Ohio
Ohioans say Petland sold them sick puppies. Lawmakers are trying to do something about it
Days after Macey Mullins took home her Jack Russell terrier, June, she noticed the puppy was urinating frequently and drinking an excessive amount of water.
Mullins got June from Petland in Lewis Center in 2020 and contacted the store with her concerns, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this year in Delaware County. Petland dismissed the behavior as “normal puppy things,” saying Mullins had purchased a healthy, 3-month-old dog − one who cost nearly $5,000.
June spent the following months in and out of the veterinarian’s office for urinary tract infections and other medical care. By the end of that year, the lawsuit stated, Mullins noticed June had lost weight, seemed lethargic and wasn’t eating a lot. Veterinarians eventually diagnosed the puppy with underdeveloped kidneys and a kidney infection.
It was too late. After an unsuccessful treatment, Mullins and her veterinarians decided to euthanize June. Petland, meanwhile, refused to reimburse Mullins for June’s medical bills and expected her to continue making monthly payments on her dead puppy, according to the lawsuit.
Petland disputed the allegations in Mullins’ case, along with two other lawsuits filed in Franklin and Ross counties. Spokeswoman Maria Smith said the company never sources pets from puppy mills and offers a warranty to help customers who face unexpected veterinary costs. Pets undergoing medical treatment aren’t available for visits or sales until they’re healthy and cleared by a state veterinarian, Smith said.
But the Chillicothe-based national chain is now at the center of a debate over how pet stores in Ohio should be regulated.
“Some of these breeders and retailers are treating these dogs like any other commodity,” said Mark Finneran, Ohio state director for the Humane Society. “When you start to take that mindset, the welfare of the animals starts to fade to the background really quickly.”
How does Ohio handle pet stores, dog breeders?
Reps. Michele Grim, D-Toledo, and Sara Carruthers, R-Hamilton, introduced legislation that would allow municipalities to regulate pet stores in their communities. House Bill 443 seeks to undo current law − enacted in 2016 at Petland’s behest − that strips away local control and gives sole oversight to the state of Ohio.
The bill’s backers say Ohio allows companies like Petland to take sick animals from puppy mills and sell them for thousands of dollars to customers who believe their new dog has a good bill of health. Finneran said “unscrupulous breeders” fail to test dogs for genetic illnesses and keep them in cramped spaces while their immune systems are still developing.
“It fuels the puppy mill to pet store pipeline,” Grim said. “They’re cramped, they’re overbred. They’re in pretty filthy conditions. They’re often sold in stores like Petland. Many of them know that they’re sick or that there’s an issue with the dogs.”
The Ohio Department of Agriculture checks to make sure pet stores have each dog’s certificate of health signed by a veterinarian. A spokesperson said officials will inspect a business if they receive a complaint about the condition of animals being sold, and then report any welfare issues to local authorities.
The department also inspects high-volume dog breeders at least once a year. These facilities are supposed to be licensed under state law and must provide dogs with adequate nutrition and a clean, comfortable space. In- and out-of-state breeders are required to verify that they meet these standards when selling dogs to pet stores.
Animal welfare advocates say Ohio’s laws aren’t strong enough to crack down on puppy mills or dishonest pet stores. A 2023 report from the Humane Society highlighted 13 Ohio breeders that failed inspections due to injured dogs, small cages and unsanitary conditions, including excessive feces. Some facilities were referred for legal action or eventually came into compliance, the report states, but others have been repeat offenders.
Smith accused the Humane Society and other groups of misleading the public about Petland to serve their own bottom line.
“Ohio currently has some of the strongest, if not the strongest set of regulations to protect animal welfare, while allowing reputable businesses to provide Ohioans with a safe choice when it comes to finding the pet that will be most suited to the individual or family,” Smith said.
‘It’s just heart-wrenching’
In response to the controversy over Petland, municipalities like Grove City tried to step in and address the issue themselves.
As Petland prepared to open a store there in 2016, the Grove City Council passed a resolution that would have prohibited the company from selling animals it obtained from high-volume breeders. Instead, Petland would need to get dogs from local animal shelters or rescue organizations.
The move prompted lawsuits against Grove City and four councilmembers, which the company dismissed after successfully lobbying for the ban on local regulation. The sponsor of the city’s policy, Ted Berry, said he still gets calls today from people who had negative experiences with Petland.
If the proposal from Grim and Carruthers passes, Berry said he would reintroduce his resolution in a heartbeat.
“It’s just heart-wrenching,” Berry said. “People love these animals, and they’re members of their family. Come to find out many have been raised in horrible conditions.”
The bill’s fate is uncertain. It had its first hearing last week, and the chairman of that committee − Rep. Bob Peterson, R-Washington Court House − sponsored the 2016 legislation to preempt local bans. Peterson declined to comment on House Bill 443 and said committee members will decide which bills to prioritize in the coming weeks.
“I think we need to draw attention to the fact that Petland, for some reason, has a lot of power,” Grim said. “That should really trouble a lot of people.”
Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
Ohio
Color in the dark: Ohio artists’ ties to Cuba’s American-made blackout
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio artist David Griesmyer said the colorful, resilient Cuba he’s frequented looked different his most recent trip as the island nation continues under a U.S.-induced blackout.
“To see the whole nation just plunge into darkness, it was odd,” Griesmyer said. “But then to see all the grandmas holding up battery powered lights in the dark and seeing children kicking a makeshift ball down the streets through the city, everybody was outside talking … It didn’t stop them. They’re there. There’s a fire inside of that. But it was dark. It was dark.”
The darkness was brought on by an American fuel blockade that has created a nationwide blackout and brought the tourism industry to a screeching halt. President Donald Trump has commented about a possible takeover of Cuba, where residents are living without power, heat or clean water.
The issue is front of mind for 60 Ohio artists, business and government leaders who traveled to the Havana Bienal last year, a prestigious international art festival. Ohio artists with close ties to the Cuban art scene want Ohioans to think about Cuba’s people, not its politics, as the blackout goes on.
“They are so resilient,” Michael Reese, Columbus art consultant, said. “And I just believe tomorrow’s going to be better because if they don’t go down the rabbit hole, they’ll never get out. So they just push on.”
The U.S. has maintained an economic embargo on Cuba since the 1960s, when Cuba became the center of a Cold War confrontation between two superpowers. In 1962, the Soviet Union attempted to deploy nuclear weapons to Cuba, which sits 90 miles away from the southern tip of the U.S. The attempt led to the 16-day Cuban Missile Crisis, considered the closest the Cold War came to using nuclear arms.
Cuba has been under U.S. embargo since, but the situation turned dire in January when the U.S. cut off access to Venezuela, Cuba’s main oil supplier. The U.S. has also blocked fuel and product deliveries from trading partners like Mexico.
In capital city Havana, home to 2 million people, residents are living without ways to keep food cold or operate water treatment plants. Residents can only cook using charcoal grills and have no internet access. Ohio documentarian Tariq Tarey is making a film about the Cuban people and said outside Havana, resources are scarcer.
“It is literally dark ages. Water scarce, internet is gone for weeks on end. Horse and buggy is the only thing that’s moving,” Tarey said. “It is dire. It’s absolutely dire.”
It had already been difficult to get items before the blackout. The coalition who attended the Bienal each brought a second suitcase stuffed with necessities to give away. Tarey recalled visiting a Cuban clinic and noting medical equipment that read “Made in East Germany,” a nation that has not existed for 36 years.
Columbus City Councilmember Lourdes Barrosa de Padilla was among those who traveled to the Bienal last year, accompanied by her mother and daughters. Barrosa de Padilla’s parents fled Fidel Castro’s regime in Cuba, and she showed her daughters the small village her parents grew up in. Now, family tells her conditions are difficult.
“The challenge is that there’s not petroleum, there’s not cash. You cannot run a generator either,” Barrosa de Padilla said, adding a cousin had just three hours of power for a week due to the blockade.
Griesmyer was in Havana in mid-March and said the streets were empty of the thousands of tourists he’d grown used to seeing. While there, he watched the city go dark. He also witnessed an afternoon where Elon Musk used StarLink technology to temporarily give everyone in Cuba free Internet.
“This was history,” Griesmyer said. “And one of the people said to me, ‘Yes, we want electricity, but we want the freedom to be able to communicate and to to talk to people and know what’s going on.’ Because that’s scarier than not having electricity, just to not know.”
Starlink is not officially permitted to be used in Cuba, and Cuban officials allege Musk is breaking U.S. trade restrictions by providing free internet. Cuban officials are also worried about possible aggression from the U.S. as Trump threatens military intervention.
“I do believe I’ll be … having the honor of taking Cuba,” Trump said in mid-March. “Whether I free it, take it – think I could do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth. They’re a very weakened nation right now.”
Barrosa de Padilla said Trump’s threats to take over Cuba are complicated. She said the people of Cuba know their current government isn’t working, but feels American intervention in other countries’ governments is not putting America First.
While visiting Cuba, Barrosa de Padilla’s mother died from a heart attack. Barrosa de Padilla said her mother took her final breath in the homeland she loved, surrounded by the poverty she fled.
“It was a beautiful end to my mother’s story because she died in her hometown with her sister, her last living sibling,” Barrosa de Padilla said. “And the place where she first opened her eyes, she closed.”
Reese and Griesmyer said despite the darkness, lack of resources and uncertainty, the people of Cuba believe things will get better. Griesmyer said neighbors share the food he brings to the island so everyone can eat. He said people are dancing through the darkness.
There is much more to the story of Ohio, art, life and Cuba. See the full story on Sunday Briefing at 10 a.m.
Ohio
No. 9 Penn State men’s lacrosse stays perfect in Big Ten play, beats No. 6 Ohio State on the road
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Ohio
Math plan would help a generation of Ohio students | Opinion
Aaron Churchill is the Ohio research director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank based in Columbus.
In November, the Ohio Senate unanimously passed math reforms that would help a generation of struggling students. House lawmakers should send that excellent package known as Senate Bill 19 to the governor’s desk post haste.
Math difficulties start early for many Ohio students. Last year, 45,000 third graders, or 36% statewide, fell short of proficiency on the state math exam. These youngsters had difficulty solving basic arithmetic and measurement problems. Without such skills, big trouble lies ahead for them.
Meanwhile, even larger percentages of high schoolers fare poorly in this subject. On last year’s algebra I state exam, 53,000 students – 41% of test takers – did not achieve proficiency, while a staggering 72,000 students (57%) fell short in geometry.
These failure rates are unacceptable. Students should not be left to struggle with the routine math needed to manage their personal finances, bake a cake or do a home repair. Nor should they lack the critical thinking, data interpretation and problem solving skills that are demanded by today’s employers and essential to career success.
Ohio must help more students gain fluency in math. Senate Bill 19 does this in the following ways.
First, it supports students with math deficiencies. The bill would require schools to provide math interventions to students scoring at the lowest achievement level (known as “limited”) on state tests. Importantly, schools must engage a child’s parents to create an individual improvement plan that outlines the interventions and how progress will be monitored.
Second, the bill promotes strong math curricula. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce would be tasked with reviewing math materials and establishing a high-quality list. With dozens of programs and textbooks on the market – some far better than others – this vetting process would aid school districts in finding the best curriculum for their students.
Third, it asks colleges of education to better prepare elementary teachers. Research from the National Council on Teacher Quality shows that teacher training programs often lack serious math content, especially in the elementary grades, leaving teachers ill-prepared for effective instruction. To help address the problem, the bill mandates that prospective educators pass the math section of the state licensure test to teach the subject, something that is not presently required.
Fourth, it gives high-achieving math students a boost. Traditional course placement practices rely on teacher and parent referrals, which tend to overlook economically disadvantaged students who excel in math. Yet, as a recent Fordham Institute study found, access to advanced coursework is critical to high-achieving, low-income students’ college prospects. Through automatic enrollment provisions, Senate Bill 19 would ensure that all high achievers are placed in challenging math courses, including algebra I in eighth grade.
Some may view Senate Bill 19 as burdensome on schools. But the need for significant improvement in math is urgent and the reforms are commonsense. Students struggling in math ought to get help. Schools should use the best-available textbooks and materials. Teachers should know math before they teach it. Schools must push high achievers to reach their full potential.
Math and reading are the academic pillars that support students’ long-term success as well as the state’s economic growth. Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Mike DeWine, Ohio’s Science of Reading initiative is off to a strong start and promises stronger literacy statewide. It’s now time for policymakers to roll up their sleeves and help students get better at math. Their futures – and the state’s – are at stake.
Aaron Churchill is the Ohio research director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank based in Columbus.
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