In the US, the states of Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Austin and lately San Francisco have all passed a law to force pet shops to sell rescued dogs and cats only and to ban the sale of puppies under 8 weeks from big “puppy mills”. 

This will help rescued cats and dogs from shelters to find a family sooner and for many, to avoid death.

The amendment bans the sale of puppies under 8 weeks and does not apply to licensed breeders but mainly to large puppy breeding mills where puppies are bread in horrifying conditions solely for profit. This will clamp down on these “mills-for-profit” organisations. 

In the US an estimated 5 to 8 millions animals enter a shelter each year. 50% of them, so between 2.5 to 8 millions are euthanised, i.e. killed, each year because no one would adopt them. 

According to the ASPCA, 5 in 10 dogs and 7 in 10 cats   are euthanised each year. 

Animals are our companions and feel and suffer like we do and not some “toys” that we can put away when we are done “playing” with them. 

This new law shows a real engagement from the authorities towards an improvement of animal welfare and a genuine step forward for our lovely and loyal companions. I can only hope for more states and countries worldwide to follow the example!

By Angelina Cecchetto on 2nd May 2017