Sandy is the first Utah city to ban the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores

Sandy is the first city in Utah to prohibit the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores within city limits, under an ordinance passed unanimously by the City Council this week.

Unincorporated Salt Lake County has a similar ban, along with 63 cities across the country.

Councilwoman Kris Coleman-Nicholl, who spearheaded the ordinance, said she finds working on animal welfare issues rewarding.

“I’m ecstatic that it got an unanimous vote,” Coleman-Nicholl said. “This is just another positive step in showing that our community is truly caring and compassionate toward animals in the city.”

Sandy has banned the use of gas to euthanize animals at its animal control facility, which also has a no-kill policy for healthy animals.

There aren’t any pet stores in Sandy that would be affected by the ban. But a puppy store recently tried to open within city limits, causing outcry from residents and animal activists.

The store, Puppy Matchmakers, later decided to open in West Jordan.

Many residents voiced support of the ordinance during Tuesday’s council meeting, including representatives from Utah Humane Society and Best Friends Animal Society. Deann Shepherd, director of marketing and communications at the Humane Society of Utah, said in 2017, the humane society had over 1,500 animals surrendered to it that were purchased at a store, from an online ad or a breeder.

“An ordinance that encourages consumers to adopt will lessen the burden on shelters that take in pet-store dogs,” Shepherd said. “Data shows that shelter intake rates and euthanasia rates decline in cities that prohibit the sale of puppy mill dogs.”

Shepherd emphasized pet stores typically do not obtain their animals from responsible breeders because responsible breeders do not sell to pet stores.

“Why would a responsible breeder sell their puppies to a pet store that will profit when they can sell directly to the buyer themselves?” Shepherd said.

Arlyn Bradshaw, executive director of Best Friends Animal Society, agreed that puppy mills are generally tied to pet stores.

“In these sad situations, they need retail stores to sell their puppies because of the conditions in which they keep and their perpetually whelping females is simply inhumane,” he said. “Pet stores allow puppy mills to conceal the conditions in which they breed their animals.”

Shepherd said the humane society was thrilled at the unanimous vote.

“We think it’s a step in the right direction to bring the topic to the forefront of conversation, why you need to do a little research into where you’re getting your pet from and why it’s a better idea to adopt a pet from a rescue or shelter,” Shepherd said.

The Utah Humane Society is currently in talks with other cities in the hopes of them following suit.