An undercover examination into conditions at a Frisco pet store abruptly ended when the investigator got sick with a bacterial infection that can be spread between animals and humans.
The Humane Society of the United States said it uncovered poor conditions in animal housing areas at Petland in Frisco during an investigation it said found similar results at other stores.
Petland called the investigation a sham conducted by a politically biased organization. The Humane Society of the United States is based in Washington, D.C., and has no affiliation with local agencies.
According to the Humane Society, dogs were severely underweight, malnourished and sick, often with bloody stools, and several did not receive veterinary care.
Puppies that got better were then put on sale, but customers weren't told about their previous illnesses, according to the Humane Society.
In addition, an injured rabbit in a cardboard box was later found dead in a freezer, according to the Humane Society.
The Frisco investigation lasted three weeks and ended when the investigator was diagnosed with campylobacter, which can cause bloody diarrhea in animals and humans, the Humane Society said.
Petland representatives said its animals routinely undergo veterinary care and criticized the Humane Society, according to a report by WFAA-TV (Channel 8).
"The HSUS is a politically oriented fundraising group that is out of touch with the animal world," Petland said in a statement released to WFAA.
Frisco police issued a citation to the store owner for failing to provide proof of veterinary care under a city ordinance, but nothing in the store indicated a clear case of animal cruelty, WFAA reported.
The Frisco investigation was the organization's seventh of a Petland store in less than a year. Sick puppies were found in back rooms at all seven, and dead animals in freezers were found in five, the investigations found.
