Written by PETA
Richmond, British Columbia, a Vancouver suburb, has become the first city in Canada to pass a ban on the sale of puppies in pet stores. The Richmond City Council will now write the bylaw detailing the specifics of the ban. The bylaw will then undergo a series of public consultations. If all goes as planned, Richmond pet stores will be puppy-free by April 2011.
Richmond's ban comes on the heels of bans in South Lake Tahoe and West Hollywood on the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores.
The laws are intended to encourage shelter adoptions, reduce the numbers of impulsively purchased puppies who end up being turned over to animal shelters, and crack down on puppy mills, which are the leading suppliers of puppies to pet shops.
That rumbling you hear is the sound of thousands of shelter dogs' tails thumping the floor in a canine version of the wave.
Written by Alisa Mullins
Fantastic news!!! Well done Richmond!
Congratulations!! However, there shouldn't be any sale of animals period in any pet store. Let's work on that!!!!
Hey Rev., I would imagine that the law providing for the change by April 2011 would allow any store to "dispose of stock" prior to that date and I do use that phrase advisedly folks. And knowing that the law has changed as of that date would I think, be a great encouragement to store owners to not replace the dogs.
I lived in Vancouver for almost all my life, so I'm going to feel proud too for Richmonds great good sense. Let's hope that other cities begin to duplicate their decision. Although I'm sure that the various governments in Quebec will bow to the pressure by puppy-mill owners there and Quebec will not follow suit. Let's hope I'm wrong. Quebec by the way is also where Canada's fois gras production happens. What is it about that province?
Its about time they passed this law more place should do the same.
Well done Canada now we need this law around the rest of the world.
High Fives to Richmond! I've just emailed this to the Mayor & Council of Abbotsford, B.C. If everybody reading this emails their law-makers WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE!
What happens to the puppies still imprisoned in the stores when the ban takes effect?
So proud to be a Canadian today ! Amazing law ! The justice system in Prince Edward Island, Canada ordered a Puppy Mill Owner to 8 months in jail and he is also to pay $68,000 for the costs involved in seizing the animals. Animals were found in filthy conditions, flea infested and sick. Wish he had been given more time but this is a great start for us !
Congratulations Richmond B.C. - way to lead the pack and the country and take a stand!
British Columbia is quite progressive as a province with respect to animal cruelty laws, as compared to the biggest provinces, Quebec and Ontario. British Columbia is one of the few (if any) provinces that have laws that allow municipalities to ban exotic animal acts, and there are many, many such cities in that province that do not have circuses with animal acts. Ontario is pathetic, so the cities do not have the authority to ban exotic animal acts. Quebec has a horrific record for its puppy mills.
Yay BC!!
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