The City of Joliet does not license or regulate pet stores (stores that perform the retail sale of dogs and cats) within the city. Other Illinois municipalities, including the City of Chicago, City of Crest Hill, Village of Romeoville, City of Warrenville, and City of Waukegan, do license and regulate pet stores within their jurisdictions.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) licenses and regulates all Illinois pet stores; however, the IDA employed only six inspectors to oversee 1,973 dog dealers, kennel operators, pet store operators, and other licensees in the state as of January 2015.
Pet Stores in Joliet
Warning: Information provided below is disturbing.
One pet store that would be impacted by a Companion Animal and Consumer Ordinance currently operates in the City of Joliet:
Furry Babies, located in the Louis Joliet Mall at 3340 Mall Loop Drive.
(Puppy in the Window, located in the North Ridge Plaza at 1480 North Larkin Avenue, closed in August 2016. This location was formerly Petland.)
Please note: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revoked public access to breeder inspection reports, so we are unable to update the store's breeder information until we receive the records we requested from the USDA in February 2017 through the Freedom of Information Act.
Furry Babies
In 2015, the Joliet Furry Babies store sold 414 dogs, according to its IDA Pet Shop Operator license renewal for 2016.
In 2014, the Joliet Furry Babies store sold 322 dogs, according to its IDA Pet Shop Operator license renewal for 2015.
In 2013, the Joliet Furry Babies store sold 300 dogs, according to its IDA Pet Shop Operator license renewal application for 2014.
On February 7, 2016, Safe Pets for Joliet visited the Joliet Furry Babies and found that:
There were discrepancies between breeder information on the store’s “official disclosure forms” and in license records on file with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Dogs were obtained from commercial breeding facilities housing up to 300 dogs.
One of the 7 breeders was not listed in the USDA’s licensee database, despite Furry Babies’ claim in its “Breeder Information Book” that only USDA licensed and inspected breeders are permitted to sell to pet stores. Another was using a license under another person’s name that has been canceled.
Four of the 5 USDA licensed breeders were found by USDA inspectors to not be in compliance with the AWA in 2013-2015. The other licensed breeder had no inspections on file with the USDA.
One of the licensed breeders was found to be non-compliant with the AWA 6 times in 2014-2015.
One of the licensed breeders committed a “direct” non-compliance, defined by the USDA as having “a high potential to adversely affect the health and well-being of an animal.”
A breeder that had one dog available for purchase, Lester Wagler (USDA license #48-A-1932) of Kansas, has been found by USDA inspectors to be non-compliant with the AWA ten times since 2013, with one repeat non-compliance. Wagler was inspected six times in 2014-2015; because the USDA utilizes a "risk-based inspection system" that averages one inspection per year for standard breeding facilities, this would indicate ongoing USDA concerns about Wagler’s operation, despite his having less than 20 dogs in his care. In April 2013, a USDA inspector found Wagler to have an “incomplete” veterinary program as well as an English mastiff with a “cauliflower looking growth of tissue protruding from the right side” that had not been examined by a veterinarian. Wagler has also been cited for having an accumulation of rodent droppings in the dogs’ feed area, having gaps and holes in enclosures that create the opportunity for “potential injury” (a repeat offense), having “sharp, jagged” edges on a water receptacle, and not providing inspectors with access to the property or records, according to reports. Wagler still retains his USDA license, and as of July 2015, housed 18 dogs in his facility
Safe Pets for Joliet obtained veterinary certificates from the Illinois Department of Agriculture for dogs imported into the state by the Furry Babies company in 2015 and found that:
Dogs were obtained from commercial breeding facilities housing up to 378 dogs.
17% of the breeders were not listed in the USDA’s licensee database, despite Furry Babies’ claim in its “Breeder Information Book” that only USDA licensed and inspected breeders are permitted to sell to pet stores.
67% of the USDA licensed breeders were found by USDA inspectors to not be in compliance with the AWA in 2012-2015.
One of the licensed breeders was found to be non-compliant with the AWA 15 times in 2013.
Five of the licensed breeders committed “direct” non-compliances, defined by the USDA as having “a high potential to adversely affect the health and well-being of an animal.”
A breeder that sold at least two dogs to Furry Babies in 2015, Rafter “G” Kennel (Ruth Ann and Gary Goostree, USDA license #43-A-5677) of Missouri, had been found by USDA inspectors to be non-compliant with the AWA six times in 2013-2016, with one “direct” non-compliance and one repeat non-compliance. In January 2014, USDA inspectors found a husky with a “hard mass on the left side of her mammary area” that had not been inspected by a veterinarian. Ruth Ann Goostree admitted that she was “unable to handle the dog.” The lack of veterinary care was a repeat non-compliance, as inspectors had previously found a dog with severely matted hair, eye disease, and dental disease, as well as a dog with skin disease, neither of which had been examined by a veterinarian. Other non-compliances the Goostrees have accumulated include having the building ventilation turned off resulting in high levels of ammonia in the air, as well as having holes in the dog enclosures with sharp exposed edges, and not providing inspectors with access to the property or records, according to reports. The Goostrees were listed in The Humane Society of the United States Report, 101 Puppy Mills: A Sampling of Problem Puppy Mills in the United States. The Goostrees still retain their USDA license, and as of April 2016, housed 79 dogs in their facility.
There were discrepancies between breeder information on the store's veterinary certificates and in USDA records.
Dogs were obtained from commercial breeding facilities housing up to 460 dogs.
14% of the breeders were not listed in the USDA’s licensee database.
83% of the USDA licensed breederswere found by USDA inspectors to not be in compliance with the AWA in 2012-2014.
One of the USDA licensed breeders was found to be non-compliant with the AWA 21 times in 2012-2013.
One of the USDA licensed breeders committed three "direct" non-compliances, defined by the USDA as having "a high potential to adversely affect the health and well-being of an animal."
A breeder that had one dog available for purchase, Sunset Kennels (Jonas D. Raber, USDA license #31-A-0235) of Ohio, has been found by USDA inspectors to be non-compliant with the AWA 21 times since April 2012, with three direct non-compliances and ten repeat non-compliances. In November 2012, a USDA inspector found seven dogs with untreated injuries or health problems (including open lesions, blood and white discharge from the dogs' gums, unidentified masses on their bodies, and skin infections), and further noted that "several addition dogs have been found in this facility with health issues that have not been noticed by the Licensee. Daily observation is not being properly conducted." Of these seven dogs, five were euthanized instead of being provided veterinary care, and one still had not been seen by a veterinarian the next month. (The ages of these dogs is unknown, as Raber was also cited for not maintaining records for the dogs). This kind of neglect is a pattern for Raber; in a May 2012 report, one dog was found with ulcerations, one with a limp, and one with an extended and swollen penis - according to the report, "attempts to replace the penis were unsuccessful." Raber has also been cited for not providing inspectors with access to the property or records, not cleaning the buildup of urine and “organic material” in the dogs' cages, not providing adequate ventilation with the indoor temperature of the facility at 92 degrees, housing the dogs in a building with a leaking roof, having a rodents in the building (which "often are carriers for disease and this can put the animal’s health at risk"), not maintaining complete or accurate records of the dogs (which is necessary "for purposes of a disease outbreak"), and improperly identifying the dogs, according to reports. Raber was listed in The Humane Society of the United States' 2013 report, A Horrible Hundred: Problem Puppy Mills in the United States. Raber still retains his USDA license, and as of June 2014, housed 181 dogs in his facility.
Safe Pets for Joliet obtained veterinary certificates from the Illinois Department of Agriculture for dogs imported into the state by the Furry Babies company in 2014 and found that:
Furry Babies purchased its dogs from commercial breeding/broker facilities housing up to 1,176 dogs.
10% of the breeders were not listed in the USDA’s licensee database.
81% of the USDA licensed breederswere found by USDA inspectors to not be in compliance with the AWA in 2012-2015.
One of the USDA licensed breeders was found to be non-compliant with the AWA 21 times in 2013-2015.
Nine of the USDA licensed breeders committed "direct" non-compliances, defined by the USDA as having "a high potential to adversely affect the health and well-being of an animal."
A breeder that sold six dogs to Furry Babies in 2014, Rainbow Ranch Kennel (Charlene and Darlene Koster, USDA license #48-B-0271) of Kansas, had been found to be non-compliant with the AWA 21 times since 2013, with two direct non-compliances and six repeat non-compliances. In February 2014, a USDA inspector found food in three enclosures for puppies that had feces visibly mixed in, and one puppy was witnessed urinating near the food. During that same inspection, 43 dogs were found to be housed in outdoor enclosures with "insufficient bedding" in weather with temperatures below freezing. In addition, enclosure gates were frozen closed and feces covered 50-70% of the floor space in six outdoor enclosures. The Kosters have also been cited for having dogs with unattended medical issues including growths with blood and tissue visible, fight wounds, and matted hair, as well as not providing inspectors with access to the property or records, using medication on dogs that is prescribed for cattle, using expired medications, not providing wind and rain breaks in outdoor shelters, not maintaining housing facilities including holes in the floors of enclosures, and providing unsanitary living conditions such as having feces on shelter walls and floors, according to reports. The Kosters were listed in The Humane Society of the United States' 2013 report, A Horrible Hundred: Problem Puppy Mills in the United States and in the 2014 report, 101 Puppy Mills: A Sampling of Problem Puppy Mills in the United States. The Kosters still retain their USDA license, and as of March 2015, housed 96 dogs in their facility.
Safe Pets for Joliet obtained veterinary certificates from the Illinois Department of Agriculture for dogs imported into the state by the Furry Babies company in 2013 and found that:
Furry Babies purchased its dogs from commercial breeding/broker facilities housing up to 1,176 dogs.
8% of the breeders were not listed in the USDA’s licensee database.
95% of the USDA licensed breeders were found by USDA inspectors to not be in compliance with the AWA in 2012-2014.
Two of the USDA licensed breeders were found to be non-compliant with the AWA 16 times in 2012-2014.
Six of the USDA licensed breeders committed "direct" non-compliances, defined by the USDA as having "a high potential to adversely affect the health and well-being of an animal."
One breeder that sold two dogs to Furry Babies in 2013, Clarke’s Hillside Kennels (Kathy/William Clarke, USDA license #48-A-1275) of Kansas, had been found to be non-compliant with the AWA 10 times since 2012, with two direct non-compliances and four repeat non-compliances. In August 2012, a USDA inspector found three dogs with injuries or disease, and three dogs with "a heavy tick infestation" on their ears and face. According to the report, "the licensee stated that this was the first time the ticks were noticed… another Schipperke female was removed from the enclosure 21 days earlier and no ticks were noticed on the other three dogs at that time." One of the tick-infested dogs subsequently died, and another was euthanized. The Clarkes have also been cited for having dogs with unattended medical issues including open wounds, limps, skin disease, dental disease, and foot swelling, as well as not providing inspectors with access to the property or records, not maintaining housing facilities, not cleaning water receptacles, and providing unsanitary living conditions such as having feces covering 25-50% of shelter walls, according to reports. The Clarkes were listed in The Humane Society of the United States’ 2013 report, A Horrible Hundred: Problem Puppy Mills in the United States, and in the 2014 report, 101 Puppy Mills: A Sampling of Problem Puppy Mills in the United States. The Clarkes still retain their USDA license, and as of August 2014, housed 81 dogs in their facility. Furry Babies continued to purchase dogs from the Clarkes in 2014.
Puppy in the Window
Puppy in the Window obtained its IDA pet shop operator license in December 2015, replacing Petland in the North Ridge Plaza. It closed in August 2016.
As of February 4, 2016, the Illinois Department of Agriculture had no records on Puppy in the Window breeders. However, information in store records indicate that dogs purchased by Puppy in the Window for consumer sale were obtained from out-of-state large-scale commercial brokers that sell more than 5,000 dogs per year, just like its predecessor, Petland. (Brokers purchase dogs from breeders and re-sell them. Learn more in the Humane Society of the United States report, Petland in Illinois: Where Do They Get Their Puppies?). The IDA does not maintain records for cats purchased by pet stores for consumer sale.
On January 23, 2016, Safe Pets for Joliet visited Puppy in the Window and found that:
There were discrepancies between breeder information on the store’s “pet profiles” and in license records on file with the USDA.
Dogs were obtained from commercial breeding facilities housing up to 863 dogs.
Four of the 13 breeders (31%) were not listed in the USDA’s licensee database.
Six of the 9 USDA licensed breeders (67%) were found by USDA inspectors to not be in compliance with the AWA in 2013-2015.
One of the USDA licensed breeders violated the AWA 8 times in 2013-2015.
Broker information included on every “pet profile” indicates that Puppy in the Window purchases its dogs through the same brokers as its predecessor Petland. All brokers that sold dogs to Petland in 2012-2015 ship over 5,000 puppies per year across the country.
The Joliet Township Animal Control (JTAC) performs animal control functions for the City of Joliet, the City of Crest Hill, and the Village of Rockdale.
In 2014 and 2015, 40% more dogs and cats were euthanized by the taxpayer-funded Joliet Township Animal Control than were sold by Joliet's pet stores.
In 2016, JTAC housed 1,024 dogs and 858 cats that were surrendered by owners, brought in as strays by citizens, seized by Animal Control Officers, returned by adopters, or transferred in from other shelters.Of those 1,882 animals, 36% were adopted out, 25% were returned to owners, 18% were euthanized, and 14% were transferred to other shelters/rescues.
JTAC spent $36,430.38 in 2016 on veterinary care, animal care and supplies, and euthanasia.
In 2015, JTAC housed 1,110 dogs and 826 cats that were surrendered by owners, brought in as strays by citizens, seized by Animal Control Officers, returned by adopters, or transferred in from other shelters. Of those 1,936 animals, 39% were adopted out, 24% were returned to owners, 22% were euthanized, and 11% were transferred to other shelters/rescues.
JTAC spent $56,502.72 in 2015 on veterinary care, animal care and supplies, and euthanasia.