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Mar 7, 2008 7:37 pm US/Pacific
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Bell Gardens Pet Shop Accused Of Abusing Animals
BELL GARDENS
Animal control officers searched a Bell Gardens pet shop Friday after the business was accused of providing veterinary services without a license.
Southeast Area Animal Control Authority officers served the search warrant at Planet Pet Shop Friday morning and spent more than three hours collecting evidence. Store employees declined to comment on the allegations.
"What we have is allegations that this pet store is prescribing medicine without a license, acting as a veterinary clinic, and in one case even performing surgery recently on an animal," said Capt. Aaron Reyes of the Animal Control Authority.
Officers questioned employees and impounded sick puppies and turtles, he said.
"We've got some puppies that are clearly underage inside. It's illegal to even have them here, it's also illegal to sell them when they're under eight weeks of age. They're bred indiscriminately. They often times do not survive longer than two weeks," Reyes said.
Reyes said there is "a lot of good evidence to support the allegations that they're practicing veterinary medicine without a license."
SEAACA officers will forward their findings to the District Attorney's Office in about two weeks, he said.
Anyone who purchased an animal or had their pet vaccinated at the store can contact SEAACA at (562) 803-3301, ext. 224.
"We think that they have been deceiving the community, posing as a one-stop shop for vaccines and that's unlawful," Reyes alleged.
Planet Pet Shop remains open.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)