Charlotte pet store shut down after death of 11 puppies

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina officials shut down a Charlotte pet store after discovering multiple violations, including the deaths of 11 puppies in two months and the sale of sick animals to unsuspecting customers.

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services forced Happy Puppy Universe to close after an investigation revealed puppies were being sold with undisclosed medical conditions, according to state documents.

The investigation followed complaints from customers on social media who said they purchased sick puppies from the business, which advertised healthy pets online with professional photos.

After the closure, 38 dogs were transferred to Peanut’s Place Rescue, where founder Colleen Sowers said every animal required immediate medical treatment.

“I have paperwork that says the dogs are ready for sale,” Sowers said. “Clearly, they weren’t, people from all over the country were paying $1,500 to $3,500 and they were sick.”

Each dog was placed on at least three different medications upon arrival at the rescue, according to Sowers.

State documents show the puppies were shipped from Missouri facilities when they were 8 weeks old, Sowers said.

“All of them came from this facility at 8 weeks of age, very young,” Sowers said. “It’s just an overwhelming number.”

Customers who purchased puppies from Happy Puppy Universe paid between $1,500 and $3,500 for animals that required expensive veterinary care, according to rescue officials.

The rescued dogs are now receiving medical treatment and rehabilitation at the rescue facility.

Attempts to reach the owners of Happy Puppy Universe for comment were unsuccessful.

Lawrence Masters, who owned Happy Puppy Universe, operated pet stores that were shut down in Florida and maintains an active location in Tennessee, records show.

In July, Masters’ Clearwater, Florida, store, Blue Sky Puppies, was also shut down following an investigation that found serious violations, according to documents. The violations included failure to report deceased puppies and multiple citations for failure to provide care from a licensed veterinarian.

WCNC Charlotte found an active Blue Sky Puppies location in Nashville, Tennessee, currently advertising an exclusive sale. While Masters’ name was not listed directly on the paperwork, records show the same business addresses connected to him.

“They’re taking advantage of people, and they’re misleading people,” John Goodwin, the senior managing director for puppy mills and equine protection at the Humane Society of the United States, said.

Goodwin said his organization has worked for years to address the issue by pushing legislation in multiple jurisdictions.

“We’ve gotten eight states and over 500 cities and localities to ban the sale of puppies in pet stores, and that has caused about a one-third reduction in the number of dogs kept in USDA-licensed puppy mills,” Goodwin said.

He encouraged consumers to research before purchasing puppies that can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

“Make sure you meet the breeder, meet the mother dog and see where the mother dog lives,” Goodwin said. “That’s the only way that you can have the transparency to know that you’re dealing with someone on the up and up who has prioritized the animal’s health and the mother dog’s welfare.”

The Humane Society encourages anyone who purchased a sick puppy to complete a form on their website for assistance.

Attempts to reach Masters for comment were unsuccessful.

Contact Tradesha Woodard at [email protected] and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.