Puppy Mill Free Reno Takes Case to City The Reno City Council Tuesday directed staff to look into the request by Puppy Mill Free Reno/Sparks/Washoe to enact a ban on puppy, kitten and rabbit mill sales within the city. Staff has 30-90 days to report back to the Council on costs and ordinance changes. It is then the Council will decide whether to implement the ban. Puppy Mill Free Reno/Sparks/Washoe, a coalition of individuals, organizations and businesses, has gathered over 2300 signatures in support of the ban which would include sales of animals at flea markets as well as in commercial retail stores. Big box stores such as PetSmart and PetCo long ago stopped selling mammals and regularly host adoption events while providing the supplies for a new companion. Across the US, 43 municipalities have passed similar laws, including South Lake Tahoe, the first town in the country to enact a puppy-mill free ordinance. San Diego and Phoenix have passed laws in the past few months. Wellington, Florida is the latest city to ban mill animals. Puppy, kitten and rabbit mill is the term used for large-scale farms where animals are kept in mass in small cages, often barely big enough for them to turn around in. Typically the animals have to sit, stand and sleep on the wires of their cages in filthy conditions their entire lives. Because these animals are used solely for income purposes, veterinary care is rarely given nor do the animals ever know a kind touch. They never leave their cage except to give birth to puppies that are often taken away too soon. Because of the concentration and close proximity and the fact that females are kept pregnant every possible heat cycle, the animals are often sickly, poorly socialized and their litters can be frail from inbreeding and common kennel viruses such as parvo. According to the Humane Society of the United States nearly all animals sold in pet stores come from puppy mills. Responsible breeders who arent mass producers are not affected by the proposed ban because very few such breeders sell to retail stores and deal directly with their customers. Internet sales of animals became much more strict since the USDA implemented new rules last September, showing that this concern is being addressed on a federal level as well as locally. We are delighted with this first step, said Billy Howard, founding organizer of the citizens grassroots petition site. Washoe County is widely known as the most successful no-kill shelter in the country. Reno long ago banned carriage-horse rides, something even New York City is about to end. It only stands to reason that our area join the trend to end the suffering of tens of thousands of animals. The benefit to taxpayers will come as adopted animals are always spayed or neutered which will help reduce the feral animal problem. It is not the intention of Puppy Mill Free Reno that any business should have to close because of this ordinance change. From the big box stores to Mom and Pop shops, selling pet supplies and services including grooming and/or boarding have proved to be a lucrative concern. ### - 0 - ### IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tue, Jan 15, 2014 | 01:00PM CONTACT: BILLY HOWARD PUPPY MILL FREE RENO/SPARKS/WASHOE puppymillfreereno - graphics may be used for press purposes billy@puppymillfreereno
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 02:05:04 +0000
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