In case you haven't seen or heard, San Francisco officials recently voted to only allow rescue dogs and cats to be sold at pet stores in the city. While this seems like a fantastic law, you have to look at the details. According to Lucy Pasha-Robinson of The Independent, there aren't currently any known pet shops selling dogs or cats from mills, but it will allow the city to prevent future shops of this nature from opening. (independent.co.uk)
Don't get me wrong, this law passing is a huge step forward. Hopefully, it will be able to encourage and set an example for other lawmakers- especially those in cities where there actually are pet shops who use puppy mills as their 'supplier'. If you haven't been living under a rock, you know the crazy high stats and euthanasia rates for dogs and cats in shelters. You probably don't, however, realize how many cities have laws against the selling of dogs and cats.
According to Best Friends Animal Society, a non-profit, no-kill rescue organization, there are cities in 16 of our states, and 14 cities in Canada, that have some type of retail pet sale ban. A few of these states, such as California and Florida, have over 30 cities with bans. New Jersey contains 82 cities that have some type of pet sale ban. Here are a few examples of what these bans entail.
Albuquerque, NM (2006)
9-2-3-12 Pet Store Permit or PSP
Pet Stores shall not sell Companion Animals but may sell other living creatures including, but not limited to, fish, birds, rodents, insects, arachnids, reptiles and other Permissible Exotic Animal.
(E) A PSP Holder shall not apply for or obtain an Intact Companion Animal Permit, Litter Permit or Multiple Companion Animal Site Permit.
Sec. 10-33. - Keeping dogs commercially prohibited.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep dogs for commercial purposes in the city other than a licensed veterinary doctor when such doctor has dogs in his custody and control solely for the purpose of providing medical care and attention.
An ordinance adding a new Section 53.73 to Article 3, Chapter 5 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) to prohibit the sale of commercially bred dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores, retail businesses or other commercial establishments in the City of Los Angeles.
WHEREAS, the sale of commercially bred dogs, cats and rabbits contributes to the proliferation of homeless or unwanted animals that end up in public animal shelters; and
WHEREAS, prohibiting the sale of commercially bred dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores, retail businesses or other commercial establishments may lower the City's shelter animal euthanasia rate and lead to a greater adoption rate of shelter animals.
(b) Restrictions on the retail sale of animals. A retailer may offer for sale only those dogs, cats or rabbits that the retailer has obtained from:
(1) an animal control center, animal care facility, kennel, pound or training facility operated by any subdivision of local, state or federal government; or
(2) a humane society or rescue organization.
As you can see, each city restricts the sale of commercially bred companion animals in different, but similar ways. Breeders(non-reputable) and mills don't have pet stores as a selling outlet as much as they used to. Here, Best Friends Animal Society gives a list of pet stores with rescue dogs for adoption in 48 of 50 US states. All of the stores on this list either host mobile adoption events or adopt out of their store. Some even admit and are recognized for switching from selling puppies to an adoption-only policy.
Why if there are so many cities with these laws and so many pet stores that don't support the mills, do we still have these issues?
Because we, as humans (hopefully unknowingly), don't take the proper measures. We buy dogs and cats online on sites such as craigslist. We don't spay and neuter our pets. We don't do research before buying from a breeder(non-reputable). We are uneducated.
No, one pet isn't going to change the world. Neither will one city, or one law, but if we get enough cities, stores, and people on board, there won't be anywhere else for the puppy mills and inhumane breeders to sell these pets. Passing the law in San Francisco is one of many steps in the right direction.
