Ban sought for sale of cats, dogs in pet stores

There would be no puppies, kittens or rabbits for sale in any Victoria pet stores if Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe has her way.

She also wants other changes to regulations to better protect animals.

Thornton-Joe said the sale of dogs, puppies, cats, kittens and rabbits should be prohibited at pet stores. She suggested the amendment to the city’s Animal Control Bylaw at a committee of the whole meeting this week, but councillors wanted time to consider it before debating.

Many cities have enacted such bans, Thornton-Joe said, adding that she doesn’t believe there are any pet stores left in the city that regularly sell such animals. “That’s almost a better reason to put it into the bylaw — so that if any new ones decide to open, they already know that that’s the policy,” she said.

Lorie Chortyk, B.C. SPCA general manager of community relations, said her organization is “absolutely in favour of this.”

She said the SPCA campaigned in support when Richmond enacted such a ban, becoming the first municipality in the country to do so. “We know that reputable breeders don’t sell to retail outlets,” she said.

Animal-welfare groups argue animals being sold in pet stores encourage impulse buying and animal overpopulation.

Ty Hahn, owner of Creatures Pet Store in Blanshard Centre, said his store does not sell dogs, cats, puppies, kittens or rabbits, and he’s not sure an amendment to the city’s animal control bylaw is needed. “Nobody is selling dogs and cats in Victoria,” Hahn said. Although he couldn’t be sure, he does not believe any local pet stores are selling rabbits.

Thornton-Joe is also proposing changes to the city’s Vehicles for Hire Bylaw, which involves horses, and Animal Control Bylaw, which she’d like to rename the Victoria Animal Responsibility Bylaw.

She is patterning her proposals after ones enacted in Surrey and Duncan, and an SPCA model bylaw. Changes would, for example, seek to ensure dogs are not injured while tied up, that dogs not be tied up using choke collars, or with ropes or cords that might choke, and not tied up more than four hours in a 24-hour period.

Owners walking dogs deemed aggressive off their own property would be required to use a leash not longer than a metre, ensure the dog is not running at large, keep the dog muzzled when in an off-leash area, and ensure the dog has permanent identification registered with the city.

There would be prohibitions against allowing animals to suffer from hypothermia, dehydration, discomfort, or exertion causing unnecessary pain, suffering or injury; teasing, tormenting, beating, kicking or provoking an animal; and training or allowing an animal to fight.

Thornton-Joe is proposing regulations for keeping urban chickens and bees, specifying a maximum of five hens and limiting the number of beehives according to property size.

With the Vehicles for Hire Bylaw, Thornton-Joe is not recommending horse-drawn carriages be banned as some have been advocating. Instead, she suggests horses transporting passengers be required to display an identification number that is visible and legible and corresponds with the name, description and health record of the horse to be provided to a licensing officer and SPCA at the start of the year.

While some people want to see horse-drawn carriages banned, Thornton-Joe said, experts tell her there is no need to outlaw them. “These are pulling animals. If they are no longer needed to do any of this pulling, people wouldn’t own them, in which case there would be no use for them,” she said.

“More often than not when I follow up on complaints, the SPCA has said: ‘We followed up, too, and the horse is fine.’ ”