Highland Park tightens rules on animal sales

Highland Park animal rights advocate, Dawn LoCascio, says she will continue to ask the city council to pass a complete ban on the sale of pets in pet stores and kennels in the north suburb. The city council recently amended an ordinance pertaining to the sale of pets, but LoCascio said it does not go far enough. (Contributed photo) (Courtesy of Dawn LoCascio, handout / )

Highland Park animal advocate Dawn LoCascio has worked for months to get the City Council to take action to prevent the retail sale of dogs and cats.

LoCascio, 47, said she has been advocating for the change because research shows that most pets sold through retail stores or kennels come from so called 'puppy mills.'

The council recently voted to amend its ordinance pertaining to the sale of such pets -- but even with the changes, the limited sales of puppies and kittens will still be permitted in the city.

'My intention and my request were very clear that I had asked for an absolute all out ban,' LoCascio said. 'This doesn't accomplish what I've asked for. The entire goal is to eliminate the sale of cats and dogs and bunnies in a retail pet store.'

The amendment passed by the council essentially redefines the term 'kennel,' and forbids the sale of cats and dogs through kennels in the city, something that was a permitted use in commercial and industrial districts, said Ghida Neukirch, Highland Park deputy city manager.

The amendment ensures that the city can prevent the large-scale breeding of dogs and cats in kennels for sale by modifying the definition to remove the ability to keep animals for sale. The proposed change would not prevent 'at home breeders' or pet stores keeping less than four dogs more than 4-months-old, four cats, or other domestic animals for sale. But it prohibits kennels from doing so, according to the city.

'My goal in bringing this to city council is that city council would proactively enact a ban on the sale of animals regardless of weight regardless of age,' LoCascio said. 'I would like for the responsible home breeder to be able to continue to do what they are doing. I don't want to be able to go into any retail store in the city of Highland Park and buy an animal.'

But Neukirch downplayed the 'puppy mill' aspect on the amendment change, saying the city's plan commission felt the change was consistent with the city's policies and objectives.

'They just wanted to take a look at the findings of fact and the options available to the city just to make sure we maintain healthy conditions for animals, especially where a number of them are kept and sold and maintained,' Neukirch said. 'I think the change does in fact do that.'

But she also praised LoCascio for her hard work on behalf of pets.

'Dawn is so passionate about this and I applaud her,' Neukirch said. 'She has done a lot of work in this regard.'

LoCascio said she is disappointed that in her view the city did not go far enough and said she will continue to press the city to enact an all out ban on the sale of pets through retail stores and kennels.

'I think this needs to be reopened by city council,' she said. 'The entire goal is to eliminate the sale of cats and dogs and bunnies in a retail pet store.'