According to pintiks, California is beginning the new year by making major
progress for animals.
As on January 1, commercially bred rabbits, puppies, and kittens cannot be
purchased in pet stores in the state. Only animals in need of rescue from
nearby shelters will be allowed to reside in stores.
The new regulation targets backyard breeders and puppy mills, which are
notorious for putting animal welfare second to business by keeping animals
in cramped, filthy cages.
While their lone adult parents spend their life in squalor being
continuously reproduced for additional "stock," baby animals are routinely
carried out sick for sale at pet stores, with little to no vet
attention.
The irresponsible firm will almost definitely incur costs as a result of
California's new regulation, which is the nation's first and strictest
regulatory policy of its kind.
"This moves us one major step closer to the day when puppy mills have
nowhere left to sell," said Kitty Block, interim president and CEO of the
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), in a statement to The
Dodo.
The law aims to ensure that people are ready to care for a new pet before
adopting one, in addition to reducing the demand for mill-bred animals. At
spite of the fact that they can live for ten years or longer and require
just as much care as a cat or dog, rabbits are typically promoted as
"starting pets" in pet shops.
Tags:
animals