An ordinance that would permanently ban Los Angeles pet shops from buying animals from puppy mills or breeders is on its way to the Los Angeles City Council, city officials said Wednesday.
The best part? Shops would only be allowed to continue to sell animals from shelters, the humane society, or nonprofits registered with the city's animal services department.
The ordinance was originally put into effect in 2012, and was set to expire under a "sunset" clause on June 30 of this year.
Pet shops were not allowed to sell dogs, cats, or rabbits obtained from commercial breeders.
The Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee doesn't want the sun to go down on this regulation, so the committee is moving to make it permanent.
The ordinance was originally introduced to also curb euthanization in shelters.
Councilmembers made an impassioned plea to the council in the original 2011 motion, saying the "factory farms" produce thousands of puppies and kittens year after year that suffer a variety of abuses.
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Pets that aren't sold to shops, or "overworked abused parent" animals, end up at shelters where they are often put to death.
The law states that while personal pet owners can buy from breeders, pet stores face misdemeanor charges and penalties. The first penalty is $250, $500 for the second, and $1,000 for the third.
