By Carmen Rodgers
Elmore/Autauga News
Anyone who has visited a local animal shelter knows they are overpopulated. Many of these animals are purchased as a gift when they are puppies or kittens, but once they grow into full-grown dogs or cats, they often end up at an animal shelter. This is a troubling issue that is seen across the country. However, the City of Prattville is taking proactive measures to stop this vicious cycle.
The City of Prattville voted to restrict the retail sale of puppies and kittens at pet stores to only those that are sourced from an animal care facility or an animal rescue organization. The adopted ordinance, Chapter 10, Article V, Division 1, Sec. 109 was passed by the council on Tuesday, Jan. 17, in the regular session.
Representatives from the Prattville Autauga Humane Shelter were present for the council meeting to show support for the ordinance.
“We do appreciate the PAHS representatives who are here tonight in representation of animal kindness,” Council President Lora Lee Boone said.
This measure aims to set a proactive, humane friendly, example for other municipalities alike.
“We do appreciate Councilor Chambers for bringing this issue to our attention,” Boone said. “And stating what kind of City we want to be in Prattville, and how we want to show love and kindness to our four-legged friends as well as to the humans we have in our City. We do respect them, we love them. Most of us on this dais are pet owners or pet lovers and we want to take that into consideration.”
The ordinance aims to combat cases of abuse and inhumane conditions in large-scale, commercial breeding facilities.
“These inhumane conditions and abuses lead to health and behavioral issues in the animals bred in those facilities, and many consumers are unaware of these concerns when purchasing animals from pet shops. The health and behavioral issues resulting from their breeding conditions may not present themselves until sometime after the purchase of the animals and can impose exorbitant financial and emotional costs on consumers,” the ordinance reads.
With this measure, the council aims to slow the demand for dogs and cats that are sourced from large-scale breeders and increase demand for shelter pets. This ordinance also aims to increase community awareness of overall animal welfare and promote a more humane environment for animals.
This ordinance does not prohibit purchasing from a hobby breeder. However, under the ordinance the consumer must be able to see the condition of the environment that the animals are raised in.
Pet shops that choose to source dogs from an animal shelter or like organization must maintain records stating the name and location of the animal care facility that the dog or cat came from.
No pet store can sell a cat or dog that is less than eight weeks old.
