Dean Maher, former Toronto city council candidate, has made a proposal to the city council in St. Johns Newfoundland to ban the sale of dogs and cats from pet stores. See The St. Johns Telegram.
The disturbing part of this story is that St. John’s city Coun. Sheilagh O’Leary and chairwoman of the city’s animal care and control committee, is quoted as saying “Staff have really felt they’ve had a good relationship with the pet shops.”
This is the biggest myth about pet stores — that just since there is no outward facing problems with the pet shop, that it must be a perfectly ethical business. This is not the case. Just because cities don’t have visible “problems” with pet stores doesn’t mean those stores aren’t adding to animal homelessness or purchasing their dogs from puppy mills or backyard breeders in a neighboring city. In order to sell lots of puppies you have to have lots of puppies, and lots of puppies come from puppy mills.
For resources on how to ban the sale of dogs and other animals in your city, click here.
Christie Lagally 
Cyndi B Hillier said,
February 15, 2011 @ 11:19 am
I recently started a petition on Care2 petition site to stop Puppy mills and to ban the sale of puppies @ Petsmart(opening fall 2011) in St.John’s,NL.I am very concerned that the lack of public education on such a serious topic is lacking in this province,& that some because of ignorance are turning a blind eye.I strongly believe that one person can make a difference ,we will draw inspiration from one another so that our concerted efforts will bring a moving force for social change.Please email me with further assistance for this pressing matter.
Thank-you