Animal abuse suspect to open pet store with familiar name in Chantilly
CHANTILLY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - At least one man awaiting trial on animal cruelty charges for the way he allegedly ran a Petland store in Fairfax City is now reportedly tied to another puppy store set to open in Chantilly, Virginia but he’s being met with some pushback.
Woofys pet store is under construction at the Chantilly Crossing shopping center and expected to open soon. On the store’s website, they advertise that they will be selling purebred and designer puppies, saying they put puppies' health and well-being first.
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But the owners of Woofie’s, a popular mobile pet spa service in Northern Virginia are appalled, and not only because of the similar choice of name.
Co-owner Amy Reed tells FOX 5, “It's completely unacceptable. To think of them being able to be charged with animal cruelty and less than six months and less than 10 miles down the road, being able to go and open up a brand new store... and not only open up a brand new store but leverage our good name that we've worked 15 years to cultivate.”
Reed’s team reached out to Woofys and realized at least one man behind it, manager Ayman Koshok, is one of the same men charged in the Petland case.
FOX 5 first told you about that back in April. An investigation by the Humane Society of the United States found the Petland franchise in Fairfax City was neglecting to provide veterinary care for animals.
Petland shut the location down after undercover video showed some animals appearing to be mishandled and more than a dozen dead rabbits stored in grocery bags in the freezer. The investigation alleged there was a steady stream of sick puppies too.
“The pet industry is a $77 billion industry... 98 percent of that is products and services. They could have a pet products and services business without selling live animals who they clearly, seem to have problems figuring out how to take care of,” says John Goodwin, Senior Director of the HSUS's Stop Puppy Mills campaign.
Ayman Koshok and his brother Kareem are due in court next week. FOX 5 emailed and called him tonight and is awaiting response.
Amy Reed has sent a cease and desist over the name Woofys.
Woofys GM Ayman Koshok provided a statement for FOX 5:
“With regard to the trademark infringement accusation, this absurd allegation has no merit. About my pending trial, I am innocent of any wrongdoing, and am confident I will be acquitted once the legal system is allowed to take its course.”