Retail Sale of Dogs, Cats and Rabbits? Panel OKs Ban at Perhaps 2 Stores

A proposal that might affect only a handful of San Diego retail outlets that sell dogs, cats and rabbits was approved Wednesday by a city committee.

The municipal code change—which aims to ban sales of “puppy mill” animals—now goes to the full City Council for final consideration.

The San Diego-based Petco chain, as well as Petsmart, do not sell such animals—they instead offer pet adoptions through shelters and rescue groups.

A dozen cities in California have banned the retail sales of animals, including Chula Vista, according to a report to the council’s Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee.

But when La Mesa considered a similar law in late 2011, the city attorney noted the potential for “expensive and protracted litigation.”

In December 2010, after 22 months of weekly protests, the Pet Works store in Grossmont Center went out of business amid accusations it sold “puppy mill” pets—often-sick dogs that included one bought by an Iraq war veteran. 

The protesters then moved onto Santee, where weekly protests targetedPups & Pets with signs such as Honk if you hate puppy mills!

The proposed San Diego code amendment would make it “unlawful for any person to display, offer for sale, deliver, barter, auction, give away, transfer or sell any live dog, cat or rabbit in any pet shop, retail business or other commercial establishment located in the city of San Diego, unless the dog, cat or rabbit was obtained from a city or county animal shelter or animal
control agency, a humane society or a nonprofit rescue organization.”

Gary Weitzman, CEO of the Humane Society, said the point of the ordinance “is to encourage reputable and responsible breeding” and adoption or sales.

“It will absolutely not affect backyard breeders, or hobby breeders, or responsible, reputable breeders that are actually doing a great job at providing great dogs that often aren’t in a shelter or rescue environment,” Weitzman said.

Weitzman said animals are sold on a retail basis at one or two pet stores in the city.

Pet stores would need to keep certificates that identify the sources of their animals and make them available to animal control officers, law enforcement, code compliance officials or other city employees.

The report to the committee said dogs, cats and rabbits bred for pet stores are kept in inhumane conditions, are more likely to carry genetic disorders and are poorly socialized, and too many end up being abandoned by owners and going to shelters.

Committee Chairwoman Marti Emerald said the code change would protect both animals and consumers.

The proposed ordinance is supported by the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, Animal Protection and Rescue League, Companion Animal Protection Society and San Diego Animal Defense Team, which regularly stages protests outside pet shops.

The groups contend that 99 percent of canines sold in pet stores come from “puppy mills,” which allegedly overbreed and underfeed the dogs and fail to provide adequate veterinary care.

Many of the animals arrive in pet stores in unhealthy condition, their report says.

The owner of one of them, David Salinas of San Diego Puppy, defended himself  “as a very moral and ethical person” who has visited many of the breeders that deliver animals to him.

He called them “awesome.”

He said his Grantville store has been inspected by the Humane Society and county Department of Animal Services.

“Puppy mills do not produce healthy puppies—we have healthy puppies, I need to declare that, you need to understand that,” Salinas told the committee.

His employees said the store receives repeat customers and referrals, which wouldn’t happen if the animals were sick.

On his Facebook page, Salinas had urged supporters to “take the day off” and oppose the proposal.

Salinas wrote:

If you have purchased a puppy from us, come down and show your support. If you want a choice to adopt or to shop for a puppy from a legitimate pet store with legitimate breeders, come down and show your support.

If you’re tired on these small extremist groups passing laws for their selfish self-righteous causes, come down and show your support.

We need to send a clear message to the San Diego council members—San Diego wants legitimate pet stores like San Diego Puppy and that we have a voice, that we should be heard, and that we should have a choice!

A Patch review of a similar “puppy mill” report found that accusations against the one-time Grossmont Center store were poorly documented.

Others among the numerous opponents of the proposal contend that shelters primarily offer pit bulls and Chihuahuas, and rescue groups are too restrictive about who can adopt from them.

Mike Canning, president and CEO of the Pet Industry Advisory Council, said puppies in a retail setting are regulated from the time they’re bred until they are sold.

The San Diego proposal would have the “unintended consequence” of making pet transactions fully unregulated, he said.

—City News Service contributed to this report.