Horry County Council to consider banning pet stores from selling dogs and cats - WMBF

guduka.blogspot.com

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Pet stores in unincorporated Horry County might not be able to sell dogs or cats soon.

An ordinance that proposes banning pet stores from selling dogs and cats is expected to be discussed during Tuesday night’s Horry County Council meeting.

Horry County Councilman Johnny Vaught said the ordinance is partially aimed at alleviating overcrowding at shelters.

“When I look at my animal shelter reports, I see that we are just totally packed full,” Vaught said.

Just last week, the Horry County Animal Care Center declared a state of emergency due to overcrowding.

“We have to do something about the overpopulation of animals,” Vaught said.

Banning the sale of dogs and cats at pet stores is something animal advocates have fought for for years. In December 2018, protesters gathered outside Rocky Valley Kennels Puppy Boutique near Surfside Beach.

RELATED COVERAGE | Protesters gather to speak against new puppy store

The owner of the store declined to comment that day. He did not return a call when asked for comment for this story.

“The primary problem with most puppies that are sold in retail pet stores is that they are imported puppies that are frequently bred in large-scale breeding facilities,” Kelsey Gilmore-Futeral said.

Gilmore-Futeral, a legislative attorney for Best Friends Animal Society, helped write the new ordinance for Horry County. She also helped write a similar ordinance that ended up passing in Dorchester County last year.

She said the ordinance is as much of a protection for consumers as it is for animals.

“Oftentimes, pet stores that are selling dogs and cats retail sell them for exorbitant prices. Many of them offer in-store financing. We’ve seen some of these financing contracts exceed 100% of the pet’s value, so consumers unknowingly are financing sometimes tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a puppy,” she said.

WMBF News also reached out to Pet Center in Carolina Forest, which sells puppies, but they did not have a manager or owner working who could provide a comment.

The ordinance needs to pass three readings in order to go into effect.

Copyright 2021 WMBF. All rights reserved.

Adblock test (Why?)

"selling" - Google News
August 17, 2021 at 05:58AM
https://ift.tt/2UqrZiI

Horry County Council to consider banning pet stores from selling dogs and cats - WMBF
"selling" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2QuLHow
https://ift.tt/2VYfp89

Bagikan Berita Ini