Pass Humane Pet Shop Ordinance in Bloomington
Pass Humane Pet Shop Ordinance in Bloomington
Why this petition matters
As written, the Bloomington City Code would allow a pet store to operate in the city and sell cats and dogs that live in the store in cages and kennels, in a way that all pet stores once operated, but in a way that many if not most of us now consider inappropriate. Many of the animals that are sold in pet stores come from puppy mills or high-volume breeders; these animals often have health and genetic problems and contribute to the overpopulation and euthanizing of approximately 1.5 million animals per year in the country.
A Humane Pet Store Ordinance would prohibit pet stores that operate in the city from selling dogs or cats. Pet stores instead can collaborate with animal shelters or animal rescue organizations who can showcase at the store the dogs and cats available for adoption, the business model that most pet stores have adopted.
But with the City Code written as it is, a pet store that sells puppy mill dogs or cats from a breeder can open shop in Bloomington. A pet store can keep its animals in its store, in cages, without the regular human contact that animals need. Such a pet store does not reflect the values of the City of Bloomington and the values of Bloomington residents, many of whom have pets and are animals lovers.
For these reasons, we are asking the Bloomington City Council to amend its City Code to prevent a pet store from operating in the city if it plans to sells cats and dogs as part of its business model. Roseville was the first city in Minnesota to pass a Humane Pet Store Ordinance. Bloomington should be the second and lead the way to the humane treatment of animals.