Pet Sales Ban in San Francisco Tabled

The City of San Francisco has reviewed a proposal to ban the sale of all pets except fish. While it might be seen as extreme, there is some valid reasoning behind the proposal. If it had passed, San Francisco residents would have had to adopt a pet from an animal shelter or buy one from a store in another city. The problem at the center of the proposal is the impulse purchasing of pets by people who find they don’t want them not long after the purchase. Then they want to get rid of them and the poor animals wind up left at shelters where they are euthanized. Reportedly the problem is not so much abandoned cats and dogs, as it is small animals like hamsters. Hamsters are the number one euthanized animal at the city’s animal shelter.

The shelter’s small animal population currently is about six hamsters, nine rabbits, nine mice, nine rats, two guinea pigs, a bowl of goldfish, two birds, a leopard gecko, a bearded dragon and a hermit crab named Charlie. Thirty percent of small animals there are euthanized.

Pet store owners, of course, were very upset by the proposal, and said they might have gone out of business if it passed. Even though the proposal has not passed, at least it has drawn attention to the issue and perhaps there will be more caution surrounding the purchase of small animals like hamsters and gerbils. The original proposal was introduced as a way to reduce the number of puppies sold that came from puppy mills.

Some of the reactions to the proposal:

Sarah Han – “Perhaps those who might otherwise buy a pet new will see that shelter animals are the pets “they’ve been searching for all along.”

Michael Yaki – “And if they allow the sale of animals through Craigslist or the classifieds, are we going to see the establishment of pet store speakeasies to consummate the delivery of the live, but otherwise prohibited, goods?”

Jeff Blyskal – “Ban hamster sales only, and let the sale of other pets continue.”

What is your reaction to the proposal?

Image Credit: cdrussorusso

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Harriet J. B.

8:03AM PDT on May 9, 2012

I think that a pet shop ban, is a bit extreme. I am VERY surprised that hamsters get euthanized, though. They have such a short life span.

send a green star

Kim C.

3:53AM PDT on May 9, 2012

Maybe some day ppl will figure out life is not about "who has the most" or the bottom line.. maybe there is hope for this planet? My only complaint is that shelters are turning into the next ***marts.... $80 - HUNDREDS of dollars to adopt... Its cheaper almost to go to a pet store and get a puppy ? More people would adopt if they kept there prices reasonable

Joe R.

2:41PM PST on Feb 11, 2012

Thanks.

Trish M.

4:46PM PDT on Jul 4, 2011

I am thrilled that the banning of animal sales is being considered by some communities. Breeding animals to sell them should be a criminal act.

Victoria P.

12:50PM PDT on Jun 29, 2011

Excuse me, I meant puppy and kitten mill animals have to suffer and die.

12:48PM PDT on Jun 29, 2011

I understand why some are against banning the sale of animals, however, the more I think about it the more I am for it. What's wrong with adoption? Why do shelter animals have to suffer and die? Why do puppy and kitten animals have to suffer and die?
A long time ago I bought a Persian kitten in the store and he was extremely sickly. More recently I bought a canary and he dies very young because he was sick. There are just not enough responsible people out there. We are a throw-away society. In this day and age we wouldn't even dream of the sale of humans as being a good thing. Why should people profit off the misery of living creatures? We have laws in place to protect humans. Animals should be no different.
In my mind it's not about government, it's about doing the right thing, moral thing, and evolved thing for life.

Annmari L.

1:20PM PST on Feb 14, 2011

Charles Webb: I have a strong suspicion you only joined Care2 so you could vent your extreme right wing opinions on the only two issues that really concerns you, according to your site here.
I don't really give e a hoot about you, only wanted you to know that he who haves the most when he dies, wins!

As for the proposed ban on pet sales in San Fransisco, it sounds to me like a few politicians at least have some kind of caring in them and I think that should be supported. Why promote the sales of new animals, that likely will be abandoned when they aren't fun anymore, when the shelters have so many loveable and lonely animals?
Whenever you feel the need to fill your life with the unconditional love from a dog or the pure joy of seeing an animal around you, search for a shelter near where you live and go there to find the one that's right for you!

rene d.

5:13PM PST on Jan 25, 2011

thanks for posting this story.