By Bill DiPaolo
North Palm Beach may be the next community to ban the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores in an effort to prevent customers from buying their pets from puppy mills.
If approved by the village council at today's 7:30 p.m. meeting, pet stores would be prohibited from selling dogs and cats. There are no pet shops in the village that sell dogs and cats.
'With all the other communities prohibiting the sales of dogs and cats, we don't want those pet shops coming here,' said Village Manager Jim Kelly, who owns a dog.
Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington and Greenacres are three communities that have passed similar ordinances banning the sale of cats and dogs in pet shops.
Animal groups say puppy mills - large breeding operations that raise and sell animals in substandard care - contribute to pet overpopulation and often place profits over the well-being of the dogs, many of whom get sick in unsanitary environments. Some health problems associated with puppy mill dogs include heart disease, kidney disease, epilepsy and respiratory disorders.
Shop owners counter that they take good care of the animals before they are sold and buy only from certified animal breeders.
If approved Thursday on first reading, final reading would be Aug. 7.
To view the proposed ordinance, go to village-npb.org
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