Florida Cities Aim to Ban Sales of Dogs and Cats
Jun-30-2014

"How much is that doggy in the window?" That's a question residents of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida may not be asking if a regulation aimed at shutting down puppy and kitten mills goes into effect following a city council vote in July.

The South Florida suburb isn't the first municipality in the state to ban the retail sale of dogs and cats. Over the past three years, 20 cities in Florida have adopted similar bans, according to Melanie Kahn, senior director the Humane Society of the United States' Puppy Mills Campaign. More than 10 of these ordinances were enacted this year, and between six and eight more Florida cities are considering their own bans.

Roughly 30 other municipalities nationwide, including Los Angeles and Chicago, have enacted restrictions on the sale of dogs and cats. But Florida is spearheading the charge.

"Florida in particular has become the epicenter of all this activity," Kahn said. "To the point where it's a little overwhelming for us because it's all over the state."

The goal isn't to shut down pet stores but to clamp down on commercial dog and cat breeders, commonly known as puppy mills. Many of these breeders keep their animals in poor conditions and force the parent animals to breed too frequently, leading to congenital and health problems for puppies and kittens.

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