Trolls target Gold Coast pet shop owner
A LONG-TIME Gold Coast pet shop owner is firing back after being abused online and questioned about where she is sourcing pups and kittens. Should pets be sold in stores? Vote in our poll
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A LONG-TIME Gold Coast pet shop owner is firing back at faceless trolls who are attacking her online and questioning where she is sourcing pups and kittens.
Toni Whetton is being targeted by animal activists just a week after opening her second store at Australia Fair, Southport. She has owned Pets @ Play at Helensvale for the past decade.
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Trolls who refused to be named have accused her of buying the pets from illegal puppy farms and keeping animals in “squalid conditions in metal cages, often living in darkness, laying (sic) in their own filth, with no access to good quality nutrition, medical attention, sunlight, space to run around in, or love from a human”.
An angry and hurt Mrs Whetton said the claims were absolute nonsense and she strictly abided by laws and regulations.
“For people to believe such venomous attacks just hurts me so badly. I love animals,” Mrs Whetton said.
“We don’t condone puppy farms, we actually report anyone we think isn’t looking after their animals properly to the RSPCA.
“There was a code of practice that was put out in May last year for Queensland that all sales have to come from registered breeders.
“We display their breeder registration number and we also give the person who buys the animal the details of the breeder that the animal has come from.
“We personally visit most of the breeders we deal with.
“All the puppies in our window right now we have visited personally, and we don’t deal with anyone who we don’t trust.”
The attacks against Mrs Whetton this week had escalated to phone calls. Police had been notified.
Despite her sourcing pets from legitimate breeders, RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said it was preferable people looking for a pet went to a shelter.
“If you’re buying puppies and kittens from a pet shop you have to check now they have a breeder ID, under new ID laws, so that all those puppies are traceable,” Mr Beatty said.
“Obviously, in general terms we’d prefer they came and adopted from us because they need a home, but it’s encouraging to see that this shop is abiding by the new rules and new legislation.
“If everyone works together on this, we can stamp out illegal puppy farms.”
Australia Fair centre manager Kylee Morman said: “Pets @ Play are abiding by the Queensland Government Code of Practice regulations for pet shops. Centre management have no valid reason to vacate this tenant while they are complying with these regulations.”
Animal activists claim the dogs are coming from puppy mills because they are not microchipped when sold.
However, Mrs Whetton said her vet chose not to microchip animals under 2kg as it could cause distress. She said all animals were microchipped at a mandatory vet visit once rehomed.
“At the moment, half my puppies have their microchip inserted. The other half don’t, but under the vet’s advice,” she said.
“Once they are rehomed, they get a free vet visit and the microchipping is done.”
Dr Mandy Paterson, principal scientist at the Wacol animal care campus for RSPCA Queensland, said Pets @ Play was operating legally as the store had veterinary support.
“The Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 states that a dog or cat over 12 weeks of age must be implanted with a PPID (microchip) unless the person has a reasonable excuse.
“In most cases a reasonable excuse is a signed veterinary certificate stating that implanting the dog or cat with a PPID would be a serious risk to its health.
“In this case the certificate would say that once the dog reached 2kg it would be safe to microchip,” she said.
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