San Francisco considers banning the sale of all pets

[Jared2608]

Could this be a case of too liberal for ones own good perhaps??

[Lolo76]

I lived in San Francisco until recently, and pet shop dog/cat sales have been banned for YEARS... and I actually think that's great. Let's face it - pet shop dogs/cats ARE from mills, where they're out for profit over the animals' well-being. It's a bit silly to extend this law to fish & rodents, but I've always supported SF's strict policies against pet shop pets.

That being said, you can still buy animals through other sources... shelters, private rescues/adoption, private sales, and actual licensed breeders. You can also go to the outlying cities to buy pets, which is quick and easy in such a tightly-packed metro area. Most animals (aside from boids, hots, and any state-banned species) are still legal to OWN too, and they're just trying to control who's allowed to sell them. So if you really want a puppy or kitten, either go to the shelter, or contact a real breeder on your own. Why would you want a poorly-bred puppy mill dog, anyway?

[Lolo76]

P.S. Of course SF's regulations against boids ticked me off, and I still want to see about getting that amended... thankfully my new town allows them!

[EchoPyrex]

I lived in San Francisco until recently, and pet shop dog/cat sales have been banned for YEARS... and I actually think that's great. Let's face it - pet shop dogs/cats ARE from mills, where they're out for profit over the animals' well-being. It's a bit silly to extend this law to fish & rodents, but I've always supported SF's strict policies against pet shop pets.

That being said, you can still buy animals through other sources... shelters, private rescues/adoption, private sales, and actual licensed breeders. You can also go to the outlying cities to buy pets, which is quick and easy in such a tightly-packed metro area. Most animals (aside from boids, hots, and any state-banned species) are still legal to OWN too, and they're just trying to control who's allowed to sell them. So if you really want a puppy or kitten, either go to the shelter, or contact a real breeder on your own. Why would you want a poorly-bred puppy mill dog, anyway?

I used to work at a pet shop and I grew up knowing a couple different families who owned and worked at different pet shops. None of them got there dogs or cats from mills. That being said yes some pets store definitely get there animals from mills. But you saying that every or even most Pet stores get their animals from mills is rubbish. What you are doing to the pet industry right now is equally as damaging (at least in my mind) as if you were to say that every snake owner abuses their snake would be to the snake industry.

I'm not starting a fight good sir or ma'am, and I do respect your opinion, but I will stick up for my thoughts, especially on things like this.

[Lolo76]

I used to work at a pet shop and I grew up knowing a couple different families who owned and worked at different pet shops. None of them got there dogs or cats from mills. That being said yes some pets store definitely get there animals from mills. But you saying that every or even most Pet stores get their animals from mills is rubbish. What you are doing to the pet industry right now is equally as damaging (at least in my mind) as if you were to say that every snake owner abuses their snake would be to the snake industry.

I'm not starting a fight good sir or ma'am, and I do respect your opinion, but I will stick up for my thoughts, especially on things like this.

I'm a ma'am. I used to work at a pet shop too, and personally watched one cat/dog after another get sick, a few even dying, because they were poorly bred at MILLS - and that was despite our best efforts, and the good intentions of a kind but somewhat clueless shop owner. So if their (majority of pet shops) animals aren't from mills, where do you think they come from? Adoption centers don't count, of course, since those aren't technically pet sales... so I have no problem with Petco & PetSmart, since they simply provide space for rescue organizations.

Maybe there are a few shops who have contracts with legitimate breeders, but even those are questionable... because anyone who's familiar with AKC and CFA breeders (as I am) knows they would NEVER trust a pet shop to find homes for their babies. Sorry, but these are my observations based on years of working in & patronizing pet shops, attending shows, and owning both pet shop & breeder-purchased animals.

P.S. One of my current cats, 10 year-old Blue Persian Cyrus, came from a pet shop... and while I love him dearly, he's had minor health and serious behavioral issues from day one. My other cats & dog are mixed-breed rescues, and even the 14 year-old is healthier than Cyrus!

[EchoPyrex]

I'm a ma'am. I used to work at a pet shop too, and personally watched one cat/dog after another get sick, a few even dying, because they were poorly bred at MILLS - and that was despite our best efforts, and the good intentions of a kind but somewhat clueless shop owner. So if their (majority of pet shops) animals aren't from mills, where do you think they come from? Adoption centers don't count, of course, since those aren't technically pet sales... so I have no problem with Petco & PetSmart, since they simply provide space for rescue organizations.

Maybe there are a few shops who have contracts with legitimate breeders, but even those are questionable... because anyone who's familiar with AKC and CFA breeders (as I am) knows they would NEVER trust a pet shop to find homes for their babies. Sorry, but these are my observations based on years of working in & patronizing pet shops, attending shows, and owning both pet shop & breeder-purchased animals.

P.S. One of my current cats, 10 year-old Blue Persian Cyrus, came from a pet shop... and while I love him dearly, he's had minor health and serious behavioral issues from day one. My other cats & dog are mixed-breed rescues, and even the 14 year-old is healthier than Cyrus!

First off - Sorry if my original message came out harsh. In no way did I mean for it to, but rereading it I can see it was. My apologies.

Second off - From my personal experience, a majority of the pet shops I know of get their dogs/ cats from rescue organizations. I grew up with my relatives owning different pet shops, and my immediate family working with a shelter and some other rescue organizations (probably why I am so biased on this subject).
After we raised/ fostered/ or sometimes rehabilitated these animals (and after they were medically cleared) the rescue centers would have us take them to different pet stores throughout the city. Granted we lived in Los Angeles and the amount of pets stores that we worked with was not even a fraction of the amount of pet stores within its city limits, I still believe that a majority of the pet store industry are not using mills for their supply of cats and dogs.
This just an opinion though.

And to your statement on AKC and CFA (Which I know is for cats but I do not remember what the initials stand for, if you could remind me I would be very grateful) I pretty much 100% agree with you.

Which in theory, means most dogs and cats at some point came from a mill or other whereabouts. I just blew my own point and my mind. Awesome.

Once again, sorry that my message came out harsh. In no way, shape, or form did I mean it to be.

[cwbrumm]

Warms my heart to see that one of the most liberal cities in the nation is ... GASP ....wanting to take your rights away.. say it isn't so..!

I agree. It's not too often you see liberals acting like conservatives.

[Skiploder]

All this will do is drive even more businesses and tax dollars from a City already on the verge of financial meltdown.

Let them pass the ban. San Mateo, Marin, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties will welcome these customers with open arms.