Chicago bans puppy mill sales in pet stores

Anti-puppy mill legislation backed by animal advocates, City Clerk Susana Mendoza approved by the Chicago City Council


The City Council today passed a landmark piece of legislation to ban the retail sale of commercially bred dogs, cats and rabbits in the City of Chicago.

The Companion Animal & Consumer Protection Ordinance, which will require retail pet stores to source animals only from shelters and other humane not-for-profit organizations, was backed by championed by Chicago City Clerk Susana A. Mendoza and Alds. Joe Moreno, 1st Ward, Scott Waguespack, 32nd Ward, and Ameya Pawar, 47th Ward.
The ordinance was approved 49-1 in the City Council on Wednesday.

“Our legislation cuts off a pipeline animals from the horrendous puppy mill industry and instead moves the City to a retail pet sales model that focuses on adopting out the many, many homeless animals in need of homes in this City,” said Clerk Mendoza. “The Midwest, and specifically the states surrounding Illinois, is at the very center of the puppy mill industry. I expect that this overwhelming vote today will create a flood of support for similar legislation throughout the rest of the country.”

The legislation was unanimously approved by the Committee on Licensing & Consumer Protection on March 4. It will go into effect one year from today to allow retails to readjust their current business model. The ordinance was drafted in partnership with The Puppy Mill Project – Chicago and supported by the Office of the Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Animal Care & Control and the Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection, as well as local and national not-for-profit organizations such as Best Friends Animal Society, The Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA and PAWS Chicago and many others. Clerk Mendoza said animal advocacy was the driving force behind the legislation.
“We have people like Cari Meyers from The Puppy Mill Project – Chicago and many others to thank for this new law. We have them to thank for pushing Chicago in a new direction toward more humane and progressive animal welfare laws,” she said.

Chicago joins 45 other municipalities in North America, including San Diego; Los Angeles; Toronto; Austin, Texas; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, that have passed similar laws.

(Thank you City Clerk Susana Mendoza)





http://www.chicagonow.com/raining-cats-dogs/2014/03/chicago-bans-puppy-mill-sales-in-pet-stores/