Companion Animal Protection Society Plans Peaceful Holiday Protest of Happiness is Pets in Lombard

Pet Shop Chain Has Six Locations in the Chicago Area


CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - December 18, 2009) -


WHO:    Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), www.caps-web.org,
        is the only national non-profit organization dedicated exclusively
        to protecting companion animals from cruelty in pet shops and puppy
        mills.

        CAPS President Deborah Howard, who has been interviewed on Animal
        Planet, CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX, is available for phone
        interviews. CAPS has done several stories with CBS 2 Chicago,
        including coverage of the Kathy Bauck investigation and criminal
        case.  Bauck, who was one of the largest dog brokers and breeders
        in the country, was convicted of animal cruelty in March 2009 based
        on evidence from a six-week undercover employment investigation by
        CAPS.  USDA issued a Decision and Order on December 2 that
        terminates Bauck's license.  Bauck sold to pet shops in the Chicago
        area.

WHAT:   CAPS is protesting Happiness is Pets, which has six locations in
        the Chicago area, to draw awareness to the connection between pet
        shops and puppy mills. Almost all pet shops obtain dogs from puppy
        mills. Informing the public about the dangers of purchasing pet
        shop dogs is more important now than ever as people consider
        purchasing companion animals for gifts this holiday season.

WHEN:   Saturday, December 19, 2009 from 1-3 pm CST

WHERE:  Happiness is Pets, 616 E. Roosevelt Rd., Lombard, IL 60148

WHY:    Happiness is Pets sells dogs from puppy mills -- commercial
        breeding facilities that mass-produce puppies for resale through
        pet shops and brokers.  USDA licensed facilities are puppy mills.

        -- CAPS completed several very successful protests in the Los
           Angeles area, resulting in pet shops converting to humane
           business models that provide shelter animals for adoption.

        -- Millions of healthy and treatable dogs and cats are killed each
           year in shelters. CAPS urges consumers to adopt companion
           animals from shelter and rescue organizations rather than
           through pet shops, the Internet and breeders.

HOW:    CAPS wants to alert consumers to the problems associated with
        purchasing puppies from pet shops.  At these peaceful protests,
        CAPS protesters distribute fact sheets on pet shops and where to
        adopt in Chicago and CAPS brochures. CAPS protestors want Happiness
        is Pets to convert to a humane business model that provides dogs
        from local shelters, especially kill facilities, rather than from
        puppy mills.

        CAPS has investigated the following USDA licensed breeders or
        brokers in Iowa who sell to Happiness is Pets: Steve Kruse (largest
        broker in Iowa; has more than 1,000 dogs), Brian Mohrfeld, Kruse
        Farm Enterprises (see Jordan Kruse), and Les Knust.  CAPS has also
        investigated Delilah Jean Wagler in Indiana, who operates without a
        USDA license in violation of the Animal Welfare Act and sells
        puppies to Happiness is Pets through USDA licensed broker Levi
        Graber.  You can find investigation reports, photos and undercover
        footage on the CAPS website under "CAPS Investigations Reports."

About CAPS

Founded by President Deborah Howard in 1992, Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to protecting companion animals from cruelty in pet shops and puppy mills. CAPS actively addresses the abuse and suffering of pet shop and puppy mill dogs through investigations, education, media relations, legislative involvement, puppy mill dog rescues, consumer assistance and pet industry employee relations.

Contact Information: Media Contacts: Ida McCarthy Protest Organizer cell: 630-479-4673 idamccarthy@yahoo.com Deborah Howard CAPS President cell: 339-236-0978 caps@caps-web.org Mara Stefan Emerge PR cell: 781-771-6911 mstefan@emergepr.com