Proposal seeks to ban animal sales in Fort Collins pet shops

The sale of dogs, cats and other small animals at pet stores would be banned in Fort Collins under a proposal that might be headed to the April 2011 municipal ballot.

In addition to cats and dogs, the sale ban would apply to birds, reptiles, amphibians and animals such as mice, hamsters and ferrets.

The goal of the ban is to disrupt the business of puppy mills and kitten factories that breed large numbers of animals in inhumane conditions, said Laure Molitor, organizer of a petition drive aimed at amending a city ordinance governing the sale of animals and insects.

While a few stores in Fort Collins sell small animals, such as birds and reptiles, Pet City in Foothills Malls is the only store that sells puppies. If the ordinance gets on the ballot and is approved, it would shut down the business, owner Gregg Kinnes said.

“If their goal is to not have anyone selling puppies, it’s a very narrow thing they are trying to do,” Kinnes said.

The store works only with breeders that are certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he said. The term “puppy mill” is not well defined and can be used to tarnish anyone in the pet business, he said.

“If they want to shut down a puppy mill, then they should go out and find a puppy mill and shut it down and not go after pet stores,” he said.

Animal-rights advocates believe taking away the pet-store market is the quickest and most efficient way to target unethical breeders, Molitor said.

Molitor, a 21-year-old CSU student, said she was inspired to push for a local ban on pet sales by the enactment of similar bans in other cities.

“I just wanted to do something in Fort Collins knowing how much we love our animals and advocate for humane treatment,” she said. “I want to take that one step further.”

The ban also would encourage responsible pet ownership, according to the petition language. The ban would not affect the ability of shops to provide space and care for animals owned by animal shelters that are being offered for adoption.

Petitioners have to collect 2,517 signatures of registered city voters to move the proposal forward, said Rita Harris, chief deputy city clerk. The deadline for submitting the petitions is Jan. 28, 2011.

If sufficient signatures are collected, the City Council could adopt the ordinance as written or place it on the April 5, 2011, ballot for voters to decide the issue.

Pet City co-owner Kären Kinnes said the family has visited the breeding facilities that supply them with animals to ensure they are well run and healthy.

“We are very proud of where we get our puppies from,” she said.

Molitor said Pet City is not the target of the proposed ordinance and petition drive. The issue is concern about cruel treatment of dogs and cats bred in deplorable conditions and sold to pet stores.

The same concern should carry over to the treatment of small animals, birds and reptiles, she said.

Exotic pets, many of which are captured in the wild, that are bought on impulse often are euthanized or otherwise disposed of by owners once they realize they can live many years and need significant care, Molitor said.

“It’s like taking elk out of Rocky Mountain National Park and putting them in your backyard,” she said. “They don’t make good pets.”

Other cities across the country have adopted limits on pet store sales, including West Hollywood, Calif., and El Paso, Texas. In El Paso, stores may not sell dogs or cats younger than 1 year old, but there are no restrictions on smaller animals like birds and reptiles.

The Larimer Humane Society is reviewing the Fort Collins proposal and has not taken a stance on it, spokeswoman Marcie Willms said.

The organization “opposes commercial breeders who house their animals in inhumane conditions without regard to their physical or social needs and the pet shops that support this industry by selling their animals,” according to a policy statement.