Pizza Hut blasted over pet shop offer of 'small animals' with every 10 pizzas purchased

  • Pets Story in Melbourne says sign was not proof-read and was put up in 'haste'
  • The word 'kit' was missed out which led to a storm on social media  
  • Pizza Hut Australia say they 'sincerely apologise' for the promotion that was 'not approved'
  • Chain says the shop has been told of the 'severity and inappropriateness' of the campaign  

By Melissa Hills for Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

A pet shop has come under fire after a poster was put up in a Pizza Hut store saying that 'small animals' were going to be giving away free with any purchase of 10 large pizzas.

Pets Story in Mount Waverley, in Melbourne's southeastern suburbs, made the promotion boo-boo over the weekend when the word 'kit' was missed off the poster.  

The mistake has caused a storm on social media with users calling for the Pizza Hut to be boycotted. 

It should have read 'Buy any 10 large pizzas and get one small animal kit from Pets Story'.  

The controversial poster crucially missed out the word 'kit' which should have appeared after animal 

The controversial poster crucially missed out the word 'kit' which should have appeared after animal 

The strange advertising campaign between the pet shop, Pizza Hut and a coffee shop in Mount Waverley was supposed to run until December 31 but has been pulled after the controversy.

A Facebook group called 'Pizza Hut needs to make amends for live animal promotion' was set up calling for the chain to donate $5000 to the RSPCA. 

A spokesman for Pets Story told Daily Mail Australia: 'The poster was put up in haste and it was not proof-read. 

'The word 'kit' was missed out and so it was a complete misprint. We have apologised for the mistake and there is nothing more we can do.

Pets Story was supposed to celebrating its two year anniversary with the campaign 

Pets Story was supposed to celebrating its two year anniversary with the campaign 

'It was supposed to say small animal kit which meant anyone over 18 spending a certain amount at Pizza Hut could have come into us and got a free kit their small animal. 

'It was things like a bird set, a fish tank or a hamster cage.

'We don't sell cats or dogs, there is no way we would give away free animals, we only have four rabbits in our whole entire store. 

'We work with animal adoption and rescue groups so there is no way we would give away animals.  

'It has been a bit of a nightmare with our email and social media accounts clogged. 

'The promotion was being done to coincide with our two year anniversary.' 

Social media went mad after the poster was put up and users said the Pizza Hut should be 'boycotted' 

Social media went mad after the poster was put up and users said the Pizza Hut should be 'boycotted' 

A spokesman for Pizza Hut said: 'It has come to our attention that one of our stores have recently been running a promotion which was not approved by Pizza Hut Australia, nor was condoned in any circumstances. 

'We would like to sincerely apologise to anyone who was offended by this.

'The poster has since been taken down and all those involved have been made aware of the severity and inappropriateness of the promotion. 

'We would like to thank and all those who have brought this to our attention this evening.

'On behalf of Pizza Hut Australia we once again apologise for this thoughtless promotion ever occurring and would like to reassure you all that this matter is being seriously dealt with.'

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