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JOHNSON CITY, NY (WENY) -- A national animal rights organization is calling for legal action against PETCO, after the deaths of about 100 animals in the September 2011 flood in Johnson City.
      People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, says police records show PETCO managers knew the store could flood before they closed on September 7th, abandoning animals caged inside the store. Ferrets, birds, snakes and other small pets drowned when the store flooded the next day.
     PETA claims PETCO claims management did nothing to help the animals, and want the Broome County District Attorney to file animal cruelty charges.
     "The fact that they moved those cages up off the floor a few feet, obviously was inadequate. It shows they knew that those animals might be in danger," said PETA Senior Researcher, Dan Paden.
      PETA is also calling on all PETCO stores in flood-prone areas to stop selling animals. The Johnson City store no longer sells animals since it re-opened in April 2012.