A pet store at the centre of last years puppy sale ban controversy is being investigating by the City of Richmond.
Pet Habitat is facing a city bylaw department probe amid reports that the Richmond Centre store is still selling dogs, despite a ban on such sales the first in Canada coming into force in April last year.
The store was one of three in the city, including PJs Pets and Pets Wonderland, which unsuccessfully petitioned the B.C. Supreme Court to have the citys new bylaw declared null and void.
However, bylaw officers are now dealing with complaints regarding Pet Habitats business practices, including allegations of dogs still being sold on the premises.
One concerned dog owner, Morgan Johnson, who visited Pet Habitat last Friday evening, said she could hear multiple dogs barking and yelping behind a steel door at the back of the store.
This wasnt coming from a couple of dogs, this was from a big group of dogs, said Johnson.
I didnt speak to the staff about it because I was so surprised. I spoke to a security guard outside the store and he said dogs are still getting sold there.
I reported it first to RAPS (Richmond Animal Protection Society) and they told me the excuse from Pet Habitat was that it was only boarding dogs there for a couple of months.
Johnson, however, said she has two dogs of her own and she knows how much noise they can make.
Pet Habitats owner, Ernest Ng, didnt return News calls by press time.
The citys spokesperson, Ted Townsend, confirmed the bylaw department has received several complaints about Pet Habitat, all of which are currently being investigated.
One explanation given to the city for dogs being on the premises is that the animals were being boarded there.
There is no sale of dogs permitted and this premises is not permitted to board dogs, they dont have a license for it, said Townsend, adding he wasnt certain how long the investigation might take.
A Richmond News reporter, posing as a customer, went into the store this week, inquiring about buying a dog and getting it groomed or boarded.
The reporter was told the store doesnt sell dogs, but one could be ordered in from a U.S. breeder and picked up at the store.
The reporter was also told that, for boarding, the dog could be dropped off at the store and then taken home by a staff member. A message on Pet Habitats Richmond website reads:
Puppies In Stock; Currently, Richmond law doesnt allow us to sell dogs in pet stores.
However, we have quite a number of puppies in our other locations! If you are interested in making a furry friend of your own, please dont hesitate to contact us...!
