Locals protest alleged unethical pet sale practices outside of Sarasota Petland

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Over a dozen protestors stood along Lockwood Ridge Rd.

They were holding signs protesting unethical retail pet sale and pet care practices, just a few hundred feet away from the Sarasota Petland store they say has been using these practices.

Protestors allege puppies at the store are not being properly cared for.

They also say many of the dogs being sold come from questionable suppliers.

They point to a 2019 investigative report by the Humane World for Animals (formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States) as evidence of these actions.

The report details how undercover investigators went to three Petland stores across the U.S., including Petland Sarasota.

“Puppies were frequently sick, exhibiting explosive diarrhea or respiratory problems,” the report says about the Sarasota location.

“But employees, under pressure to sell as many puppies as possible to earn commissions, sometimes showed sick puppies to customers.”

We checked Petland’s website to learn more about their own public messaging about pet care.

In the “Welcome to Your Future Family” section of the homepage, the webpage reads “Our puppies come from top USDA licensed breeders with years of experience in raising quality family pets.”

The website also says puppies at the store are “veterinary checked prior to arriving at [the] store,” and receive “weekly veterinary checkups.”

This is the third protest put on by these locals in the past two months, all part of an effort supporting the reinstatement of a Retail Pet Sale Ban in Manatee County.

The ban was originally passed by the County Commission in 2021. In 2023, the commission reversed the decision.

Protestor David Daniels says the retail pet sale industry is “cruel” and the county should consider the ethics of selling pets out of retail stores.

“It’s not like selling furniture here, we’re selling live beings,” Daniels said. “We should not be allowing this kind of business model in our community.”

After the protestors voiced their views at past county commission meetings and lobbied for the ban’s reinstatement, it’s making a reappearance on the county’s agenda.

The County Commission will open a discussion about potentially bringing it back at the their meeting on Feb. 19.

Protestors like Manatee Co. resident Traci Lipton say a return of the 2021 decision would be the culmination of their work.

“I’m hoping that they say we’re putting the ban back in place,” Lipton said. “I’ve been doing this for 10 years, I’ll put my efforts somewhere else to help the animals.”

ABC7 reached out to Petland Sarasota via phone call, and were told the manager was unavailable to speak today.

We also reached out to Petland Inc.’s National Media Relations representative via email, and are awaiting a response.

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