On October 16, members of the community, animal rescue organizations, and local pet store owners gathered at the Burbank City Council meeting to weigh in on the highly emotional issue of the sale of dogs and cats in Burbank, with a focus on commercially bred animals sourced from “puppy mills.”
While there are numerous local, state, and federal laws regulating pet shops and animal sales, animal rights groups contend those regulations are either not adequately enforced, or are not sufficient to protect the rights of animals shipped to Burbank from commercial breeders (mostly from out of state, sourced in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Pet shop owners believe their animals are well-cared for, checked upon receipted by veterinarians, come from reputable breeders, and comply with all applicable regulations and laws.
Over the next three weeks BurbankNBeyond will look at the issue in detail, from the positions of animal rights groups such as Best Friends Animal Society and Burbank CROP, as well as from the position of pet store owners.
As with any highly charged and emotional issue, there is certainly room for arguments on both sides of the debate.
BurbankNBeyond will look at the following issues leading up to a planned Mid-January council meeting and decision on the issue:
- The regulatory environment
- Position of pet store owners
- Positions of council members
- Issue of online (Internet) pet sales
- Position of animal rescue and animal rights groups
- Public opinion or polls
BurbankNBeyond believes this, like all issues, should be decided on the basis of facts. We welcome comments and opinions, as well as factual experiences that will help highlight the issue. Please send any comments, leads, experiences, or recommendations on the issue to savageau@pacific-tier.com.
Links to references related to the debate on Burbank Pet Sales are at:
City Council Meeting Agenda – 16 Oct 2012
- Second Step Report on Pet Sale Regulations (Puppy Mills)
- COMPARISON OF LOCAL ANIMAL RETAIL ORDINANCES
- Glendale Ordinance on Retail Sale of Cats and Dogs (5748)
- Video Clip of Burbank City Council Meeting 16 Oct
City Council Meeting Agenda – 27 Mar 2012
- First Step Report on a Puppy Mills Ordinance for Council’s Discussion
- Summary of Federal and State Regulations
- Video Clip of Burbank City Council Meeting on 27 Mar
