A Major U.S. City Made it Mandatory For All Pet Stores to Sell Only Rescue Animals

August 7, 2015

Last week, a Phoenix, Arizona federal district court upheld an ordinance passed in December 2013 requiring pet stores to only sell rescue dogs and cats.

Frank and Vicki Mineo, the owners of Puppie ‘N Love, a pet store in Paradise Valley Mall that sourced purebred dogs from breeders outside the state, sued the city, claiming that that the ordinance violated state and federal commerce laws.

The Mineos have said that this law will force them to close down their business. Frank Mineo told AZ Central:

“Our family built this business over four decades, working with ethical breeders, developing personal relationships with those men and women whose animals we proudly sell in Phoenix. I’m disappointed in the judge’s ruling.”

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A photo posted by halorescue (@halorescue) on Jun 6, 2015 at 12:32pm PDT

Critics of the law, which was heavily backed by the Humane Society of the United States, include the American Kennel Club, which contends the law restricts freedom of choice for pet purchasers and also threatens the purebred community. Sheila Goffe, AKC’s director of government relations, said of the laws:

“They limit the ability of pet owners to acquire an appropriate pet of their choice, fail to distinguish between hobby and commercial breeders or breeders and pet shops, and limit the ability of purchasers to take advantage of regulated sources of purpose-bred pets covered by consumer protection laws.”

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A photo posted by halorescue (@halorescue) on May 27, 2015 at 1:19pm PDT

Puppy mills are controversial because they’re typically for-profit businesses that breed animals on a massive scale with minimal regard for their health and well being. The parents of the puppies often spend their lives in cages and are forced to constantly breed and produce offspring.

Phoenix City Councilwoman Thelda Williams, who helped pass the ordinance, told AZ Central:

“I’m just delighted that the city of Phoenix won. This means more protection for puppy lovers and the puppies themselves. We have so many dogs in Arizona that need homes, we don’t need to import them.”

With the ruling that upholds this ordinance, Phoenix now counts themselves among more than 59 other cities and counties with similar laws fighting to shut down puppy mills.

h/t: Bark Post

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