PETS BIZ BRACING FOR BAN
Dog/cat sales nix looms
Pet shop owners fear New York state will take a big bite out of their bottom lines if Gov. Hochul signs legislation banning their sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in order to fight animal abuse.
“Eighty-five percent of our business is puppies, so you make it illegal for pet stores to sell pets, how are they going to stay in business?” Emilio Ortiz, manager of Citipups in Chelsea, told The Post on Wednesday.
The West Side puppy palace — where newborn pooches fetch thousands of dollars — is one of dozens of shops in the five boroughs alone that would be affected by a future ban. State lawmakers approved that idea by big bipartisan margins last spring despite dogged efforts by pet stores and their political allies.
“This bill would not shut down one single breeder. It would only make it harder for people to obtain a puppy through a transparent source,” David Boelkes, owner of
The Barking Boutique in Buffalo, said Wednesday.
“We offer the addresses. We also offer cat kennel tours. So if people want to go and see the kennel themselves, they can,” he added.
A Hochul rep said the governor is currently reviewing the legislation, which would take effect by 2024 if Hochul signs the bill before the end of the year.
Supporters say a ban — which would not apply to breeders who sell directly to New Yorkers — would shepherd people toward adopting animals from shelters rather than buying from abusive “puppy mills” like those that supplied a notorious Long Island store sued by state authorities last year.
Banning stores from selling puppies, kittens and baby rabbits is one way New York can work around the fact that many unscrupulous breeders are located outside the Empire State, according to Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan), who sponsored the bill alongside fellow animal lover state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens).
“We really need to take responsibility for those that are helpless, that are voiceless, and those are the puppy mill dogs that sell for thousands of dollars in stores,” she said.
“Every major animal welfare organization supports this bill, and it’s dozens and dozens of active ones that represent hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers,” Rosenthal added before saying she is “optimistic” that Hochul will sign the bill into law.
“We’re not saying don’t go to responsible breeders. What we’re saying is where these pet stores get their puppies from are inhumane situations,” said Libby Post, executive director of the New York State Animal Protection Federation. Supporters of the bill say pet stores could focus more on selling supplies rather than animals in order to make up lost revenue. But doggy dealers have clawed back against suggestions that their stores could easily change their business plans.
“Everyone says ‘adopt, don’t shop’ until it’s time to get their dog — then they come to us,” Ortiz said Wednesday afternoon while customers eyed heart-melting pups vying for their attention.
Some customers said they prefer spending thousands at a store to adopting a pet from a shelter, where they might have developed physical or emotional problems.
“When you adopt, you want to save them. When you buy a dog, you are getting a fresh start,” said Lexi Rosenberg, 22, an assistant planner at a marketing media agency, while playing with a male cavapoo priced at $3,000.