Vancouver council to ponder ban on sale of dogs, cats in stores
A motion to ban Vancouver pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits is headed to city council after dozens of residents expressed concern about a pet store that opened last month in the Marpole neighbourhood.
The motion, which was put forward by Coun. Heather Deal, is scheduled for discussion at Tuesday’s council meeting and would amend an existing bylaw that bans the sale of certain pets in retail stores, excluding those offered for adoption from a rescue or shelter organization.
Last week, the city councillor told Postmedia city staff were researching a possible ban after hearing from people opposed to Granville Pet and Garden. The pet store, which opened in May, sells dogs and cats, fish, birds and small animals like hamsters and guineas pigs.
“I’m a huge animal lover and it made sense to me to look into a ban,” Deal said.
The motion says commercial breeding facilities that supply some pet shops can “raise animals in horrible conditions resulting in neglect, abuse and suffering.”
Granville Pet and Garden owner Ernest Ang told Postmedia that his store doesn’t get animals from mills, but from reputable breeders in the United States and South Korea.
The Vancouver motion cites similar bylaws in Richmond and New Westminster restricting the sale of certain animals, including dogs and cats.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has also supported retail pet-sales bans in the past, recommending people consider shelters or rescues as their first option instead of going to a pet store or buying online.