Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Ordinance would ban shops from selling animals bred in puppy mills

A new ordinance put forward to the Las Vegas City Council today could bar pet shops from selling animals bred in “puppy mills,” if approved.

The ordinance, drafted based on a similar resolution in Phoenix, would require pet shops to sell, display or give away only animals obtained from an animal shelter, nonprofit humane society or nonprofit animal rescue organization.

There are two licensed pet shops in Las Vegas that could be affected by the proposed ordinance, according to a business impact statement. One of the businesses said that the ordinance would impose a significant economic burden on their business and could force them to close or relocate to another city.

At least 59 cities and counties across the United States have banned pet stores from selling commercially bred puppies, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

If passed, selling animals obtained elsewhere would be a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, imprisonment for up to six months or both.

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