CITY
“ WHILE DALLAS IS A PLACE FOR BUSINESSES TO THRIVE, ... WE MUST ALSO BE MINDFUL OF TRENDS AND PRACTICES AROUND THIS ISSUE.” GAY DONNELL WILLIS, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Dallas City Council votes to prohibit retail sale of dogs, cats
BY MATT PAYNE
The retail sale of dogs and cats will no longer be allowed following a vote by Dallas City Council. The ordinance was unanimously approved, though Council Member Tennnell Atkins was absent from the May 11 meeting at Dallas City Hall. The ban will take e ect in six months, according to the ordinance. A total of 28 individuals regis- tered to speak ahead of the vote. Employees of the Dallas Petland on Preston Road said their animals are only sourced from licensed and U.S. Department of Agriculture-inspected breeders. Those speaking in favor of the ban denounced so-called “puppy mills” that they said propagate animals in poor health. Jay Suk, the owner of the Dallas Petland on Preston Road, said his business will have to close due to the ordinance. “I understand that the purpose is to stop puppy mills. No one should buy from puppy mills,” Suk said. “By closing my store, more people will buy from the unregulated breeders who sell at ea markets and on Craigslist.” Among the speakers in favor of the ban was Tommy Habeeb, the host of reality TV show “To The Rescue.” The show “follows the story of what it takes to rescue dogs from precarious and dangerous situations,” according to the “To The Rescue” website. “We have to put our foot down today to make a di erence in this horri c problem,” Habeeb said.
A kitten with Dallas Animal Services is fed. (Courtesy Dallas Animal Services)
A sign advertises puppies for sale at Petland. (Matt Payne/Community Impact Newspaper)
Petland is located in District 13 of Dallas, which is served by Council Member Gay Donnell Willis. Willis said a ban of this nature is not new and that cities across the state and nation are approving similar ordinances. The retail sale of pets has faced similar scrutiny in Frisco, where the city is also considering stricter rules. Willis encouraged Dallas residents seeking pets to adopt from city shelters or reputable breeders. “While Dallas is a place for busi- nesses to thrive, ... we must also be mindful of trends and practices around this issue,” Willis said. State legislation to address the retail sale of pets has also been considered. House Bill 1818, which was introduced by state Rep. Jared Patterson, R Frisco, in the 87th regular session last year, would have banned pet stores in Texas from sell- ing animals not sourced from animal control agencies, an animal shelter or an animal rescue. HB 1818 passed in both the House and Senate but was never signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, according to the Texas Legislature website.
ANOTHER OUTLET Dallas o cials encouraged residents to adopt pets from city-run animal shelters with the ban of the retail sale of dogs and cats. As of mid-May the number of available dogs in shelters is nearly ve times that of cats.
335 DOGS 74%
Available dogs | shelter capacity lled
A volunteer with Dallas Animal Services is greeted by a dog. (Courtesy Dallas Animal Services)
70 CATS 15%
Available cats | shelter capacity lled
THOUSANDS HELPED City animal shelters from October 2020 to September 2021 processed thousands of dogs and cats, adopting out nearly half of them.
16,433 dogs and cats taken in
Dallas Shelters
1
35E
B
190
121
635
2
7,754
35E
pets adopted
161
A
183
12
A
3
1,888 pets fostered
30
45
N
A 1818 N Westmoreland Rd., Dallas
B 16821 N Coit Rd., Dallas
SOURCE: DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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LAKE HIGHLANDS LAKEWOOD EDITION • JUNE 2022
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