Colorado lawmakers are working on a new bill that will ban the sales of dogs and cats at pet stores and limit how often they can be bred.
When you walk in a pet store, puppies jump from happiness, barking and whimpering to get a belly rub. They spent their lives in a cage until someone walks in to buy them. Puppies may even knock the cage over, just to give the humans a little love.
This is a common scene for pet stores that made animal rights advocates pass a bill that put pet stores and breeders out of business or even shut down responsible businesses.
The Humane Pet Act would prevent stores from selling cats and dogs. This act will ensure ethical breeding and limit how often animals can be bred. The proposal will get its first hearing Monday.
However, business owners are not happy with this decision and say the law will strip away their livelihood. Many owners are sure that under this legislation they will have to close their businesses.
Mike Morgan, owner of Just Pets in Lone Tree and Centennial, sho sells puppies and pet supplies claims that he and other pet store owners are models for the ethical treatment of animals. His puppies exercise every day and aren’t overcrowded in their enclosures. Morgan gets the puppies from a few breeders in Nebraska and Kansas, and they are vaccinated at 8 weeks old.
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Colorado lawmakers want tougher laws that will make the state a leader in ensuring humane breeding of pets. Maryland and California have already outlawed commercial puppy and kitten sales unless a pet store works with a rescue shelter to host an adoption event. Colorado is considering the same thing.
First Gentleman Marlon Reis released a statement in which he says the neglect and maltreatment of puppies and kittens need to be put to an end. He is an animal welfare advocate, who is working with Rep. Monica Duran and Sen. Mike Foote in order to pass the bill.
The Humane Pet Act will help people to adopt, instead of buying pets.
Although the state’s Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) provides some standards, there are still puppies and kitties living in inhumane conditions in breeding facilities. They spent most of their lives in a cage.
Not everyone agrees with this bill. Janet Stephens, who represents the American Kennel Club in Colorado, is fighting the restrictions. She said that PACFA inspectors are already shutting down offenders of the current law but most of the Colorado breeders operate humanely. Stephens is also concerned that the bill would put some pet stores out of business.
However, there are plenty of dogs and cats at shelters, so there is no need for pet stores.
