Newmarket is putting a tight leash on pet stores by banning the sale of cats and dogs from breeders and kennels and bringing in strict licensing conditions.
“We ended up taking a fairly strong position in banning the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores, with the exception if they come from a credible rescue organization or the OSPCA, and even then, it’s different from a regular sale, it’s more of an adoption,” Mayor John Taylor said.
On top of that, the proposed new pet shop licensing bylaw will strengthen protections for other types of non-domesticated animals, such as birds and large reptiles, in how they must be cared for in a retail setting.
The proposal sparked passionate debate at Newmarket council’s June 15 online Zoom meeting, with public participants and councillors alike divided on the issue.
If approved, pet store owners will only be permitted to adopt out animals from a municipal animal shelter, registered humane society, or a recognized animal rescue group.
As well, shop owners must provide the pets access to food, water, and appropriate caging, keep appropriate records for every animal that includes being veterinary-checked to verify its health, and an attendant must be present in the shop at all times during business operating hours.
Breeders and kennels would be banned for now as sources of supply for the animals to address concerns about so-called puppy mills.
Puppy mills, also known as puppy farms, are a multi-million dollar business in Canada that finds commercial breeders mass-producing puppies in substandard conditions for sale to pet stores and flea markets, and online.
The Canadian Kennel Club forbids its member breeders to sell dogs to pet stores, for example, so they can only be coming from unregistered breeders, backyard breeders and puppy mills, York Region Animal Advocates spokesperson Emiley Sheppard told NewmarketToday in October 2018, at the start of a campaign she spearheaded to ban the sales of puppies and kittens in Newmarket pet shops.
However, council may consider revising its zoning bylaw in future to allow for a phased-in approach to regulating breeders in town, acknowledging that a large percentage of the local population are pet owners.
There were no regulations previously in town related to pet shop sales of dogs and cats.
Several citizens and organizations called for the ban in written and virtual deputations yesterday.
York Region Animal Advocates spokesperson Rita Goverde told council members that while the group is pleased public consultation was held, it is “extremely disappointing that there has not been an outright ban on pet sales in Newmarket”.
“It is our position that the Town of Newmarket follow suit of so many other municipalities in Ontario and bring a no-sale of pets bylaw into legislation,” Goverde said.
“We in no way support any sale of any animal, we wish to facilitate partnerships between pet stores and reputable rescue agencies for adoption purposes,” she said. “How can we, as caring people, allow businesses in our community to profit from the cruelty of not only large-scale breeding facilities, but by breeders who are only interested in the huge profits driven by poorly housing and over-breeding animals?”
Similarly, resident Lisa Ugolini said in a written submission that with campaigns such as Adopt, Don’t Shop, she assumed “Newmarket understood the importance of not having dogs and cats sold in stores”.
“Rescue groups, from all over, spend countless hours, energy and resources trying to do the best for our domesticated animals and educate the public, yet retail sales and puppy mills undermine everything when there is no ban in place. It’s literally a slap in the face to animal advocates trying to do right by these animals,” Ugolini said.
Meanwhile, Newmarket’s Pet Paradise owner Keith Burgess, who has operated the Davis Drive shop with his wife for nearly 30 years, along with industry association, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada, advocated for retail pets sales to continue.
Burgess said the pet shop licensing bylaw, as it stands, will effectively end his ability to sell the kind of dogs and cats that his customers come in looking for, such as young animals that can more easily imprint and settle in with a family.
The shop has built its animal supply chain over the years that includes past customers whose dogs have had a litter, relatives of staff, and other informal and trusted local breeders, he said.
“I’m quite disappointed, there was room for some discussion on sourcing, that’s really the issue,” Burgess said when reached later for comment. “They (council) suspect that I’ll help foster out or supply dogs from just the shelters and I can’t do that because that’s not what people are looking for. If they wanted that, they’d go to the shelters.”
Burgess said he has no issue with anything else in the pet shop business licence bylaw.
“But the sourcing gives me zero options,” he said. “There’s limited supply at the approved sources. I’ve only been able to offer a total of eight cats for sale in the first six months of this year.”
“I spend over $200,000 a year in rent, and I can’t afford to give away my space, so I have to put something else in that place,” said Burgess, adding he may consider add aquariums to the store. “But I’m really disappointed that they took away that option for the people for around here.”
According to town’s public consultation, 536 out of 579 respondents, or 93 per cent, strongly support licensing pet stores within the Town of Newmarket.
When asked about allowing pet stores to sell dogs or cats, 17 out of 46 respondents want to see no sales permitted, if sales were permitted, 484 out of 574 respondents want to see animals sourced from human societies, shelters, or rescue groups and, if sales were permitted, 213 out of 574 respondents would support sourcing from registered breeders.
The town is also moving to strengthen its existing animal control bylaw, including regulations on dog tethering.
All proposed bylaws need the final stamp of approval at the next meeting of council.
To read the full reports and watch the discussion, visit here.
