Madison alders pass ordinance barring pet stores from selling cats and dogs

MADISON, Wis. (WMDX) – Soon Madison pet stores will be banned from selling dogs and cats. 

The Common Council passed a resolution before Thanksgiving barring pet shops from selling the country’s two most popular pets. 

For decades, animal advocates have encouraged people to adopt instead of buying from breeders or puppy mills.

“There are plenty of rescue opportunities for people in our community, anything from purebred to mixed breed dogs of all ages,” said Lauren Brinkman, founder of Underdog Pet Rescue & Vet Services.

Advocates cited examples of “backyard breeders”, who are often unlicensed, and puppy mills, known for mistreatment. 

“Many puppies from the mill industry are sick, they’re poorly socialized,” said Megan Nicholson, the Wisconsin director of Humane World for Animals. “After spending thousands, literally thousands of dollars to purchase a puppy, and also sometimes financing their purchase with undisclosed rates at up to 188 percent. New pet owners can be smacked with unexpected veterinary bills, and at times, the loss of their new pet.”

Right now, Madison actually doesn’t have any shops that sell these pets. Hundreds of municipalities across the country have banned selling cats and dogs in stores. 

The animal advocacy community isn’t necessarily united on this front. Some who gave comment at the meeting said the ordinance wouldn’t do anything to regulate the bad actors in animal breeding. 

“My concern with this ordinance is simple: it does not address the individuals who are harming animals,” said Beaver Dam veterinarian Jim Metz.

On top of that, some worried about what happens when there aren’t rule-abiding pet sellers in the area. Puppy sale scams are notoriously popular. 

“People [are] buying very sick dogs out of a back of a trunk in a parking lot of a supermarket, or going to people online who have kind of sketchy profiles on Craigslist,” said Lauren Calmet from the Pet Advocacy Network. “So that’s really the issue, is that the demand doesn’t go away.”

The ordinance passed in an 18-2 vote. 

Stores caught violating it will pay a $1,000 fine for the first animal they sell, offer to sell, or deliver. They’d be fined $2,000 for each additional animal. 

Some alders wanted to add rabbits and guinea pigs to that list, but that amendment failed. They said they want to revisit that soon.