A case of alleged animal cruelty several days ago in Sun Prairie has some people asking about Jack’s Pet Center in downtown Great Falls. In the Sun Prairie case, a woman has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty in connection with the seizure of dozens of animals. Click here for details.
The investigation has some people asking about the situation at Jack’s Pet Store, which has long been the subject of discussion regarding animal welfare, including a Facebook group called “Close Down Jack’s Pet Center” (link).
The City of Great Falls has addressed the issue in the past. In response to a complaint, the city provided the following response:
The unfortunate reality is that Jack’s Pet Center has been complained about and investigated many, many times. The owners have always been found to be marginally within current legal guidelines pertaining to sheltering and caring for animals. We continue to monitor the store. It is not our function to shut down businesses, rather we are tasked with making sure that businesses are in compliance with existing laws, and we have done this. The amount of time, manpower, and expense which have already been spent investigating these exact allegations against Jack’s Pet Store is substantial. The store is not currently breaking any laws, otherwise they would have been charged with an offense. In conducting past investigations, the Great Falls Police Department (which includes Animal Control) has utilized extensive resources, including: the Great Falls Fire Department, veterinarians, City of Great Falls Community Development, the City of Great Falls Animal Shelter, the City County Health Department, the Great Falls City Attorney’s Office, the Humane Society of the United States, US Department of Agriculture, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Many aspects of the store have been scrutinized in recent years, including: the monkey enclosure, overcrowding, fire safety, types of animals displayed or for sale, animal health and welfare, and general human health guidelines. Our Animal Control Officers continue to do unannounced, random walk-throughs to make sure that there are no new issues. If new and specifically different issues come to light, we consider those on a case by case basis. As illustrated above, the City of Great Falls has taken these complaints seriously. We have diligently investigated, we have involved widespread resources, and we cannot justify spending more taxpayer money to re-investigate repetitive complaints against a business which has already been found to be in compliance with existing laws.
In addition, Great Falls mayor Cory Reeves addressed the issue last year in a Facebook post, which states in part:
Animal Control Officers of the City of Great Falls are keenly aware of regular complaints against Jack’s Pet Center. The complaints tend to ebb and flow year to year and are frequently driven by on-line forums allowing people to post pictures and make comments or statements on the pictures without any explanation or often times any truth. Several years ago there were even protests held outside of Jack’s Pet Center in hopes to shut the store down. In February of 2024, one of our Animal Control Officers took proactive measures and met with Matthew Schubarth, owner of Jack’s Pet Center, asking him for his consent to conduct no notice walk through(s) of the store every two months. Mr. Schubarth certainly did not have to provide his consent to this, but has agreed to allow this.
Reeves explained that when investigating a complaint, Animal Control bases their investigation on MCA 45-8-211- Animal Cruelty. Animal Control Officers are considering:
- Are the animals being confined in a cruel manner?
- Is there food and water of sufficient quantity to sustain the animal’s normal health?
- Is there minimum protection from adverse weather?
- And, in cases of obvious, serious, illness or injury, is licensed veterinarian or other appropriate medical care being received?
Of all the received complaints about Jack’s Pet Center, none of the complaints have resulted in any Criminal Charges or Violations of City Code, relevant to Animal Control.
The City of Great Falls Animal Control Officers have a small part in dealing with Jack’s Pet Center as they can only focus on the Animal Cruelty portion of Montana Code. There are several other agencies that have oversight as well.
- Fish, Wildlife and Parks: FWP is for the wildlife portion of the store such as the monkey’s, snakes, and turtles.
- USDA Animal Care Inspector: The USDA Animal Care Inspector licenses the store to have the domestic pets such as monkeys, dogs, cats, rabbits, gerbils, guinea pigs, and birds. They do no handle the aquatics, mice, or reptiles.
- GFFR: Does Fire Safety Inspections and Code Enforcement.
Reeves also provided the following information about what a person can do if they observe what they believe to be animal cruelty or neglect:
· Advise Great Falls Police Department of the specific complaint by either walking in to the GFPD or by calling the GFPD non-emergency 911 number (406) 455-8599.
· Citizens can print out a Citizen Complaint and Request Form and mail the form to the City of Great Falls at; PO Box 5021 Great Falls , MT 59403 https://greatfallsmt.net/…/209281/complaint-form_2024.pdf
· Citizens can complete an online Citizen Complaint and Request Form that will then be routed to the appropriate City Department. https://greatfallsmt.net/…/online-citizen-complaint…
· Please note that concerned citizens cannot submit complaints on social media and/or city emails as they cannot be used to effectively prosecute violators.
· Complainants must use the process required by GFPD and the City Attorney’s Office.
· File a written and signed statement/complaint and submit any pictures of the alleged violation.
· The GFPD ACO’s will investigate and the City Attorney’s Office will review any evidence to determine if the complaint should be prosecuted under the law.
· Complainants need to be available to testify in person and in court about what they witnessed and/or observed.
