From the Associated Press:
Petco to Pay $900,000 to Settle California Lawsuits
May 28 --------------- Petco Animal Supplies Inc., the No. 2
U.S. pet-supply chain, will pay more than $900,000 to settle two
California lawsuits that claimed the company mistreated animals
and overcharged customers, the Associated Press reported.
Petco didn't admit wrongdoing. It agreed to pay $600,000 in
fines, $200,000 to install equipment at its California stores to
ensure pricing accuracy and $101,000 to cover investigation
costs. The settlement resolves suits filed by the district
attorneys of Los Angeles, Marin, San Mateo and San Diego counties
and one by the San Francisco city attorney, AP said.
San Francisco's investigation of Petco found sick and dying
animals kept in freezers, untreated animals with contagious
diseases and animals in unclean enclosures with no water, San
Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera told AP. The counties
alleged that San Diego-based Petco kept animals in unclean cages
without proper care and overcharged customers by $1.19 on average.
``We are pleased to have resolved these matters on terms
that are consistent with comprehensive policies and practices
already utilized by Petco to serve the best interests of our
customers and companion animals in our care,'' Darragh Davis, a
Petco vice president and corporate counsel, told AP.