Woofie’s Files Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Against Woofys Pet Store

Woofie’s, a premier pet services company in Northern Virginia, has quite recently filed a Trademark Infringement lawsuit in the federal court against Woofys pet store in Chantilly, alleging that the use of the term “Woofys” by the owners of the new store shall cause irreparable harm to the reputation of the company (Woofie’s) until and unless the court intervenes.

In its Trademark Infringement Lawsuit against Woofys and brothers Kareem Koshok and Ayman Koshok, who the lawsuit claims are behind the new store, Woofie’s has asked the federal court to block the usage of the term Woofys and award the company with the damages that the court finds suitable in deterring any future willful infringement. Furthermore, Woofie’s has also named RPAI Chantilly Crossing L.L.C., the owner of the shopping center where Woofys is located as a defendant in the lawsuit filed.

The former managers of the Fairfax Petland Store, Kareem Koshock and Ayman Koshok, were charged with three counts of animal cruelty last year in September, resulting from an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS – a group that aims to put an end to animal suffering due to cruelty or other such related reasons). An undercover video made by HSUS disclosed that even more than a dozen dead rabbits were found in shopping bags at the pet store’s freezer. The two brothers are scheduled to go to trial on the three animal cruelty charges this year in early May.

The co-founder and co-owner of Woofie’s, Amy Reed, said in a statement that what began as an issue of trademark infringement has now turned into a critical matter corresponding to the animal rights issue and animal cruelty. In her opinion, a person, if charged with or convicted of animal cruelty, should not own or operate a pet store. On the other hand, Ayman Koshok stated that he disagrees with the trademark infringement claims put forward by the owners of Woofie’s and believes that the absurd allegation has no merit at all.

Established and founded in 2004, Woofie’s offers dog walking, pet sitting, and mobile pet spa services. Its corporate headquarters are in Ashburn and, it has three franchisee-owned locations, serving the Reston-Herndon, Leesburg, and South Riding-Aldie communities.

In the lawsuit filed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the pet services company has claimed that it holds a US trademark corresponding to the term “Woofie’s,” and the brothers have adopted and started using a confusingly similar name without any legal authorization. Woofie’s also specified that the two names are aurally identical because of the dominant portion “WOOF,” which has further resulted in creating a lot of confusion in the minds of people.