Richmond Hill to decide where pet stores get their animals

Yorkregion.com
June 21, 2016
By Kim Zarzour

Richmond Hill pet stores may soon be required to get their animals from humane societies, shelters and rescues if a motion is passed after being presented to council tonight.

The move is intended to respond to concerns raised by the community over unethical practices by puppy mills and back yard breeders.

Councillors had asked staff in 2015 to investigate the possibility of banning sales in stores after hearing impassioned pleas from residents and activists.

Several delegations and letter-writers expressed concerns about pet stores who source their animals from commercial breeders, dogs and cats raised in cages in factory-like buildings with little to know medical attention, who are poorly socialized and unhealthy due to inbreeding and over-breeding.

The report from town staff that will be discussed at tonight’s committee of the whole, however, does not promise to solve these problems.

There is a large online, out-of-town and unaccountable component to puppy mills in which pet stores do not play a role, and the town’s ability to affect those transactions is severely limited, the report said.

A national survey conducted by Ipsos Reid in 2008 found that 10 per cent of all dogs and nine per cent of all cats were obtained from pet stores.

The majority of cats are acquired from friends or relatives, while more than one third of dogs come from breeders.

“Banning the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores will not solve the puppy mill problem,” the report goes on to say. “A more achievable goal is to ensure informed, safe and reliable transactions in Richmond Hill pet stores.”

Instead of banning pet sales in stores, staff is recommending that the town ensure local pet stores get their dogs and cats from registered humane societies, registered shelters, municipal shelters and registered rescues.

Restricting the sale of dogs and cats to shelters and humane societies will support the practice of responsible pet acquisition, the report said, and is similar to what is being done in Mississauga, Oakville, Toronto and Vaughan.

“Richmond Hill needs to address not only residents’ concerns regarding animal welfare, but also municipal concerns regarding pet over-population,” the report says. “Working with humane societies, shelters and rescues will help reduce the number of homeless pets.”

The report recommends a six-month grace period be allowed for pet stores to sell the dogs and cats already on their premises and staff be directed to bring forward an appropriate implementing bylaw for council’s approval by October 2016.

There are currently 10 retail locations classified as pet stores in Richmond Hill, including three that sell cats and/or dogs. Six stores adopt out dogs and/or cats in cooperation with local shelters and rescues and one location does not deal in dogs or cats.