Nashville PetSmart raided, sick animals confiscated after videos, photos surface

Natalie Neysa Alund | The Tennessean

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NASHVILLE — Authorities raided a PetSmart on Thursday in the suburban Nashville neighborhood of Bellevue after a video surfaced showing sick and injured animals not being cared for properly, a Metro Nashville Public Health Department spokesman said.

Health Department spokesman Brian Todd said Metro Animal Care and Control received videos and photos showing inadequate care for animals at the business and received assistance from police after a search warrant was issued earlier in the day.

"We confiscated any injured or sick animals and have requested veterinary records as well as their policies on animal care," Todd said. "Based on that we will work with Metro police and the (Davidson County District Attorney's) DA's office to determine whether charges will be filed."

So far, no arrests have been made.

► Jan. 16: Family finds dog dead, hanging in mobile pet grooming van

► Jan. 9: Two dogs die after being dropped off for groomings, reports say

► Nov. 8: Family claims dog was mauled at Pennsylvania PetSmart grooming salon

Managers at the Nashville store were observed "repeatedly refusing to provide sick, injured, and dying animals with veterinary care in order to keep costs down so that they would receive bonuses," according to a statement from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

A store employee documented the incidents and reported them to PETA. The animal-rights group provided law enforcement with the photos and videos.

“We are always committed to putting the needs of the pets in our care first," officials at Phoenix-based PetSmart, a privately held company, said in statement. "We empower our store associates to do what’s right for all pets, which includes instruction to have any sick animal immediately seen by a veterinarian if needed. There is no adverse effect on a store team that takes every step possible to care for pets."

► July 13: Adorable photos of dogs eating doggie ice cream at PetSmart pop-ups

► May 2016: PetSmart cuts ties with rodent dealer under federal abuse probe

The small mammals involved included a guinea pig who suffered from an abscessed wound on his back, dehydration, and painful gastrointestinal stasis; another guinea pig whose abscessed knee joint spread infection to his heart, brain, and elsewhere; and a mouse who languished for more than a month with an inflamed eye and an apparent respiratory infection before dying without having received any veterinary care, PETA reported.

The Bellevue location is less than a year old, opening in September with a 10-year lease at the One Bellevue Place mixed-use development where Bellevue Center mall was torn down in August 2015. Nashville has two other locations of the pet-supply chain.

"Authorities acted quickly after learning that these sick, neglected animals were being left to endure slow, miserable deaths at PetSmart," said Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA's senior vice president of cruelty investigations.

Follow Natalie Neysa Alund on Twitter @nataliealund