No pups for sale? Cities ban pet shops

[joeybee12]

Buying an adorable puppy or kitten at your local pet store may become a thing of the past, if more American cities join a small but growing movement to ban retail pet sales.

West Hollywood, Calif., became the latest city to put a leash on pet sales in February, when its city council unanimously approved an ordinance prohibiting sales of dogs and cats in retail stores. Albuquerque, N.M., and South Lake Tahoe, Calif., have also banned pet sales. Other cities in Florida, New Mexico, Missouri and elsewhere are considering similar bans on the sale of dogs and cats.

Animal advocates say pet store sales fuel the puppy mill industry, where dogs are bred and raised in cramped, unhealthy and inhumane conditions. They have similar concerns about "kitten factories," which are a smaller but growing problem. Efforts to crack down on animal mills have been hindered by limited enforcement resources, so ban proponents are shifting their focus from the supply side to the demand. Far better, they say, to adopt from a local shelter or buy directly from a reputable breeder.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37359894/ns/health-pet_health/

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:thumbsup:

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Hope they're banning flea market sales as well.

[petronius]

9. Banning flea markets?

Shoot, my cat has a herd all ready to go - now what are we gonna do with 20,000 head of prime Ctenocephalides felis? :shrug:

[sinkingfeeling]

26. LOL. Stop flea markets from selling dogs and cats and birds and maybe, even fleas.

[Dappleganger]

49. Let's hope so. One of my chinchillas came from a rescue

who picked up more than 20 at an outdoor flea market in Florida. Over half of them died due to dehydration.

[Arugula Latte]

2. People who support these pet shops by buying animals there make me crazy.

Go the the animal shelter, idiots!

[MiniMe]

7. Or a rescue

Rescues get pups too. See my post below.

[stray cat]

27. True but in the meantime what happens to the puppies no one wants at the pet store?

[Gold Metal Flake]

32. What happens to them now?

[MiniMe]

3. Good for them

It isn't like you can't buy a pup, just not from a retail store. Go to a breeder or to a rescue instead. Yes, you can get a puppy in rescue. I am picking up 5 8 week old pups tomorrow morning, super cute. I volunteer with a lab rescue.

[TommyO]

5. The Cuddleometer is pegged at 10!

[MiniMe]

10. I'll give them a cuddle for you

:rofl: :hi:

[joeybee12]

17. MUST...HUG THEM...NOW!!!!!!

:hug:

[MiniMe]

20. They are up for adoption starting tomorrow

In the DC area.

[Arugula Latte]

30. I disagree about breeders -- I wish they would all go out of business.

We have plenty of animals waiting for homes in shelters (and millions of them will be killed because there are way too many of them) and these f'ing breeders are breeding more animals for profit...Makes me sick.

[MiniMe]

43. These are not breeder pups, I believe they came out of the shelter

They are in a rescue now.

[Odin2005]

48. OMG, TOO CUTE! *Goes into hyperglycemic shock*

[Captain Hilts]

4. It's been the law in Ontario for some time. It's a good rule. nt

[Hell Hath No Fury]

6. Fantastic!

SF is in the process of decideding whether or not to ban the sale of small animals such as hamsters, gerbils etc. There are always plenty for adoption at our animal control.

[undeterred]

8. I've seen people at pet stores getting to know $900 of cute.

Then I walk by with my wonderful gorgeous aussie... and tell them I got him at 4 months old from a shelter for $100. Petfinder is the best.

[MiniMe]

12. Rescues work too

See my post above

[lonestarnot]

11. Good!

[LynneSin]

13. Just remember not all pets in pet stores are from puppy/kitty mills

Both Pet Smart and Petco have kittens & cats available for adoption from rescue groups. I use to volunteer for some of these rescue groups and help with the adoptions. Yes there is a fee to adopt these pets but it covers the cost of getting the animal spay/neutered along with all the other necessary shots.

They are good programs and I hope these bans do not eliminate programs like this at your local pet stores.

[Arugula Latte]

15. I'm happy PetSmart and Petco don't sell kitties & puppies

I'm grateful they have the adoption programs. But, every time I go in there I torture myself by looking into the eyes of all the kitties who need homes. :(

[joeybee12]

16. Shouldn't...Petco and PetSmart are not pet stores, per se, but pet supply stores...

I'm sure they take into account that the animals there are rescued animals.

[Blue-Jay]

24. Not really. They still sell birds, fish, rodents, amphibians and reptiles.

Which is fine with me, BTW, but they're not really supply stores.

I credit the internet with the downfall of puppy mill-supplied pet stores. Why spend 2 grand on a bull terrier (with possible dubious parentage) when you can take a short drive to an ethical breeder and get a healthier dog for half the price?

[joeybee12]

33. Closer to supply than pet stores...if you walk in, it's about 85% supplies...

...but they advertise that they don't sell cats or dogs...which is the real problem.

[Blue-Jay]

34. Yeah. I suppose I was splitting hares.

(couldn't resist the pun) :D

[Ignis]

37. Booooooooooooooooooooooooooo

:spank:

[joeybee12]

39. That's Cat-astrophic!!!!

You need to be hit, ruff-ly.


:spank:

[MiniMe]

18. That is different, the retail store isn't selling them in that case

I volunteer for a rescue too, and we hold adoption events at pet stores. The pet store doesn't get any money for the adoptions, they do get benefit because people stop and get supplies for their new pet. Of course, I am getting 5 8 week old puppies tomorrow, and they will never see a pet store to be adopted. I will be surprised if I have any of them longer than Saturday evening.

[Mari333]

14. good. dump puppy mills .

knr.

[CountAllVotes]

19. finally!

time to get rid of puppy mills/animal mills NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:kick: & recommend.

[Warpy]

21. You can still buy a pet at a store here in 'burky

but they're all second hand cats and dogs from the Humane Association.

The city has also cracked down on backyard breeders, careless people who don't spay or neuter their pets and have a bumper crop of offspring to unload every few months. There are hefty fines. Breeding an animal in this town requires a license and at least the threat of inspections.

Since I don't have a dog, my yard is the local cat flophouse. All the cats are sleek and well fed and most have collars, so I know somebody is caring for them, very comforting. Feral cats are useful and keep the rodent population down, but they live short and pretty miserable lives.

In other words, the strict laws here are working to keep down the number of unwanted animals, both in the shelters and on the street.

[jgraz]

22. They need to ban bird sales as well.

The birds at these chain pet stores suffer terribly. They're often sold to people with little or no training on bird care, virtually guaranteeing them a short, nasty life.

[Greyhound]

47. +01

[ShortnFiery]

23. Excellent!

It's most HUMANE to adopt your pets from the local ASPCA or Shelter. If you must have a pure bred, get a recommendation for a reputable breeder at a local Dog Show. Check them out from other people who have purchased their pets in the past.

If you purchase from a breeder make sure you get a certificate of health and that the pet is registered with the local AKC (dogs) or other appropriate organization.

[Canuckistanian]

25. I can't imagine buying a dog from a store

Not with all the horror stories of puppy mills. AND they're not being taken care of by animal professionals, just minimum-wage employees.

[mwooldri]

50. The whole idea grossed me out - back in 1998!

It was the first time I ever saw a retail store selling dogs and cats... in Greensboro in the Four Seasons Mall. Sure they look cute etc... but nope... that's not the way to buy a dog or a cat or anything like that.

If you want a purebred you seek out a breeder - earlier person mentioned birds... I agree with them too - my grandfather was a breeder of prize winning budgerigars, and one of the local police officers was also interested in rearing and caring for budgies... so there were times that my dad got a lift home in a police car - not because he had done anything wrong, but because the officer wanted to see what my grandad had available for sale.

There are too many abandoned dogs and cats. Adopt!

[Wednesdays]

28. There are plenty of great dogs at the local shelter!

The best dog we ever had is a pit bull, who was a stray on the street...

[Kablooie]

29. Our animal shelter regularly brings dogs to pet stores around town.

[azul]

31. Impulse buy- emotional blackmail purchases.

The cities and counties often have to put them down and pick up the tab.

A national tragedy and shame these millions of lives wasted each year, it's got to have a negative effect on our conscience.

Next thing you know might be thinking some peoples are sub-human and can be killed without remorse or guilt.

[Blue-Jay]

35. Your kid needs a dalmatian.

Cute, no?

[azul]

36. Not really.

My dalmation friend, that I felt responsible to take in somehow as my neighbor was taking him to the pound for bad behavior, died 2 years ago. Lung cancer, very sad to see him go.

And I have no kids, silly.

[Dems to Win]

38. Good. I have to avert my eyes in pet stores, I can't bear to see birds and mammals in cages

They didn't commit a crime, why are they in prison?

[TexasObserver]

40. Good. Too many pet owners are bad pet owners.

Unfortunately, the average consumer who decides to buy a pet is doing so to fulfill a need for a toy, or a surrogate child, or an accessory, or just to scratch the itch of consumerism.

All exotic pets sales should be ended. What kind of person buys a bird born to live in a tropical jungle and puts it into a cage?

[Call Me Wesley]

46. I admit that I had some exotic pets when I was a kid.

Snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, lizards. And then I rescued most of these 'pets' from others, because it was like "I've seen your tarantula already ..." The novelty wore off fast, so they all ended up with me.

I wouldn't buy any exotic pet anymore, and since I'm still a bit guilty because I have Kois, at least they can swim. Birds in a cage can just hop around and bang their wings against the cage. That's how you always can tell if a bird is kept captive. The feathers are messed up.

[TalkingDog]

41. Good. Having fostered 11 animals

not counted the 3 we kept, I'm tired of people deciding that the dog eats too much, or "can't" be house broken, or costs to much to get fixed and dropping them off at the river, so they wander up to my house starved and full of ticks and fleas.....


And not just mutts, pure bred dogs. Dogs that people payed money for.


Good god there are enough animals who need homes...my local Freecycle has several a week. Puppies, kittens birds.... People should not be allowed to buy an animal for companionship that is capable of producing more animals.

[TalkingDog]

42. Correction: Fostered 11 dogs and 3 cats

Not counting the 3 dogs and 5 cats we've ended up keeping (over the years)

[Dont TS Me Brah]

44. excellent, shut down puppy mills! nt

[Junkie Brewster]

45. We've adopted four dogs and two cats from the local animal shelters

I can't say enough good things about second hand pets.