Business & Tech

Protest at "Puppies of Westport" in Norwalk Shakes up a Gray Sunday

Westport Coalition Against Puppy Mills members have protested outside Puppies of Westport for seven years.

Written by Leslie Yager

About a dozen protesters outside Puppies of Westport in Norwalk held signs with slogans like "Puppy parents caged for life" and "Pet store pups are Puppy mill pups" on Sunday.

As cars zoomed by or slowed to a stop for the red light near Monty and Lauren Kaufman's pet store at 255 Westport Ave, some drivers frowned as they tried to read the signs quickly. Others honked their horns in support.

Westport Coalition Against Puppy Mills members have protested the Norwalk pet store for seven years, while across the street a stream of customers, often families with young children, have cooed over puppies.

In interviews on Sunday with both the Kaufmans and the protesters, comments echoed those expressed last month at a  public hearing on possible pet store legislation requiring the sale of only dogs and cats from shelters, in-state breeders and rescue groups.

The well attended hearing was convened by the Task Force Concerning the Sale of Cats and Dogs at CT Pet Shops from Inhumane Origins, co-chaired by State Sen. Bob Duff and State Rep. Brenda Kupchick.

"If they made us switch to the rescue-only model we'd be out of business," Monty Kaufman said on Sunday. "We have rent, payroll, insurance, vet bills, electricity, taxes and kennel staff. About $700 per dog goes to overhead. We don't have volunteers."

"Besides, there are no strays in Connecticut. If they went to the proposed rescue-only model they'd only give me the dregs, the hard to place dogs. I'd go out of business," Monty added.

The Kaufmans said they typically charge $1,500 or $1,600 per puppy, and that if a dog is not sold by the time it approaches adult size, they drop the price and often lose money once overhead is factored in.

"We lower the price to $600 or $500 if the dog is five or six months old and still here," said Lauren Kaufman. "Even less, if my sense about the family is they're very loving."     

"It's unbelievable that they continue to focus on this issue," Monty said, referring to the sources of the puppies he and his wife sell. And while the protesters use the term "puppy mills," the Kaufmans use the term "breeders," most of which are located in midwest. The Kaufmans said they source from breeders mostly in Missouri.

"With thousands of dogs coming into the state from the south who don't get the most effective Parvo vaccination, and with internet sales and the import of dogs and from other countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Puerto Rico and Pakistan, they still focus on us! We take very good care of our dogs. Our customers are happy."

Across the street from the pet store, Ken Bernhard, an attorney based in Westport with Cohen and Wolf, shared the protesters' side of the story. 

"The industry, to save itself, is dissembling information packed with half-truths. No reliable breeder would sell their dogs to a retail store where the only concern is a profit motive," Bernhard said. 

"Pet stores support a horrific industry which hides in the shadows and abuses animals in order to breed inventory," added Bernhard, who is also a former state representative from Westport.

Allison Allen of the Coalition said, "Our group is educating the public so that they can make informed decisions."

"There are about three million dogs euthanized every year and it defies rational thought as to why we would want to encourage breeding and marketing of dogs that come from horrific breeding facilities," said Bernhard. 

From the doorway of his pet store, Monty Kaufman took note of Bernhard's presence across the street. "I'm embarrassed I went to the same law school as him, NYU. He likes to say they drove me out of Westport, from our previous location and that we're here because Norwalk people are easier to fool," Kaufman said. "That's ridiculous."

"There just aren't strays in Connecticut. Only 1,800 dogs were euthanized last year in Connecticut," Monty said. "They were either old, sick or aggressive."

"These groups only want to sell dogs that are spayed and neutered. Eventually, what dogs will be left?" Kaufman asked. "Ultimately they don't want people to own domestic animals."

"And as for those gruesome photos they'll show you, you are seeing them out of context with the inspection reports of the breeder. More than half of breeders were given a perfect bill of health," Monty said. "They are indicting the good breeders with good reports."

At the front desk Lauren Kaufman posed with a Shiba Inu puppy and said she recently had to cancel a fall trip to Missouri to visit the breeders she does business with, due to illness.

"I'll head out there in January to see them," Lauren said. "They are so loving and greet me so warmly."

"When we find a breeder with a violation we blackball them," said Monty. "We contact everyone they sell to and we wipe the floor with them. We are so careful, we have a couple dozen (breeders) we have total reliance on," added Monty.

"With or without violations, we would still be out here," said Kerri Ann Hofer of the Coalition about the Kaufmans' claim that they don't use breeders with violations. "We're here because dogs in puppy mills are still living in substandard conditions."

Monty Kaufman said he has been busy preparing for the second public hearing on the possible pet store legislation. 

"At the end of the day, the law will be unconstitutional anyway," Kaufman said dismissively. "Because they are interfering with interstate commerce."

The next public hearing on possible pet store legislation Connecticut is scheduled for Dec. 4 at 1:00p.m. in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Room 2A. 



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