This is fantastic news for residents in Elizabethtown. In an effort to encourage pet adoption, the city has passed a new ordinance that will hopefully cut down on backyard breeders and kitten and puppy mills.

The Humane Pet Store Ordinance prohibits retail stores from selling dogs or cats of any age in their stores. Sales of these animals are also prohibited in public areas, such as parking lots or flea markets. It's all about pet adoption consideration as a first step as well as folks getting their pets spayed or neutered, and helping local animal control officers to prevent animal abuse.

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Elizabethtown is the first municipality in Kentucky to pass such an ordinance. City Council member Julia Springsteen made the following statement on the ordinance.

Animal shelters or animal rescue groups that are non-profits may still hold adoption events in public common areas. Meanwhile, pet stores or commercial establishments can collaborate with shelter and rescue groups that are non-profit to showcase cats and dogs for adoption.

As noted in Springsteen's statement, Elizabethtown becomes the 400th municipality in the nation to enact a humane pet store ordinance. The ordinance will not affect responsible breeders.

HERE is a list of cities in the US that have similar ordinances. I would really love to see this type of ordinance passed all over the Tri-State.

 

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