Fountain, Colorado, Bans the Sale of Cats and Dogs
New ordinance designed to encourage adoption of companion animals
June 15, 2011
On May 24, the city of Fountain, Colorado, passed an ordinance banning the sale of cats and dogs in public places, including pet stores, city streets, parking lots, flea markets, store exteriors and fairs. Animals can still be adopted from area shelters and rescues for the applicable fee.
Fountain City council member Louis Porsia (shown to the right) brought the ordinance before the council after years of being an animal advocate and rescuer in the area. Angered and saddened by seeing litters of puppies originating from deplorable conditions being sold on street corners, he decided something needed to be done to make Fountain a kinder place for pets.
"Animals are living beings as well, not pieces of property," Louis remarks.
There has been a very positive response to the ban, which has garnered a lot of support both in Fountain and from other communities in Colorado. The evening of the vote on the ordinance, Louis says the chamber was filled with supporters waiting to hear the outcome of the vote. As a result of the ban, Louis expects there to be an increase in adoptions at the localHumane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, an organization that was supportive of the passage of the ban. Louis hopes to be a resource for other communities hoping to ban the sale of pets in their cities as well.
As stated at the city council meeting where the ban was passed, the goal of the ban is to limit the sale of dogs and cats originating from puppy mills and kitten factories. While not all pet sellers acquire their animals from such places, the city feels the ban will reduce the sale of "poorly bred" animals to the public while also preventing impulse purchases from stores and the subsequent surrender of these animals to area shelters.
This is part of a larger plan to encourage adoption from animal shelters, responsible pet guardianship and the humane treatment of companion animals. The ban will also prohibit new pet stores from opening in Fountain. Whether or not the one pet store in the city selling cats and dogs will continue to be able to do so in 2012 is still under consideration.
With this ban, Fountain joins a growing number of communities across the nation that are saying no to puppy mills and banning the retail sale of cats and dogs. Other places to enact similar bans are Albuquerque, New Mexico; Lake Worth, Florida; El Paso, Texas; and Austin, Texas.
The city council has put in place a $200 minimum initial fine for anyone found selling pets in the city. A second conviction will result in a minimum $350 fine. Third and subsequent offenses will incur a minimum $500 fine. There is no maximum fine, and the council acknowledged that these fines are significantly more than fines for other provisions of city code relating to pets, reinforcing the fact that the city is serious about cracking down on the sale of pets from questionable sources. Louis would like to see the fines increased, with a minimum fine per animal, not per offense.
The council also made a point by stating that the goal of the ordinance is not to take away anyone"s right to have pets or to put reputable pet stores out of business. As the council stated, pet stores make a profit selling pet food, supplies, and grooming and training services, as well as providing support to local animal shelters at adoption events.
What you can do:
Fountain City council member Louis Porsia (shown to the right) brought the ordinance before the council after years of being an animal advocate and rescuer in the area. Angered and saddened by seeing litters of puppies originating from deplorable conditions being sold on street corners, he decided something needed to be done to make Fountain a kinder place for pets.
"Animals are living beings as well, not pieces of property," Louis remarks.
There has been a very positive response to the ban, which has garnered a lot of support both in Fountain and from other communities in Colorado. The evening of the vote on the ordinance, Louis says the chamber was filled with supporters waiting to hear the outcome of the vote. As a result of the ban, Louis expects there to be an increase in adoptions at the localHumane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, an organization that was supportive of the passage of the ban. Louis hopes to be a resource for other communities hoping to ban the sale of pets in their cities as well.
As stated at the city council meeting where the ban was passed, the goal of the ban is to limit the sale of dogs and cats originating from puppy mills and kitten factories. While not all pet sellers acquire their animals from such places, the city feels the ban will reduce the sale of "poorly bred" animals to the public while also preventing impulse purchases from stores and the subsequent surrender of these animals to area shelters.This is part of a larger plan to encourage adoption from animal shelters, responsible pet guardianship and the humane treatment of companion animals. The ban will also prohibit new pet stores from opening in Fountain. Whether or not the one pet store in the city selling cats and dogs will continue to be able to do so in 2012 is still under consideration.
With this ban, Fountain joins a growing number of communities across the nation that are saying no to puppy mills and banning the retail sale of cats and dogs. Other places to enact similar bans are Albuquerque, New Mexico; Lake Worth, Florida; El Paso, Texas; and Austin, Texas.
The city council has put in place a $200 minimum initial fine for anyone found selling pets in the city. A second conviction will result in a minimum $350 fine. Third and subsequent offenses will incur a minimum $500 fine. There is no maximum fine, and the council acknowledged that these fines are significantly more than fines for other provisions of city code relating to pets, reinforcing the fact that the city is serious about cracking down on the sale of pets from questionable sources. Louis would like to see the fines increased, with a minimum fine per animal, not per offense.The council also made a point by stating that the goal of the ordinance is not to take away anyone"s right to have pets or to put reputable pet stores out of business. As the council stated, pet stores make a profit selling pet food, supplies, and grooming and training services, as well as providing support to local animal shelters at adoption events.
What you can do:
- Your community could be the next to ban the sale of animals. Voice your opposition to puppy mills and encourage your neighbors to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters.
- Attend your city council meetings and contact your local officials. Fountain City council member Louis Porsia is willing to help other communities organize their own pet sale bans. He may be contacted at fountain2@ymail.com.
- If there are pet stores in your community that sell dogs from puppy mills, organize a peaceful demonstration outside the stores letting the stores know you will not patronize their businesses until they commit to stop selling cats and dogs. Learn about organizing a peaceful protest, building awareness about inhumane conditions in puppy mills, encouraging people to adopt rather than buy pets and advocating for better legislation to combat puppy mills on the puppy mill initiatives.
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