Should pet-shop rules aimed at curtailing puppy mills be enacted in Pierce County?
The Pierce County Council is considering whether to tighten regulations for the sale of dogs at pet stores in a move that would ultimately affect only one shop.
The proposed county ordinance would forbid retail stores from selling puppies younger than 10 weeks old. Shops also would be required to obtain dogs directly from a breeder that is licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and compliant with state regulations.
Additionally, the bill calls for pet stores to display information about where the dogs came from and disclose their price, including financing information. The council was expected to vote on the proposal Tuesday, but lawmakers delayed hearing the ordinance until May 31 in order to review recent amendments.
In public meetings and comments, supporters have viewed the potential move as a step toward stopping so-called puppy mills, where breeders raise a high volume of dogs, often in deplorable conditions, with the intention of making profit.
County Councilwoman Jani Hitchen said Monday the proposed law was simply meant to pull back the curtain on pet-shop operations. It was spurred by organizations that reached out to her, she said, with concerns about Puyallup-based Puppyland, the county’s lone store that sells puppies.
“It’s about transparency for those who want to do business with them,” she said, adding that the new rules were not intended to attack the shop.
A representative for Puppyland was not immediately available for comment.
The ordinance, which could still change, comes as the county deals with a rise in the number of dogs abandoned at The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County, a nonprofit that contracts with the county to provide shelter services.
The number jumped from 188 in February 2021 to 272 this past February, according to the proposed ordinance, with nearly 80 percent of the dogs being strays. As the shelter population increases, so too does the cost: Veterinary expenses have skyrocketed 94.8 percent since 2018, according to the county.
County officials cited studies that showed animal behavioral issues stemmed from pet stores and were attributable to dogs being surrendered to shelters. The proposed ordinance is expected to reduce the number of dogs that get relinquished and save the county an estimated $339,000 yearly, a county staff report showed.
This story was originally published May 17, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
