21 September 2000

Animal Aid Still Focussed on Petworld

Focus Do It All's in-store Petworlds have come under fire once again from the animal welfare group Animal Aid. The DIY chain were forced to drop a threatened court action against Animal Aid over a press release which stated that their Petworlds stores continued the sale of iguanas - despite claiming to have ceased such sales in June. On receipt of the notice from Focus, Animal Aid telephoned the company's Widnes branch, asking to buy an iguana and was offered one for sale. The following morning an Animal Aid representative visited the same branch where the availability of the iguana was confirmed and the animal was filmed in its case. Focus Do It All has been the subject of an Animal Aid campaign since February 2000 over its sale of live animals. Animal Aid insists that it is irresponsible to sell animals in what it calls "an environment of glossy consumerism". There have been four Animal Aid Weekends of Action directed against the 209-strong chain - more than a third have in-store Petworlds.