Title
An Ordinance amending Section 4-13 of the Code of Ordinances, prohibiting the sale of dogs and cats by pet retail stores; establishing definitions; and providing a penalty for the violation thereof; and creating Section 4-13.1, prohibiting the offering of dogs and cats for sale by individuals in public places; and providing a penalty for the violation thereof, effective November 1, 2024. [Council Office, Hall]
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WHEREAS, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council ("Council") has determined that current regulations do not properly address the sale of puppy and kitten mill dogs and cats in and out of pet stores; and
WHEREAS, Council has received a presentation suggesting that most puppies and kittens sold in pet stores come from large-scale, commercial breeding facilities where the health and welfare of the animals are disregarded in order to maximize profits ("puppy mills" and "kitten mills," respectively), and that, according to The Humane Society of the United States, an estimated 10,000 puppy mills produce more than 2,400,000 puppies per year in the United States, and that most pet store dogs and cats come from puppy mills and kitten mills; and
WHEREAS, Council has reviewed materials suggesting that the documented abuses endemic to puppy and kitten mills include over-breeding; inbreeding; minimal to non-existent veterinary care; lack of adequate and nutritious food, water and shelter; lack of adequate exercise and enrichment; and lack of sanitation; and
WHEREAS, Council has received a presentation suggesting that pet store puppies and kittens, being taken from said puppy and kitten mills at a young age and sold via commercial retail stores, often receive substandard care and treatment, which contributes to the cycle of abuse perpetuated by puppy and kitten mills; and
WHEREAS, Council has received a presentation suggesting that pet stores often mislead consumers as to where the puppies in the stores came from an...
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