LA City Council Moves Forward On Banning Pet Sales

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The L.A. City Council voted Tuesday in favor of banning stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits that are not rescues in an effort to curb the city's animal euthanasia rates.

Eleven members of the council approved the motion, which will be drafted by the City Attorney's Office into an ordinance banning pet sales. Councilman Bill Rosendahl cast the dissenting vote.

Councilman Paul Koretz, who sponsored the motion, said the ban would help eliminate puppy mills and reduce the city's animal euthanasia rates.

"Puppy mills are a very cruel practice with inhumane conditions that often result in the animals having many kinds of medical problems," Koretz said.

The approved motion also directed the Animal Services Department to report back on how the proposed ban, if enacted, would affect kill rates at city shelters and its economic effect on pet stores. Koretz's motion also asks the department to craft a way to distinguish pet shops that comply by selling rescue dogs, cats and rabbits from stores that sell other live animals like fish and reptiles.

The ban on pet sales would go into effect six months after the ordinance is enacted and would be for a temporary three-year trial period.

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