ASPCA Applauds Jack's Pets For No Longer Selling Puppies

Family-owned pet store chain partners with ASPCA to increase in-store pet adoptions

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio, Oct. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today applauds Jack's Pets (formerly Jack's Aquarium & Pets) for its decision to no longer sell puppies in any of its stores and to expand its work with local animal shelters and rescue groups to offer in-store pet adoptions. Jack's Pets owns and operates 27 regional stores located throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060731/NYM024LOGO )

"We have over one million customers coming through our doors every year," said Scott Brenner, president of Jack's Pets. "We recognize that we can have a very positive impact on our local pet community by working with various adoption agencies surrounding our stores. We have worked with and supported many animal shelters and rescue groups in the past, and starting next year, we will expand our partnerships even further. We appreciate the ASPCA's support."

"The ASPCA is thrilled to see a pet store chain like Jack's Pets transition to a no puppy sales model," said ASPCA President and CEO Ed Sayres. "We look forward to partnering with Jack's Pets to connect them with local shelters and rescues to offer pet adoptions in their stores. We hope that Jack's decision will convince other pet stores to stop selling puppies and instead support local animal adoption programs, which would improve the lives of countless dogs."

The decision by Jack's Pets coincides with other changes as the company positions itself for future growth. Over the last six months, Jack's Pets has changed its name, expanded its pet food selections to more than 30 brands, and tested a successful new store format that does not include the sale of puppies.

Last month, the ASPCA unveiled its national "No Pet Store Puppies" campaign in Columbus, Ohio. The campaign raises awareness about the connection between pet store puppies and puppy mills and aims to reduce the demand for puppy mill puppies by urging consumers not to buy any items—including food, supplies or toys—if the store or website sells puppies. As part of a major public education campaign, 19 outdoor billboards were posted in the Columbus area that raise awareness about puppy mill cruelty and targeted online ads were placed providing a captivating and simple call to action.

"While we were always extremely vigilant to acquire our dogs directly from local breeders we trusted and who met our strict health standards, we realize that not all pet stores operate the same way.  Our ultimate decision to stop selling puppies is one we believe will be a win-win for everyone. We want to continue to provide our customers with lovable companions while helping to save dogs' lives, and we hope other stores will follow suit," added Brenner.

To learn more about the ASPCA's No Pet Store Puppies campaign, please visit www.NoPetStorePuppies.com.

About Jack's Pets
Jack's Pets was founded in 1950 by Jack and Margie Brenner. Over the last 60 years we have grown to 27 regional stores with over 400 pet loving employees. Our stores are located in Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Indiana. Our Corporate Support & Distribution Center is located in Beavercreek, Ohio.

We staff our stores with friendly and helpful pet lovers. Over the years we have developed and implemented an extensive ongoing training program. All of our associates must pass a series of pet husbandry and customer service exams. Our training program, combined with our associates' passion for all pets, results in unsurpassed attention to both you and your pets' needs.

You can connect to Jack's Pets by visiting our website at http://www.jackspets.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jackspets.

About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation's leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA's mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.

To become a fan of the ASPCA on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/aspca. To follow the ASPCA on Twitter, go to http://www.twitter.com/aspca.

SOURCE ASPCA