HomeMy WebLinkAboutSabrina Nasalroad 8.3.21To Whom it May Concern:
My name is Sabrina and I have been employed with Puppyland for almost two years. I personally oversee the day to day operations, work one on one with customers, work with our Puppyland family, as well as spend my time ensuring standards for our store are being met. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes at Puppyland, it isn’t as simple as saying “it is a puppy store”. Puppyland is not just a store, we are a group of people that have grown as a family with one thing in common, compassion, love and dedication for what we do which just so happens to involve puppies. This is implemented in every aspect while building the Puppyland family, starting with the breeder all the way to the Puppy Counselor handing over a puppy parent’s new fur baby!
While the Kerr’s visit multiple breeders, continue education and attend seminars and training it is my responsibility to oversee their stores. They travel multiple times per year, randomly inspecting their breeders, personally making certain not only the USDA standards are being met but that the “Kerr Standard” is being met as well. They have multiple requirements and things they look for as owners before they decide to work with a breeder. For example, they look for continuing education, and even attend it with their breeders personally. These are hands on seminars and OFA clinics that set them as business owners and their breeders aside from being just anyone. Since the owners are consistently inspecting their breeders and setting them to a high standard, we have continued to find homes for multiple healthy, well bred puppies!
Before a puppy gets into the hands of their puppy parents, they have not only been seen by multiple vets (our breeder’s vets, JAKS vets and our personal vets) they also go home with a 15 day viral guarantee as well as a 10 year congenital and hereditary life guarantee. The owners of Puppyland are so passionate about what they do and the quality of their puppies that they take it upon themselves to even personally help with things that are outside of our guarantees. An example of this is, we had a customer that contacted us because their puppy was hit by a car. Without hesitation Puppyland’s owners, at no cost, offered assistance and support until their family was ready for another puppy. We understand that dogs are a part of the family and that although we cannot mend a broken heart, we can assist a family in finding joy yet again. We understand situations like this don’t always happen, however, our owners have the ability to continuously put joy back into people’s lives as well as offer their guarantees because of the dedication they require from the village they have created. Without the Kerr’s consistent passion, drive and determination to be the best and only accept the best, Washington state consumers will suffer the consequences, and this bill will force Puppyland to shut its doors permanently.
When I first started working for Puppyland, one of the first things that was disclosed to me is their process, their standards, their requirements, their expectations and how they are looking for a team just as equally as devoted to their puppies and the care that goes into their puppies. I can personally attest to this being something that the owners truly stand behind, considering I personally work so closely with them and behind the scenes with customers that have already purchased a puppy. There is nothing that I don’t have my eyes on; I talk with customers regarding their breeder, I work with customers that have never had a puppy before, that simply have questions, have been continuously harassed for working with us and I continue our relationship. At Puppyland, we know that a puppy isn’t only a financial commitment but a lifetime commitment and we have committed to remaining a part of each of our puppies lives as they continue to grow in their homes. I have been given the opportunity to watch our customers puppies grow, which is one of my favorite responsibilities within my position. I get updates of our puppies as soon as they go home all the way up to our puppies that are now almost 3 years old! There are even numerous customers that have my personal number and touch base with me on a regular basis, telling me about the new trick their puppy just learned,
that there puppy is looking for a sibling and even the adventures their family and puppy go on together!
We pride ourselves on our transparency when it comes to our breeders, customers and our Puppyland family. Each puppy parent is given the opportunity to “meet their breeder”. Although the Kerr’s have done all of the work in finding the breeder and ensuring their standards are being met, they build profiles of their breeders and what standard they are required to meet. More often than not, we can provide parent pictures with their little baby as well as information about who the breeder is. Some of our breeders are generational breeders, their families have dedicated their entire lives to showing their dogs and being the best breeder they can be.
Unfortunately, there are so many lies and misconceptions regarding who we are. Because of the harassment and bullying, we are forced to keep our potential customers information private and we keep our puppy parents information confidential to avoid them from being publicly harassed by the opposing side. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to harassing Puppyland customers. When asked to be transparent as a company we are, however, our number one priority is the safety and care of not only our puppies but our Puppyland family. That includes our customers! The owners have received death threats, we have had employees quit over being harassed for saying they work for us and even had to support our customers that have been attacked online. Since when does Washington support online bullying or bullying at all?
I would like to express my strong opposition to Public Comment D-194. Sending families home with a puppy would not be possible without our dedicated Puppyland family and all pieces of the puzzle that make us, the Puppyland family. It is true, when they say it takes a village - a village that the Kerr’s have created! This regulation will not allow pet stores in Washington to continue operating, will remove safe locations for consumers to purchase their new family member and will result in small business’s doors being closed!
Thank you,
Sabrina Nasalroad