Although Fairfield County is not known for its large population of counter-culture activists, there are still a few kicking around that are trying to make a change for what they think is the best.
For the last three weeks, a group of protestors have been picketing the sidewalk in front of The Life Gallery Pet Shop on Old Post Road because they suspect that Mr. Bridson, the shop owner, has been mistreating the animals in his care for years.
Armed with Tweedy-bird costumes, signs, petitions and a whole lot of puppy love, these Connecticut citizens have gathered to have their voices heard.
Jenny Noack, the protest organizer, has received numerous complaints from former Life Gallery patrons since the campaign began, and she hopes to present them in court later this year.
She told the Mirror that, “One woman went in to buy a dog from Mr.Bridson. When he pulled out a cage to show her the dog, it appeared to be asleep. Mr.Bridson assured her that the dog was merely asleep. When the woman went to pick the dog up, it was cold and stiff.”
Every Saturday morning, Noack and her fellow activists have been furiously collecting as many petition signatures as possible. Once the desired amount of petitions, approximately 2,000, are collected, they will be sent to Deputy Commissioner Bruce Grescyzk and First Selectman Ken Flatto. The hope is that in January, when Mr. Bridson has to renew his pet store license, he will be denied.
Although Mr.Bridson refused to comment on the movement against his store, he did give a Mirror reporter a tour of his establishment, which was dark and a little over-crowded at the time of the inspection but did not seem to be in the condition that Noack described: “animals in cages with out food… thousands of crickets beneath the stairs… animals dead in the basement.”
Nicole Blyth ’05 believes that, “if the accusations that Ms. Noack are making are true than the store should definitely be closed down immediately. There is no way that someone should be able to treat animals like that and get away with it.”
The protestors are hoping that by rallying public support for their movement, they can prove to Gresczyk and others that the Life Gallery is being run in an unethical manner.
Naock, however, doesn’t believe that it is going to be an easy task.
“Gresczyk is the biggest bag of hot air… it’s going to be a difficult fight, there’s a lot of politics involved,” she said.
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