store in Fashion Island need to go humane too.

Perri

July 30th, 2011

Quote from Nancy Gardner, "Puppy Mills are awful, and we all agree on that. But they seem to think I can wave a magic wand and change it." On the contrary. We actually understand that there is due process. Our hope is that local council members would be willing to participate with those wanting to educate the public about the seriousness of mills, as well as getting the word out there that businesses and consumers can be incredibly deceived by operators of these mills. And contrary to popular believe, activists do not want local businesses to suffer; it pains us to see companies being duped by a lying industry. It pains me to think that I Heart Puppies may see the day when an irate/heartbroken consumer has to come to them due to their puppy's serious illness or death. And I ache to think of the sires and dams that will continue to suffer in mills throughout the U.S. during this "education process." And the only way this will change is if we become truly aware of how far reaching and damaging mills are, take steps to avoid them at all costs, and it is only when we work together that we can make true and lasting change...not just wishing on a star and hoping it will all just "go away."

Dominic

July 30th, 2011

Nancy Gardner doesn't need a magic wand and neither did the City Council members of Los Angeles, Glendale, South Lake Tahoe, Hermosa Beach, Key West, Palm Beach, West Hollywood, Albuquerque, Suffolk County, Germany and Belgium. Puppy mills are awful and she agrees. She is a lawmaker and fuly capable of doing something about this. Her argument doesn't hold water. It's the same argument used against acting for justice during the 1960s. Where is political courage?Did it ever occur to this city council that these dogs cannot speak for themselves and do not vote? This is a national problem that has a local solution. If every community does what is right, we will be rid of the problem. It is a well known fact that pet stores supplied by the commercial breeding business don't sell animals from reputable hobby breeders.

carole s

July 30th, 2011

The only way to shut down puppy mills is to stop the demand. Ms. Bradford is supporting the cruel pet trade business by buying puppies from commercial breeding facilities with a puppy broker as a middle man. I don't think she understands. She needs to convert to a humane pet store model which means rescue only. She either sells supplies and sponsors a rescue group or O.C. county shelter, or she rescues and sells, it's a successful model. I look forward to next Sunday to educate the community about puppy mills, rescue, adoption and spay/neuter.

Kevin Rooney

July 30th, 2011

I Heart Puppies' says, "Let’s work together to prosecute and close Puppy Mills not work against each other.” But how does that jibe with their attempt to get a restraining order against the West Coat director of CAPS, the very organization at the vanguard of prosecuting and closing puppy mills? In fact it does not jibe. Instead it reveals I Heart Puppies real intention of silencing critics and ignoring the histories of disreputable breeders in order to profit from the sale of puppies bred in misery.

Patty, Newport Beach

July 30th, 2011

Cities are banning the sale of these puppies, Newport Beach needs to catch up with 2011. These stores are going to be a cruel thing of the past. Get with the program.

Dan

July 30th, 2011

I will be there to meet ladies who are passionate about issues. Maybe I am just behaving like an animal, but that is sexy to me.

oliver

July 30th, 2011

I am coming to protest. I really don't care if they are mill dogs or not. They are dogs bred to be sold in a pet shop! The animal control spays and neauter all dogs leaving, for a reason. The reason was common sense before it was a law. Producing more dogs is not sensible.

KSawyer NB Native

July 31st, 2011

As a native, citizen, taxpayer, and patron of Newport Beach and CDM, I was very shocked and disappointed at the response of Bernie Svalstad and Tom Nicholson. This is not an emotional issue, this is an issue of ethics, fraudulent misrepresentaion by Brooke Bradford, and a duty to the taxpayers and citizens that take pride in our city as being an award winner for its preservation of life, humaneness, as well as valuing and not defrauding our patron visitors who supply the city with large revenues. "I Heart Puppies" uses supplier's in violation of USDA and federal law of The Animal Welfare Act...Her "product" comes from diseased and neglected animals in diplorable conditions that will most gauranteeably have lifetime genetic ailments and possibly be carrying disease from the environment from which they were supplied. Infact, it is highly proabable. I saved an animal from a puppy factory similar to this, but not as horrific.. He still after treatment by a Vet., carried giardia, and sarcoptic mange, both high human contagions per CDC. It seems to me Commerce is perfectly O.K. taking no responsibility for the human health hazzards and conditions. It is OK fraudulently misleading our patrons, supporting torture and cruelty for sale, and backing unethical businesses for the small reward of a few puppy tax dollars. You are selling out your citizens at a very cheap price. To find out the leaders of our Commerce place a higher Value on a few puppy tax dollars,( when our city has a 4.1 million dollar increase for FY2011-12,) , than the health and safety of its patrons is Shocking and Unacceptable to taxpayers and patrons of our city. In your mission statement you claim to be dedicated to a higher "quality of life" for our city and citizens, so now I will have to call you Liars. I am mortified at your lack of responsibility to patrons, and am wondering how you promote a business selling product in violation of the USDA.. Its absurd!..I never thought I'd see the day this would happen in our admired and highly respected city. Fellow businesses do not deserve this type of associated unethical, fraudulent bussiness reputation. And I am now wondering what are the USDA standards in our restaurants. Your only concern is promoting bussiness. You have expressed no concern with totally disregarding the health and welfare of your own citizens, our highly valued visiting patrons, or even government regulation of the USDA. I find this neglegent and belittling to our city and its citizens...this is not OK, and we do not accept these practices...

Kathryn

July 31st, 2011

Kevin - I assume the restraining order was taken out because apparently she and another "activist" broke a CA law. http://newportindy.com/2011/07/28/puppy-wars-secret-tapes-federal/

robincdm

July 31st, 2011

KSawyer... Most excellent commentary and whole heartily agreed!

Stacey CdM

July 31st, 2011

It's misleading to talk about a San Diego Animal Rights group. There are many Newport Beach residents including myself that will be protesting regardless of who organized it.

Kathryn

July 31st, 2011

Amy, I am just going off the article I read. You have not seemed to correct any other "incorrect" comments on here therefore I am assuming your opinion is unbiased. Since this site now seems like an editorialists and not a journalist I will no longer be posting on these issues on your site.

Michael

July 31st, 2011

To this point, it has not been proven that the owners of I Heart Puppies (IHP) have done anything wrong. If it is proven, which it may well be, the solution is simply for IHP to stop doing business with the breeder (a word that is interchangeable with puppy mill) who is negligent or cruel in its breeding practices. If it is found out that IHP is using a negligent breeder to supply puppies, IHP will surely quickly admit it, and stop doing business with that breeder. There are plenty of reputable breeders in the world with puppies to distribute. Think of all the hard-earned money and savings IHP's owners have invested in this new business; they will not risk losing it for one bad breeder/apple. Carole Davis and her cohorts should be embarrassed by their behavior and "practices" of trying to bring the store down, when no wrongdoing has been proven. While their "intentions" may be good-hearted, their behavior and actions are petty, embarrassing and irresponsible. Carole's ilk are likely the same ones that fostered the witch-hunts in the mid-1000s. Face the truth- not everyone who wants to own a pet wants to adopt one that is half blind, injured, illness-prone or otherwise. While I admire and respect those who do, I don't expect everyone to want such. No dog is perfect, no human is perfect. A person should be able to purchase or adopt a pet that they want- it's a free country. If I want a puppy that is half lab, half doodle, I shouldn't be frowned upon for not paying a "king's ransom" for a "true breeder"'s product, when ESSENTIALLY THE TRUE BREEDER IS DOING THE SAME THING HAS IHP-- ACQUIRING (or BREEDING) and then SELLING PUPPIES FOR A PROFIT! IHP just happens to have a Pacific Coast Highway address. Carole- I thought you should also know about a few other issues in our area that I'm hoping you will address and setup protests for ASAP: 1. Albertson's on Pacific Coast Highway sells meat, dairy and other products that are not organic or farm raised. Have you seen some of the conditions in which these cows, pigs and chicken are grown, and the supplements and pesticides that are pumped into them to make them "meatier"? Let me know when the Albertsons protest is scheduled and I will be there! 2. There are several clothing boutiques- from Neimans and Bloomingdales in Fashion Island to local boutiques right on PCH that sell furs made from animal hides. Shameful. Let me know when that protest is scheduled and I will be there! 3. There are a couple of local outlets in CDM that sell persian rugs. Beautiful, no question, but do you know the people (sometimes children) who make these rugs are paid absurdly low compensation for the time and skill it takes to make these rugs? Let me know when that protest is scheduled and I will be there! Maybe my examples are overkill, but that is consistent with the uproar that has developed over this store. I'm well aware that the 100+ posts made on this site are likely coming from 5-6 people with 100 different names, but that shows passion for the cause nonetheless. I would encourage all parties involved to come to a conclusion. Is IHP buying puppies from bad puppy mills (aka bad breeders)? If so, IHP should announce it and stop doing business with them! Problem solved! If not- Carole and her crew should immediately apologize, and move on with their lives to seek out other causes and more effective uses of their time. To Carole, her cohorts, and the others planning a protest to protest an issue that hasn't even been proven to be an issue: go bark up another tree.

Corona del Mar Today Staff

July 31st, 2011

Reply to

My understanding is that retail spots and restaurants are not places where one has a clear-cut expectation of privacy, so it is not clear at all that any law was broken.

carole davis

August 1st, 2011

Response to Michael: It has been proven. We have footage. The USDA also has evidence. They also do business with other puppy mills, not just the breeder who shot a Golden Retriever in the head, killing her. They still have not admitted to buying from that breeder because if they do, theyn they have to admit that they duped customers into thinking they handpick their "responsible" breeders, which they do not. We don't break the law and we never act without evidence. We investigated because of the overwhelming demands for an investigation by locals. What we found was greatly disturbing. CDM consumers deserve to know what is going on. And OC shelter animals deserve to be heard. They have no voice, which is why local activists will be there en masse this weekend. I Heart Puppies could easily convert to a humane business model. There are plenty of adorable dogs and kittens at the OC shelters ready for love and a good family in NB. And if someone wants a show dog, let them go (in person) to a responsible hobby breeder! They never sell to pet stores. Any one with a real heart would agree. Companion Animal Protection Society

Kim

August 1st, 2011

How about citizens in CDM getting together and looking into NB having thier own shelter? They go to OC Humane where the high kill rate is horrible....guess it takes more work than trying to put a small pet store out of business. My friend adopted a black kitten from there last week and the money goes to rescue more animals. The kittens came from OC Humane. What does Russo's do???? Other than have 50+ puppies in their store...not protesting them?????

pcarson

August 2nd, 2011

I thought this was America home of the free and illegals and you could do what you want unless proven legal

robincdm

August 3rd, 2011

Anyone that complains about their taxes being too high? If you're in support of this business then you need to sit down and be quiet about high taxes and where it goes! **-"FACT: Since Jan. 1, 2008 California tax payers have spent over $897+ million dollars to house, feed and kill 1.75 million pets in shelters. The new Corona del Mar puppy-mill pet store,' I Heart Puppies,' only adds additional burden$ onto the already cash-strapped taxpayers of California. What else could we California's do with an extra $897+ million dollars in our budget besides housing and killing so many unwanted pets"-** 'I Heart Puppies' ADDS to California's budget/money problems. If you care not about dogs then at least care about how your money, your tax dollars, have to be spent in order to support greedy out-of-staters that care not about you or dogs. They only want your money and if they don't get it directly from you, the state will get it from you in order to clean up the messes people like I Heart Puppies leave for somebody else to pick up. Like the neighbor that let's their dog defecate on your lawn and leaves you to clean up the mess? Same thing!

Bella

August 4th, 2011

There have been protests there. It is harder there because of the Irvine Co. policies.

David

August 7th, 2011

I have to mostly agree with Michael. The pet store people lied, either out of direct purpose or out of ignorance. But CAPS seems to be making mountains out of molehills. Yes, there are people that breed dogs for money. There are lots of people with dogs that do it, and just because they only have one or two doesn't mean they're any better than a commercial breeder. What about dogs that are kept in pens their whole lives in the backyard? So far I have only seen mention of them dealing with one alleged puppymill. Where did the other puppies come from, and why haven't we heard mention of those alleged puppymills? I read how there was a dog shot in the head like 3 or 4 years ago by this breeder. While not the nicest way to put a dog to sleep, as a hunter I've seen much worse than a simple head shot. Oh, and do all these protesters realize that their hamburgers weren't *humanely euthanized*? And that their omletes were made from eggs that came from a chicken in a cage quite like the ones they describe these dogs being in, except much smaller and much more crowded? Fur coats, wool sweaters, or leather purses, too! I seriously doubt any of those products came from animals that were given wide open spaces to roam while living a life of luxury until they died of old age before being used for money. I am not saying that a puppymill has an ethical right to operate, [although that's not for me to decide ] but as long as the dogs are not being abused or harmed, they do have a legal right. And the law does NOT have the right to decide our morals for us when there is no abuse/harm taking place. Besides, I have yet to actually find anybody stating the definition of a puppymill. A place that produces animals for a monetary profit? Drive past a large feedlot or dairy and look at how that T-Bone steak or glass of milk was treated while it was still walking, and see how that compares to your puppymill definition. Raise a bucket calf for 4-H and then tell me they're just meat without personalities and that it's 'not the same.'

Chad Newsome

August 7th, 2011

Many of these protesters eat meat. I ask them. What a bunch of hypocrites to protest a store selling puppies when the store has done nothing wrong and when some of the protesters eat animals that have been raised often in terrible conditions and then killed for them to have a meal. TOTAL HYPOCRITES. Also I did not even know about the store until I witnessed all the commotion today and now I know where they are and bought $50.00 worth of puppy treats and am seriously considering buying a very cute English Bull Dog.

CORONA DEL MAR TODAY » Protesters Return to I Heart Puppies Shop

August 14th, 2011

[...] some of our earlier stories here, here, here and here. « Little Corona Warnings [...]