How much is that doggie in the window? The bigger question Victoria residents will get to weigh in on is whether that doggie should be for sale in the first place.
Council voted Thursday to schedule time for public comment on the Animal Responsibility Amendment Bylaw, which would prohibit stores in the city from selling cats, dogs and rabbits.
Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe, who championed the move, acknowledged there is only one pet store in Victoria, but said the rules would stop anyone else from setting up shop.
“That’s not saying that others couldn’t open,” she said. “It really is an emphasis on kittens and puppies, because when pet stores put them in the windows, the purchase is due to cuteness and first impressions.”
Buyers don’t know if the breed is appropriate for the household, or if the animal has come from a responsible breeder who will ensure the animal is healthy, Thornton-Joe said. “And when things like this are not considered, those are the pets that end up back at the SPCA and the adoption agencies,” she said.
Because of the difficulty in enforcing it, the bylaw would not apply to private sellers who may use other methods, such as the internet, to sell cats, dogs and rabbits.
Kittens, puppies and rabbits could still be adopted or sold through recognized animal rescue societies and shelter organizations that promote responsible pet ownership and match prospective owners and pets.
“This takes away from the sort of impulse, cute buying, which does not benefit the animals,” Thornton-Joe said.
If the bylaw is adopted, the city intends to write to other municipalities in the region urging them to adopt similar bylaws.
