Valley Pet Store Settles Lawsuit for $340,000 Over Sexual Harassment Allegations

A pet store in the Valley has agreed to pay $340,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by female employees who were allegedly subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace.

Bark If You’re Dirty, with locations in Scottsdale and Phoenix, will enter into a three-year consent decree to address the allegations made by the employees. The lawsuit accused the company of failing to protect women from a toxic work environment.

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, male managers and employees at the pet stores engaged in inappropriate behavior such as physical touching, harassment, sexual propositions, and showing naked photos to female employees.

Despite complaints from female employees over several years, no action was taken to address the behavior. Some employees resigned due to the inaction, while others were terminated for speaking out about the harassment, as reported by the EEOC.

Bark If You’re Dirty, previously known as Wag N’ Wash, has agreed not to rehire the male individuals accused of misconduct. Additionally, the stores will hire an independent consultant to provide training on preventing sex discrimination in the workplace. These pet stores are operated by Teetszinty, LLC, and Teetszinty Holding LLC.

Maricopa County at a Glance

How big is Maricopa County?

Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county by population, with 4,485,414 residents according to the 2020 Census. It covers an area of 9,224 square miles, making it larger than several U.S. states, including Rhode Island, Delaware, and Connecticut.

The county, which contains about 63% of Arizona’s population, is home to one of the largest park systems in the nation, with approximately 120,000 acres of open space parks that feature miles of trails, nature centers, and campgrounds.

Phoenix, the capital of Arizona and the 5th most populous city in the United States, serves as the county seat. Maricopa County was named after the Maricopa Native American Tribe.