BERKLEY, Mich. (WXYZ) — A group of residents are up in arms about a retail puppy business that opened on Woodward Avenue in Berkley last week.
They're concerned about how the puppies are being sourced because a store under the same management in Indiana was tied to an unethical breeder.
City council members are now in the process of drafting an ordinance that would address these practices.
In an unexpected turn of events, the business, Puppygram, was shut down Tuesday and it had nothing to do with the treatment or sales of their puppies.
According to the city, the store opened without being issued a business license. They're closed to customers for the time being, although employees can go in and out to take care of the animals.
"It wasn't until last week that we started receiving information about some of their past practices and some of the issues they had in other states," Berkley City Manager Matt Baumgarten said.
The storefront on Woodward is now getting a lot of attention and it has nothing to do with the adorable dogs in the window.
"People need to be aware, people need to make choices that this particular company has a long history of being tied to animals that are not well cared for," Courtney Wooten said. "Animals that are coming from large puppy mills."
Wooten says when she saw the business open, she didn't give it much thought. Then other people in the community started digging and she grew concerned.
To be clear, there's no evidence that the Berkley location is tied to unethical breeding. However, Puppygram CEO Miles Handy managed another location in Kokomo, Indiana called Pets Choice.
Four Certified Veterinary Inspections 7 Action News acquired show that location was sourcing from large brokering facilities that ship puppies all over the country to stores.
One of the brokering facilities had over 500 dogs in their care, according to documents.
"So, it is the very business model that is built on a system shipping animals, using brokers shipping across state lines and using large-scale breeders," Molly Tamulevich said. "That is why we are able to say they are linked to puppy mills."
Tamulevich is the Michigan director for the Humane Society of the United States. She's teaming up with concerned citizens like Wooten, who protested the retail sale of puppies Monday.
Handy didn't want to speak on camera about it, but a manager in the store did.
"They are misinformed. We do not support puppy mills," Andrea Bommarito with Puppygram said. "We use certified breeders in Kentucky and Indiana.
Baumgarten says they are still vetting information about the past businesses. He says council members are looking to take action by way of an ordinance but didn't give specifics.
"Their biggest issue was these dogs were potentially sourced or bred in very inhumane conditions," Baumgarten said.
When we asked why they were able to open without a license, he said, "I am not sure how it happened, but it happens more than we'd like."
This is not the first time Handy has been under fire. He's a former Redford Township trustee and worked for the Wayne County Road Division under Robert Ficano.
In 2010, 7 Investigators revealed audio of Handy berating a police officer over a noise complaint. He also ran for township supervisor in Redford. He lost, but two years later, he was recorded using sexually explicit language with his political opponent who did win the race.
It's unclear when he got into the retail puppy business, but what is clear is the protestors want him out.
The first reading of that ordinance will take place at the next city council meeting on March 6. Wooten says the group is planning another protest for Friday.
"There isn't anybody in the city that is pro the inhumane treatment of animals," Baumgarten said.
