Chicago aldermen pass anti

The Chicago City Council today voted 49-1 to make the retail sale of commercially bred dogs, cats and rabbits in Chicago a thing of the past.

The measure was pushed by City Clerk Susana Mendoza, whose office sells dog licenses.

'It cuts off a pipeline of the animals coming from the horrendous puppy mill industry and instead moves us towards a retail pet sales model that focuses on adopting out the many, many homeless animals in need of loving homes in this city,' she said. 'Under this ordinance, the retail pet stores in Chicago will no longer be able to sell dogs, cats or rabbits unless those animals are sourced from humane sources, such as animal shelters or animal rescue associations.'

Ald. Emma Mitts, 37th, referenced her love of her cocker spaniel poodle in supporting the measure.

'You can mess with a lot of things, but don't mess with folks' pets. Don't mess with them dogs, cause you're gonna be in trouble,' said Mitts, the council License Committee chairman.

Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, cast the lone vote against, saying he and his wife have purchased puppies from a store that this ordinance would affect.

Last month, the first-term clerk proposed requiring city pet stores that sell pooches and felines to get them from government pounds, humane societies or animal rescue groups rather than for-profit operations derided by critics as 'puppy mills.'

During a Tuesday hearing, Cari Meyers, founder and president of the Chicago-based Puppy Mill Project, described the setups as 'puppy hell,' saying females spend their lives in cages, are bred as often as possible until they no longer can, and then 'disposed of by the mills. This is a large-scale, systematic animal cruelty at its absolute worst.'

A revised version adds rabbits to the list, requiring that the age, sex, medical history and source of rabbits be disclosed by retail sellers, just as they are for cats and dogs under state law.

Violators of the new ordinance, which would go into effect one year after passage, could be fined up to $1,000 a day or, in the case of repeat offenses, charged with a misdemeanor.

The ordinance would not affect the sale of pets via the Internet, by small-scale breeders who don't sell in stores or veterinarians who sell animals form their clinics.

It would, however, affect 16 businesses across the city, including Pocket Puppies in Lincoln Park, which sells small dogs at $850 to $4,000 a pup. Store owner Lane Boron said the ordinance would put him out of business or force him into the suburbs, but not curtail the operation of inhumane puppy mills.

'I opened my business, because I knew there were abuses in my business, eight years ago,' said Boron, who said he has sold puppies to celebrities and aldermen. 'I wanted to make sure that my dogs were humanely sourced.'

'Like any political smear campaign, you have been exposed to one side of the issue,' said Boron, who recommended better regulation of pet stores. 'Take time to look at the facts and consider the alternate ideas.'

But activists, knowing Boron would testify, countered by having former customers testify about getting sick dogs from his store. Boron said sometimes puppies are born sick and he offers a guarantee to customers.

Dozens of other U.S. cities - including Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix - have banned the retail sale of dogs raised by commercial operations. Animal rights activists contend puppies from mills are prone to disease, congenital defects and poor socialization, which leads to owners giving them up to tax-subsidized animal control facilities.