Henderson Pet shop owner pleads no contest to breaking city law
The owner of a Henderson pet shop that was closed because of overcrowding and other problems pleaded no contest this week to breaking city law.
Scott Gardner was found guilty of a misdemeanor animal establishment violation and fined $500 during a hearing Tuesday, Henderson Municipal Court records show.
The city forced Gardner's store, Pet Pros, to close in January by refusing to renew its license. Animal control officers said they found dogs in cramped cages during two visits last year, and during a visit in October 2014, some animals had no water.
Gardner appealed the closure, saying the officers' October visit came as employees were getting newly arrived puppies situated and did not reflect how he ran his business. But the City Council unanimously rejected the appeal in February and refused to let the store reopen.
On Wednesday, Gardner said he entered the plea because he didn't want to spend any more time or money fighting the charges.
He said he has no immediate plans to open a new shop, though he said that could change "in the next year or two."
Contact Eric Hartley at ehartley@reviewjournal.com or 702-550-9229. Find him on Twitter: @ethartley
