Originally Featured in Dallas Morning News

PUBLISHED DECEMBER 9, 2021

The reality of how puppies and kittens are bred and transported to pet stores is troubling. Many of these pets are born at large commercial breeding facilities, known as puppy mills, and shipped to pet stores in cages that fill up with urine and feces during long journeys. Many pups and kittens arrive at their destinations sick or dead.

Unfortunately, too many stores sell unhealthy pets, often at an unsustainable cost. That’s why we support a proposal submitted this week to a Dallas City Council committee that would prohibit the sale of puppies and kittens in Dallas pet stores. Such a ban would protect animals and pet store customers while encouraging adoption from animal shelters or the purchase of pets through responsible, small-scale breeders.

The proposal is intended to spare residents the heartache of purchasing a pet that might be stricken with a severe or terminal disease. In a city with pet shelters overflowing with animals in need of adoption, pet stores should be able to partner with these organizations to provide low-cost options, or in some cases no-cost options, for those who can provide these animals with the love they deserve.

The measure under consideration comes from Shelby Bobosky, executive director of the Texas Humane Legislation Network. She said the humane pet store ordinance would be similar to laws enacted already in 400 communities across 31 states. Nine of them are in Texas.

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