Katie MitchellThat puppy in the window is now a rescue dog – Puppy Mill Sales Banned In California.
On Oct. 13, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a new law that prohibits pet stores from selling any dog, cat or rabbit in stores unless the animal came from a shelter, humane society, or rescue group, making puppy mill sales effectively banned in California.
Matt Bershadker, president of the ASPCA, praised the law for breaking “the puppy mill supply chain that pushes puppies into California pet stores and has allowed unscrupulous breeders to profit from abusive practices.”
According to the ASPCA, “a puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding facility where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs.”
The law has two main goals:
1: Cut down on the financial support of large-scale breeding facilities, some that keep animals in horrible conditions. Those so-called “puppy mills” often supply pet stores.
According to the HSUS, responsible breeders that care about their animals want them to they go to good homes, meaning they typically won’t sell them through a store that wouldn’t allow them to meet potential owners.
2: Promote the adoption of homeless pets. Approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter US animal shelters every year and sadly, the ASPCA estimates that 1.5 million were euthanized last year.
The law is intended to encourage pet stores to follow the lead of national pet store chains. Instead of selling dogs, promote adoptions through shelters and rescue groups. The hope is that the new law will reduce the number of puppy mills and help save the lives of homeless pets.
More than 230 cities and counties across the country have passed similar laws, but California is the first to regulate sales of animals at a state level. Fingers crossed other states will follow Cali’s example.
Do you think this new law will help California’s homeless pets?
