NEW YORK - Animal rights activists say puppies at a Manhattan pet store are subject to abusive treatment.
Undercover video released by the Humane Society allegedly shows employees at the Chelsea Kennel Club roughly handling puppies by their necks, hitting them with towels, pinning them down, and holding their mouths shut.
A report from the group also accuses the store of selling puppies with fevers, infections and other health problems without providing immediate veterinary care, while misleading buyers about the health of the animals.
The Humane Society says the mayor's and state Attorney General's offices have promised to look into the report's findings.
"The conditions, there's no reason, no excuse for it," said Brian Shapiro, state director of the Humane Society. "But it's not limited to this store alone. We've seen this type of mistreatment of animals in pet stores across the United States."
A spokesperson for the store says the videos were spliced together in a misleading way by an ex-employee.
The company says when their puppies get sick, they treat them immediately or send them to a vet.