WESTFIELD – The Planning Board voted Tuesday night to continue the public hearing of the special permit application submitted by Petsense, Inc. to establish a pet supply and grooming retail store at 619 East Main St., in the Little River Plaza.
The board voted to extend the hearing because of a number of concerns and issues raised during the public hearing.
Garth Bryer, Petsense construction manager, who flew into the area from Arizona where the retail chain is headquartered, presented details of the special permit to the Planning Board.
Garth said Petsense Inc., founded in 2005 and based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is intended to provide pet food, supplies, toys and grooming in smaller retail markets nationwide.
The retail chain also works in coordination with local animal shelters and has a weekend program in which dogs and cats are brought to the store for adoption.
“Nationwide we have helped place thousands of animals,” Bryer said. “Petsense partners with local groups and animal shelters.”
Bryer said there are nine adoption kennels in the front of the store for the adoption animals and that shelter volunteers and store staff frequently walk those dogs and cats inside the store so that patrons can interact with the adoptive animals, as well as to exercise the animals. Adoptive dogs are not kept overnight, but cats may be kept for several days.
Bryer said there are also 12 kennels in the rear of the store in the area dedicated to bathing and grooming operations. Those kennels are equipped with blow dryers so the animals will be dry when returned to their owners.
Six local groomers, trainers and show dog experts attended the hearing and raised a number of questions including if the retailer keeps any part of adoption fees, and how the store polices fecal material deposited by dogs in the parking lot of the plaza, the approaches to the store and inside the retail area. Speakers noted that there are four food vendors in the plaza, as well as high-traffic shops, such as the Anytime Fitness, where patrons of the grooming service and patrons of the neighboring shops would be in close proximity.
Several board members questioned Bryer about a rear access to the grooming service located in the back of the store. Bryer said that because of electrical and other utilities located in the back of the retail store, patrons are not allowed access.
Board members also asked how the store would deal with fecal materials and where they would be disposed because of the proximity of the food service establishments.
Other speakers asked about staff training to handle dogs of various temperaments, including dominant and aggressive dogs, and large dogs that are not easily controlled, inside the store where pet owners are allowed to bring their pets while shopping. Speakers noted that there would be a mix of dogs for grooming and adoption, as well as patron’s pets, which could create a conflict among the animals.
Speakers also asked how long groomed pats would be inside crates and if there would be direct supervision to prevent stressed animals from injuring themselves.
One speaker said the proposed site is inappropriate “for all of the reasons stated here tonight” while another said the store is “too small” to support all of the proposed activities. “You’re going to have dogs and cats walking around with kids who like to go into pet stores.”
The board members requested Bryer to provide additional information on the store protocols and procedures specific to adoption fees, fecal matter management and disposal, the size of the adoption kennels and the identification of local shelters who would participate in the adopting program and what policies those shelters have in place for pet adoption, including background checks of perspective adoptive patrons.
The board voted to continue the public hearing to its Dec. 3 session.
Several members also suggested that the board establish a limit on the number of pets allowed inside the retail store at any given time.
