PETA Releases Never-Before-Seen Footage From Expose of PETCO Supplier

Footage Shows Worker Who Puts Animals Into a Plastic Bag and Bashes Them to Death 

For Immediate Release:
May 27, 2010

Contact:
Daphna Nachminovitch 757-622-7382

San Diego -- For the first time, PETA has publicly released investigation footage  showing a worker at a PETCO supplier slamming hamsters against a table in an attempt to kill them. At least one of the hamsters was still alive for several minutes afterward and was seen panting in the plastic bag. PETA conducted a three-month investigation of Sun Pet Ltd.--an Atlanta-based supplier of small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and other animals to stores nationwide--and turned over its investigation footage to authorities. 

PETCO has made no statements concerning the findings of PETA's investigation or any policies that it might have in place to ensure that animals who are purchased from animal-supply warehouses such as Sun Pet are not neglected or abused.

"The silence and inaction of PETCO concerning PETA's investigation findings show that it is business as usual to buy animals from companies that have a record of abuse and failure to provide veterinary care to sick and injured animals," says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "If bashing animals against a table and watching them suffer from their injuries isn't cruel enough to make PETCO sever ties with a supplier, what kind of suffering will it take?"

For more information and to view the just-released video footage, please visit PETA.org.