For decades, pet stores have been a popular destination for families looking to bring home a new furry friend. However, recent years have seen a growing movement to ban the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores throughout the United States. This movement is not without reason.
Pet stores, though not all of them, often purchase cats and kittens from irresponsible breeders who run puppy and kitten mills. These mills often subject animals to inhumane conditions to cut costs and increase profits. While puppy mills often receive more attention, kitten mills are ubiquitous throughout the US, and many of these mills’ top customers are pet stores.
The problem with buying cats or kittens from a pet store lies in the source of the animals. These middlemen who supply pet stores often claim that the animals were humanely raised, but it is impossible for pet store staff to verify where the animals came from or the conditions they were raised in. Mill-bred cats often live in cramped wire cages with little access to exercise or socialization with humans or other animals. These conditions can lead to behavioral difficulties that can last for the cat’s entire life.
Additionally, buying a cat from a pet store means that a shelter cat loses the chance for a loving home. Shelters should always be the first place to look for a cat to bring home, but responsible breeders that take care of their animals and carefully select the owners to whom they will home their kittens are also a good option.
Several states and localities have taken action to ban the sale of kittens and puppies in pet stores. California became the first state to enact legislation to ban these sales in 2017, followed by Maryland in 2020, Illinois and Washington in 2021, and New York in 2022. Over 380 localities throughout the country have also implemented bans, and in 2018, the UK put a ban in place for third-party sales of cats or dogs under six months old.
Banning the sale of kittens in pet stores should encourage potential owners to adopt from shelters or buy from reputable breeders. This, in turn, should discourage cruel mills from continuing their operations. Citizens can also play a role by pressuring local authorities and congress representatives to perform more checks on breeders to ensure that only those who meet certain standards are allowed to breed and sell animals.
While this ban on kitten sales is an essential step in protecting animals from inhumane conditions, there is still much work to be done to ensure animal welfare standards are upheld. For example, animal welfare advocates are pushing for the ban on pet store sales to be expanded to include rabbits, which are also commonly sold in pet stores and can come from mill breeding facilities that keep them in similarly inhumane conditions.
In conclusion, while pet stores have long been a convenient option for families looking to bring home new pets, the rising tide of bans on kitten and puppy sales at such stores is undoubtedly a positive development for animal welfare. By supporting these bans and taking steps to advocate for responsible breeding and adoption practices, pet owners can help ensure that all animals get the chance to live healthy, happy lives.
