Chicago to shut down last few shops in the city allowing the retail sale of dogs
Chicago passes ordinance, strengthening puppy mill law
Seven years ago, a law passed that banned sales of dogs, cats and rabbits from disreputable sources, however, a few shops have been operating through a loophole in which they claim they receive their dogs from rescues, the Chicago Alliance for Animals said in a statement Wednesday.
CHICAGO - Chicago will be shutting down the last few shops in the city that have allowed the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits.
The Chicago City Council passed the bill banning the retail sale of animals at their meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
Seven years ago, a law passed that banned sales of dogs, cats and rabbits from disreputable sources, however, a few shops have been operating through a "loophole" in which they claim they receive their dogs from rescues, the Chicago Alliance for Animals (CAA) said in a statement Wednesday.
However, the CAA says that multiple reputable sources have investigated and exposed these rescues as fronts for the puppy mill industry.
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"CAA is so thrilled that Chicago's City Council finally passed this bill, so the progressive legislation that passed in 2014 can finally take effect, which will translate in many more dogs getting adopted out of our city shelters," said Jodie Wiederkehr, Executive Director of the Chicago Alliance for Animals (CAA).
Over 13,000 animal advocates signed online petitions urging Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Ald. Derrick Curtis, Matthew O'Shea and Michele Smith to shut down the three pet stores in their wards that were selling dogs at high prices.
Twenty-one Aldermen signed on as official co-sponsors of the bill.
CAA volunteers have also been protesting Pocket Puppies regularly for a year.
"This success will stop the flow of puppies and dogs into Chicago from disgusting puppy mills, backyard breeders and unscrupulous sources, where dogs are treated like breeding machines and inanimate objects. With the passage of this bill, the Second City is proving to be a leader in the humane treatment of animals," Wiederkehr said.