In a win for animals, Madison, Wisconsin, has banned the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores — a move that effectively closes off the commercial breeder-to-pet shop pipeline in the city, according to local news.
Violators will face a $1,000 fine for the first animal sold, offered for sale, or delivered, and a $2,000 fine for each additional animal.
Also, an amendment to prohibit the sale of rabbits and guinea pigs failed, though councilmembers indicated they may add those animals to the ordinance in the near future.
Although there are currently no pet stores in Madison selling dogs or cats, the measure is an important preventive step. Pet stores that sell dogs and cats have long been linked to large-scale breeding operations that prioritize profit over animal welfare and contribute to the wider pet overpopulation problem.
Closing the door on the retail sales of these animals not only helps protect them from being bred and raised in inhumane conditions, but also likely reduces the strain on under-resourced shelters that are already stretched thin.
Lady Freethinker is grateful to Madison’s Common Council for taking action to reduce the number of animals who may face suffering or euthanasia in local shelters, and hopes the decision inspires other communities to adopt similar measures.
