L.A. Approves Ordinance to Ban Pet Shops From Selling Pets

In a development that has the pet industry abuzz, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted 12-2 in favor of an ordinance to ban sales of dogs, cats and bunnies at all city pet stores in an effort to crack down on puppy and other pets mills.

Under the terms of the law, pet stores that deal in live animals will be restricted to offering shelter and other rescue pets for adoption, as opposed to selling pets for profit.

Meanwhile, commercial pet breeders will be able to continue to offer pets for sale, provided that they sell the pets directly to individual pet parents; they will no longer be able to sell pets through pet stores.

Not only was this ordinance created to crack down on puppy and other pet mills, another primary goal is to decrease the number of pets that wind up in jammed city shelters, where they are more than likely to be euthanized.

While animal rights activists applaud this measure, which was introduced by Councilman and avid critter lover Paul Koretz, many pet store operators bemoan that this will adversely affect their bottom line.

The only two City Councilmen to vote against the ordinance, Mitchell Englander and Bill Rosendahl, shared those sentiments, and further complained that the city does not have the resources required to enforce the law.

Be that as it may, get used to this, folks. We will slowly but surely be seeing a lot more of this in the future.

Meanwhile, for related info, please see my articles:

• Success, Without the Sale of Pets
• How Pet Stores Can Partner with Shelters
• Ethical Puppy Breeding Guide
• What are Puppy Mills?

Photo courtesy of Petfinder.com