Patterson Companies’ Newest Shareholder Is … PETA!

Stock Purchase Will Allow Group to Push for Dogs’ Rescue From Blood Bank, End of Captive-Dog Blood Sales

For Immediate Release:
October 23, 2017

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

This morning, PETA purchased one share of Patterson Companies, Inc., stock in order to put pressure on the billion-dollar enterprise to help the approximately 150 greyhounds revealed in a recent PETA exposé to be confined to a Texas outfit called The Pet Blood Bank, Inc., whose blood products Patterson distributed. One day after the exposé revealed dogs confined alone to barren dirt-floored kennels in which they paced, spun in circles, cowered, and even urinated on themselves in fear, Patterson promised to ensure the dogs’ safety and care—but less than a week later, the company released a statement saying that it wouldn’t be taking further action to help the dogs.

“Patterson supported and profited from a filthy blood bank that denied dogs veterinary care for severe oral infections, painful open wounds, and even an apparent broken leg,” says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. “As a stockholder, PETA will meet with company officials in the boardroom, where we will push for them to help move these animals to good homes and end the despicable practice of using captive dogs as blood bags.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—also arranged for a mobile billboard to circle Patterson’s headquarters in St. Paul from October 5 to 11. The ad, available here, shows one of the greyhounds at the Pet Blood Bank cowering in the dirt next to the words “Patterson Veterinary Supply: You Profited Off Me. Now Offer to Buy and Retire Me.”

Since PETA’s exposé was published online and covered in The Washington Post on September 21, more than 145,000 people have called for the Fortune 500 company to secure lifetime care for the dogs. This includes music legend Paul McCartney, who wrote a letter on PETA’s behalf urging Patterson CEO James Wiltz to “step up, make good on your earlier pledge, and rescue the dogs whose blood your company has used for many years.”

For more information, please visit PETA.org/BloodBank.