Back in May of 2017, Hillsborough County said “no more” to puppy stores, but grandfathered the three puppy stores in. Which in our eyes is no ban, of course.
But the puppy mill paradigm reared its ugly head last September when 300 puppy mill dogs had to be rescued in Hillsborough County in deplorable condition.
Who let the dogs out? Hillsborough County says puppy mill rescues now ready for adoption
More than 300 dogs were rescued in mid-September from terrible conditions inside a Valrico puppy mill. They will be put up for adoption in a few weeks.
Just like Reno’s errant puppy store’s Grand Jury indictment got Reno to entertain a ban in earnest once again, so to the terrible ways of the puppy mills and the stores that sell them (all retail stores, as you should know by now) always seem to inflame animal rights and consumer protection activists to get bans passed in their cities, counties, states and even entires countries.
We track jurisdictions that have passed strong restrictions rather than full bans because we believe their inherent flaws will eventually lead to full bans being passed. This is a great example of why jurisdictions should just pass a full ban, no grandfathering and be done with the whole hot mess.
Dog and cat retailers banned in Hillsborough, commission rules
The change prohibits all commercial cat and dog sales in the county, which could force Hillsborough’s three remaining pet shops out of business.