Meridian Puppy Store Being Investigated

Surf's Up Puppy Shack in Meridian is being investigated after two puppies sold at the store came down with parvo. 

According to the Idaho Humane Society and an article on KTVB, the virus is highly contagious and potentially fatal.

Both puppies sold from Surf's Up Puppy Shack that were diagnosed with parvo ended up surviving. They had received two-vaccinations already that probably saved their lives.

Surf's Up Puppy Shack was investigated on October 22nd. They did not find evidence that the store knowingly sold sick puppies and they concluded that the puppies were being kept in a sanitary environment. The families that bought the sick puppies were also reimbursed for their purchase, but not for the money spent on healthcare.

CEO of the Idaho Humane Society, Jeff Rosenthal said

I believe they did not find any violations of the law. They found no violations of care and keeping of the animals within that facility. The issue the Idaho Humane Society has with puppy re-sellers is most people are infact going to obtain a source bred puppy, and when you go out and decide to adopt a puppy from a breeder, you want to do that responsibly. Part of that responsibility is making sure that you're not supporting something that is evil, and it's difficult to do that with a puppy re-seller. You can't go and see the parents of the puppy, see how they're being kept.

The owner of Surf's Up Puppy Shack, Mathew Milligan, has been in the puppy business for five years, although he is new to the Boise area. Milligan ran three stores previously in the Salt Lake City area and says he takes several measures to keep his store safe and sanitary including cleaning the store with Parvosol and bleach from top to bottom four times a day and separating each of the puppies litters.

So far, no other puppies from Surf's Up Puppy Shack have come down with parvo.