A special thanks to Helen for sending me this video. Watch the whole thing, and see how it really can be done!
“What you are doing is attempting to harmonize the situation.” Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the US regarding his support on the ban of the sale of dogs and cats in retail stores in West Hollywood.
In an effort to stop the inhumane cycle of supply and demand, advocates in Wentzville, Missouri have also proposed to ban the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores. See the Suburban Journals.
Lets keep making strides. So many four-legged friends are depending on these efforts!
So this is cool! The BC SPCA has a website that tracks the current progress of bylaw reform in cities all over BC. Check it out here: http://www.spca.bc.ca/welfare/campaign-issues/pets-in-the-city.html
This website also allows you to email your city council on the current bylaw reform issue relevant for your city. A special thanks to Geoff Urton at the BC SPCA for sending this my way.
Victoria, BC, after years to controversy over the ubiquitous ‘UVic’ rabbits are finally catching up with Richmond and New Westminster to ban the sale of unsterilized rabbits in pet stores. See the Vancouver Sun. Luckily, while they are working on the bylaw, city councilors are looking at further animal welfare laws, including mandatory spay/neuter for cats, and other bylaws to protect animals. (Photo: Jeanie the rabbit at the Richmond Animal Shelter).
It may seem like running for city council on a ‘ban the sale of animals in pet stores’ platform is risky, well it turns out it isn’t. Dean Maher, city council candidate for Ward 20 in Toronto, is running on a lot more than just that, but seems well aware that selling animals in pet stores not only causes animal cruelty, but costs the city taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in animal control, shelter costs and veterinary costs.
Maher has proposed to ban the sale of dogs and cats from Toronto pet stores, and he’s getting a lot of publicity for his words. Check out the Toronto Sun, as well as many other news outlets.
Maher will be speaking to committee on Aug. 13. See agenda and the proposal to council.
Dean, we’re rooting for you in Richmond, BC. Show ’em how it done!
Richmond, Vancouver, Surrey, Delta, North Vancouver and beyound, it’s time to organize! Check out AWAC.
I never miss an opportunity to talk to my friend Helen at the Richmond Animal Shelter. During her days work, she encounters the best and the worst of animal owners. This is one of her tales.
It was Tuesday afternoon, and Helen called me quite furious. She has just received a call from a person who had purchased two rabbits — a male and a female — from a Richmond pet store. The pair of rabbits proceeded to have lots of babies in less than 4 months, and the owners told Helen “these are not an easy pets!”. The caller was careful to say that he had purchased the rabbits before the ban on the sale of rabbits, and that he had called the pet store and they refused to take the rabbits back. Instead, this pet store told the rabbit owner to call the Richmond Animal Protection Society to surrender the rabbits.
Naturally, Helen was upset. Helen and I, along with many other advocates had argued for the City of Richmond to ban the sale of rabbit because people kept buying them and either abandoning them to the park or surrendering them to the city shelter. Pet store owners argued that they would “help out” people who wanted to give back their pets, but it now appears that was a disingenuous statement. Instead, the pet store manager suggested they dump the rabbits at the local animal shelter. Helen confronted the store manager on this issue, and the manager claimed they couldn’t sell the rabbits and so they couldn’t take them back. “Well it’s a good thing we made you stop selling rabbits, isn’t it!” stated Helen. The pet store manager had no reply.
It is, indeed, a good thing we banned rabbits, because now there are eight more rabbits homeless because of pet store sales in Richmond. What did they think was going to happen when you sell a coupled pair of rabbits? I hope those little rabbits find good homes.
Christie Lagally 