Another Lifesaving Law! Is West Hollywood America’s Most Animal-Friendly City?
When it comes to protecting animals, West Hollywood is leading the way in compassion. Already the first city in the U.S. to ban glue traps, the sale of fur, and cat declawing, the city has now made history again—this time by unanimously voting to ban the sale of animals.
Thanks to testimony from PETA and other animal advocates, Mayor Chelsea Byers and the City Council have shut the door on an industry built on exploitation, sparing parrots, snakes, fish, and countless other animals from lifetimes of miserable confinement and distress.
The vote comes after years of grassroots efforts in support of a ban on animal sales, initiated by local PETA supporter Justine Block.
This historic ban will spare parrots from dismal lives in cages, snakes from confinement in tanks so small they can’t stretch out, fish from swimming endless circles in filthy bowls, and others who suffer in the animal breeding industry. It will also set a compassionate example for other cities to follow.
Why West Hollywood Taking Action Against the Animal Breeding Industry Matters
Every PETA investigation of cruel animal breeding facilities has exposed systemic animal suffering and neglect. At one now-shuttered animal wholesale facility, PETA documented hamsters crammed into waste-filled bins. A PETA video exposé based on visits to more than 100 Petco stores around the country revealed dead and dying betta fish floating in cups of contaminated water, and many were left to suffer from painful or debilitating health conditions such as fin rot and swim bladder disorders. A whistleblower who worked at Reptiles by Mack—a Xenia, Ohio, breeding factory and pet-store supplier—alerted PETA to the miserable conditions for the thousands of bearded dragons warehoused there in filthy, barren plastic tubs like inanimate merchandise. Pet stores treat birds, reptiles, amphibians, and other animals as disposable commodities—sold to unprepared buyers who can’t possibly meet their complex needs. West Hollywood’s ban is helping to shut down this cycle of neglect and abuse.
West Hollywood Is Setting a Kind Example—and You Can, Too!
By banning the sale of animals, West Hollywood is proving that cities can take meaningful action against industries that profit from suffering. This historic decision sends a clear message: Animals are feeling individuals, not merchandise.
You can help, too. NEVER buy an animal from a pet store, breeder, or anywhere else. Every purchase fuels the cycle of suffering in animal breeding facilities, as well as the animal companion homelessness and overpopulation crisis. If you are truly ready to welcome a companion animal into your home—and have the time, resources, and energy to provide a lifetime of care—please adopt from a shelter or rescue group instead.
If you want to try and pass an ordinance in your town, please let us know. We are here to help!
And take 5 seconds to tell Petco to stop selling animals:
