Vaughan moves to impose tough new measures on sale of cats, dogs

Vaughan Citizen
January 22, 2014
By Adam Martin-Robbins

Vaughan is moving to impose tough new restrictions on the sale of cats and dogs in the city.

Council members voted at Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting to amend Vaughan’s animal services bylaw to prohibit pet stores and other retail outlets, such as flea markets, from selling cats and dogs unless they are sourced from an animal shelter, Humane Society or animal rescue organization.

The decision came after Susan Kelly, Vaughan’s animal services supervisor, told councillors pet stores and other retailers often sell cats and dogs before they are old enough to be spayed, neutered or adequately vaccinated.

She also pointed out that pet sales from many of these establishments are impulse buys, where people either don’t give thought to or aren’t adequately prepared for the responsibilities, challenges and costs that come with being a dog or cat owner.

These factors can lead to an increase in the number of unwanted pets and a greater risk of spreading diseases, such as rabies, she said.

And that, ultimately, places a greater burden on the city’s animal services department, which is tasked with dealing with these issues, she said.

Ms Kelly also said that Toronto, Mississauga and Kingston have similar bylaws.

Laureen D’Alessandro, a local environmentalist and animal rights activist, applauded the city’s move.

“It’s the best thing they can do,” she said in an interview after the meeting. “These animals, usually, aren’t even weaned at the proper stage. ... They haven’t built up their immune system. They don’t have half their shots.”

Ms D’Alessandro noted that putting these types of restrictions in place goes a long way toward hindering puppy mills, where animals are bred in appalling conditions, without appropriate medical care.

“When you have this stopped from happening, you’re causing a lot less problems with sicknesses being spread out to other dogs,” she said. “And the other thing is you’re keeping the costs down at the shelter because the shelter has to pay for euthanizations, vaccinations, the surgeries, the feedings, the housing.”

Liz White, a representative of Animal Alliance of Canada, also praised the city’s decision.

“Congratulations for all the good work you’ve done,” she said at Tuesday’s meeting.

But Louis McCann, president and CEO of Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada, doesn’t see it that way.

“We, as an association, are of the philosophy that any source can have the privilege and the right to offer animals for sale or adoption, provided it’s done properly,” he said. “We believe the orientation taken by the committee (of the whole) eliminates one of these good sources.”

Mr. McCann said reputable pet stores have protocols in place and work with veterinarians to ensure the animals they are selling are healthy.

“There is no evidence to suggest that transmission of disease is higher in this type of establishment than any other one,” he said.

Mr., McCann recommends the city take a different approach.

“I don’t think the city should target pet stores,” he said. “If they’re looking at a responsible pet ownership bylaw, or improving their own municipal bylaw, they should target and look at all the different pet establishments that operate within the city - and that means shelters, rescues, pet stores, municipal animal control facilities. All should be painted with the same brush, in terms of what kind of care they provide to their animals and what kind of information they offer to the general public or the prospective pet owners.”

Mr. McCann said the advisory council has no objections to municipalities requiring pet stores to be licensed.

The advisory council has also recommended the city work with those who offer pets for sale or adoption to develop a “common message that deals with responsible pet ownership, that promotes the positive pet experience and get the buy-in from all the different establishments to promote that message,” he said.

In addition to restricting the sale of cats and dogs, the city is proposing some other contentious changes to its animal services bylaw such as prohibiting the feeding of wildlife, excluding the attentive use of bird feeders for songbirds, and expanding its list of prohibited pets to include raptors (birds of prey) and constrictor snakes.    

The proposed bylaw changes are expected to come to council for final approval in February.