Let's Keep at the City!

Puppymill Awareness Working Solutions

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We are disappointed to bring you this update regarding our recent proposal to the city re banning the sale of pets in pet stores and retail outlets. Of the councillors who have responded, most if not all of them, refer to the By-law 2002-189 passed in 2011. This by-law refers ONLY to licensing issues and the care of animals whilst in pet stores. It appears that the councillors have skipped their way around the point of the matter.

Here's by bylaw link:

http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/occ/2011/06-08/cpsc/01%20-%20ACS2011-COS-EPS-0019%20Pet%20Shop%20Licensing%20Regulations.htm

So, we are asking that everyone continue to put the city under considerable pressure by continuing to respondi to your councillor (copy to the Mayor), always politely and professionally, stating the facts and reiterating what we are asking for:

Here's an excerpt from our own draft response (not yet completed)
(with variations depending on who the response is addressed). 

"We both agree that puppy and kitten mills are deplorable, however, unlike you, we do not agree that it is not an issue. We, and many others, believe that if consumers knew the conditions from which their pet store puppies originate, they would not support such systemic, large-scale cruelty.

As previously stated, puppy breeding stock spend their entire lives in a cage in inhumane conditions for the single purpose of producing puppies to supply pet stores and retails outlets. The current proposal is to ban the sale of pets in pet stores and retail outlets, effectively eliminating a major marketplace which supports unscrupulous breeding activity in puppy mills. This is a very different issue than by-law 2002-189.

Currently, there are many homeless dogs and puppies in our city shelter facilities, awaiting a permanent home, at the city’s expense. Many of these animals are euthanized, also at the city’s expense, due to overpopulation and lack of resources.

Severing the puppy mill arm from pet shops and retail outlets has proven beneficial in other cities and municipalities inasmuch as it has helped reduce the animal population, alleviating the burden on animal control agencies and shelters, and has helped animals that would otherwise have been euthanized, find permanent homes."

Thank you!