Behind the Curtain: Shocking Revelations from a Las Vegas Pet Store Sting операции

An undercover investigator for the Humane Society of the United States was employed at six pet shops throughout Nevada—including Puppy Heaven in Las Vegas, Petland in Henderson, and four Puppies for Less locations in Las Vegas—during late 2024 and uncovered unsafe living conditions, management neglecting to seek necessary veterinary attention for ill puppies and in-house medical procedures such as forced feeding and a makeshift nebulizer.

At Puppy Heaven, the investigator quickly noticed Cindy Lou, a brown and white Havanese puppy confined in a pen in the staff restroom (seen at 0:11-0:32 of the video released by HSUS today), who seemed listless and seldom ate. Even as her situation deteriorated, the store manager declined to take Cindy Lou to a veterinarian, prompting the investigator to notify local authorities. Humane agents arrived at the establishment to evaluate the situation and instructed the store manager to take the puppy to a vet that evening. Unfortunately, it was too late for Cindy Lou, and she sadly passed away at the veterinary clinic. Cindy Lou’s image lingered on the store’s social media page for many weeks post her passing, and a mystery shopper who contacted the store was informed she had “been adopted.”

The results of the investigation include:

• At Puppies for Less in Las Vegas/Cheyenne, a Chihuahua named Drumstick experienced breathing difficulties, coughing, and poor appetite. Rather than receiving veterinary care, staff at the store force-fed him using a syringe and provided makeshift nebulizer treatments in a back room (1:42-1:51). The “nebulizer” was a plastic storage tote with holes drilled into the top, precariously balanced atop stacks on a desk.
• Staff at Puppies for Less in Las Vegas/Sahara, who instructed our undercover worker on the forms that clients buying dogs needed to fill out, stated that “your puppy WILL get sick, it WILL happen,” but added that if buyers opt to retain a terminally ill dog, the store covers “NO vet bills. Nothing, nothing,” (2:56-3:25). The employee further mentioned that the store only accepts back “terminally ill” puppies, and when an ill puppy is returned, they “usually get put down.”
• At Puppies for Less in Rancho, breeder data indicated that puppies originated from known puppy mills, including a facility run by Jake Kruse in Salem, Iowa, and another operated by Milton Lewis in Newport, Nebraska, both of whom were cited in the HSUS’ Horrible Hundred report (Kruse in 2022 and Lewis in 2018) for unsanitary and unsafe housing conditions. State inspectors also identified serious issues with sick and injured dogs on Lewis’ property in 2017. One puppy had a leg amputated, another was discovered with puncture wounds on her back leg and a swollen eye after reportedly being involved in a fight with other canines.
• At the Petland Henderson store and several other pet shops, sick puppies were observed in back rooms, often wheezing or exhibiting other signs of illness. Despite the risk of transmitting illnesses, the investigator recorded Petland staff at the Henderson location soaking used oral syringes in the sink with other utensils destined for later reuse on puppies, heightening the danger of disease spread.
• Additionally, at Petland Henderson, HSUS investigations unveiled that the store sourced puppies from known puppy mills and brokers in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. The store manager informed the undercover investigator that the store pays approximately $800 per puppy. The puppies are subsequently sold for thousands of dollars, with prices varying by breed. Prices exceeding $3,000 were commonplace.
• At Puppy Heaven, puppies were housed in perilous open-topped wire enclosures (0:50-1:04), from which puppies frequently escaped and fell several feet, striking the hard surface below. This sometimes happened overnight, with one instance leaving a frightened puppy to be found under a desk in the darkness the following morning.

Cindy Lou’s demise underscores the cruelty that puppies endure when sold for profit in pet shops, where staff are often obligated to administer makeshift treatments to fragile, sickly puppies, and establishments frequently delay seeking emergency care until puppies become severely ill. The HSUS and humane collaborators are engaging with Nevada lawmakers to draft a bill tentatively titled Cindy Lou’s Law, aimed at ceasing the sale of puppies in Nevada pet shops, dismantling the pipeline from puppy mills to pet stores within the state and averting further unnecessary suffering.

“The well-documented pipeline of puppy mill dogs to pet stores in Nevada is a nightmare for animals and consumers alike. Puppies like Cindy Lou never arrive at a caring home, but for many of those sold, their new families endure significant emotional and financial burdens,” stated Rebecca Goff, Nevada state director for the Humane Society of the United States. “Our lawmakers can rectify this injustice by promptly passing sensible legislation to limit puppy-selling pet stores in Nevada that value profit over the well-being of animals.”

If Nevada legislators prohibit the sale of puppies in pet stores, the state will join eight others that have already enacted similar laws, including California and Oregon, its neighboring states. Humane pet store regulations encourage consumers to seek more ethical sources for pets, such as shelters, rescues, or reputable breeders who invite potential buyers to visit in person and evaluate the living conditions of the animals.

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