Unintended Consequences Of Regulation Come Home To Bark
After my beloved little Yorkie, Lucy, died at age 15, my life had a giant doggie hole in it.
Gregg told me he'd get me another dog.
But a dog, for me, is like a child, and I didn't want just any doggie. I wanted another extraordinary dog, like Lucy, who was gorgeous and just a wonderful little doggie spirit.
My wee Chinese Crested, Aida, came from a breeder -- one who requires 10 pages of documentation, references (including our vet's phone number), and had three long conversations with my boyfriend and me before they decided we could have one of their dogs. Their dogs are genetically tested (and registered with CERF and OFA) to see that they don't breed carriers of genetic diseases with other carriers.
People who want a dog on those terms -- and I would only be interested in a breeder who operates on those terms -- will get one. People who don't care aren't going to start caring because they can't get a puppy at a pet store -- which you probably can't in LA, unless one gets dumped off at a shelter.
Per a 2014 LA Times story by Kate Linthicum, the idiots on the LA City Council voted 12 to 2 back in 2014 to ban pet stores from selling non-rescue dogs, cats and rabbits. They now are only allowed to sell animals that come from shelters, humane societies and registered rescue groups.
Genius!
This is one of those showboat initiatives. Of course, anybody intelligent enough to cross streets without assistance doesn't think that stopping pet stores from selling animals would stop buyers of "puppy mill" animals -- or backyard breeders who don't know what they're doing. All anybody has to do is look on Craigslist or the Internet for numerous dogs.
Of course, the LA City Council didn't quite work this whole legislatey thing out -- even beyond the obvious bit above. From an LAT editorial from February 4:
The ordinance, which passed in late 2012, prompted an unforeseen zoning problem.Many animals sold in "humane" stores are older, no longer puppies or kittens. Under the city's municipal zoning code, any pet store selling four or more dogs that are four months of age or older is deemed to be a kennel. While pet stores are allowed by right in commercial C2 zones, kennels are only allowed in industrial zones. The city planning department ordered that these humane stores not be considered kennels, but a lawsuit led the Los Angeles Superior Court to invalidate the order on the grounds that the planning department didn't have the authority to issue it.
It's time for all this legal growling to be put to rest. Most pet stores are in commercial areas because that's where people shop. And there's no good reason for humane stores not to be there as well. On Wednesday, the city council's Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee (PAW -- funny) recommended that the city pass an ordinance specifically exempting pet stores from falling under the definition of "kennel" in the zoning code even if the shops have four or more adult dogs. The council should have done that when it passed the humane store ordinance.
Loved this comment from Tito Flanders at the LAT's site:
Tito Flanders So, basically LA wants to force people to adopt pets that other people couldn't handle. Next up - an LA ordinance forcing people to take in foster children instead of having their own.
Sounds like they are trying to do a good thing and we all know "Good deeds do not go unpunished."
Bob in Texas at February 6, 2016 5:46 AM
Maybe instead of passing more laws, rules and regulations, the city council ought to go back and streamline the process and eliminate the sharp edges?
Oh, right. Insufficient opportunities for graft.
I R A Darth Aggie at February 6, 2016 8:28 AM
Bob, we all know that the road to hell is paved with melting snowballs.
I R A Darth Aggie at February 6, 2016 8:29 AM
If I want a rescue animal, I go to the shelter or to the adopt-a-pet day at my local PETCO (where we got our two cats).
Why not just ban pet stores? That's essentially what they've done.
My choice is to purchase a pet at full price from a pet store or adopt one from an agency with minimal fees - and, in both cases, I get the same animal with all the same attendant risks (disease, temperament, age, genetic issues, etc.).
And, to further disadvantage the pet stores, the agency likely uses volunteer labor, while the pet store must pay minimum wage to all employees and will get sued for labor violations if they utilize volunteers. Cost advantage to the agencies.
On another note, there are rescue rabbits? Sound like a Saturday morning cartoon, Rescue Rabbits.
Conan the Grammarian at February 6, 2016 9:34 AM
My Shiba came from a rescue after spending 8 years in a cage pushing out litter after litter of puppies to be sold in stores, so I'm for anything that stops that.
Sadly, this will do little, because, like Amy said, people will find these backyard breeders one way or another.
Daghain at February 6, 2016 10:30 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2016/02/06/unintended_cons_3.html#comment-6431902">comment from DaghainSad, Daghain.
The people we got Aida from are just fierce about seeing that their dogs are well-cared-for. Also, they're amazing people. They hosted me in their home for a day, served me lunch, hung out with me, and taught me how to groom Aida, tape her ears, bathe her, and more.
And they will answer your questions at any time. They encourage it, and told me, "The only stupid question is one you don't ask." (I email them with "not time sensitive" when I send them photos of Aida, which I do pretty frequently.) I just send them a question last week, which they answered the morning after I sent it.
Amy Alkon at February 6, 2016 10:53 AM
Amy, the people you got Aida from are REALLY doing things the right way. It makes me glad to hear it, and in my opinion it is the ONLY way dog breeders should operate; otherwise they should not be in the business of breeding dogs.
My experience with Pug Partners of Nebraska was very similar. Most of the pugs they get (including mine) come from the exact same situation Daghain describes. My sweet little Ava Mae spent ten years in a puppy mill pushing out litters. She was in terrible shape when I got her - ribs and hips sticking out, greasy-yet-dry coat, and she hardly had any teeth left. And ask any rescue volunteer about "the puppy mill smell." Six other pugs came out of the same puppy mill that day, and four of them were missing an eye. It's just awful how some people treat the dogs they breed. The rescue got another batch of hooligans a few months later, and those dogs were a lot younger and seemed healthier. I think they came from a different breeder that maybe treated their dogs a little better. You just never know, unless you do the work of meeting the breeder yourself.
Anyway, the Pug Partners people are EXTREMELY careful about who they allow to adopt dogs. They don't see these pugs as damaged goods - they see them as concentration camp survivors who damn well deserve a good life now that they are finally out, and I had to provide references, allow a home visit, and yes they called my references. They are picky about what you feed your dog. They ask a LOT of questions, but would answer any questions I had, too. I am definitely going to stay in touch with that group.
Oh, and I am happy to report that my Ava Mae is now eleven and GLOWING with good health.
Pirate Jo at February 6, 2016 12:17 PM
The real result of these stupid laws will be that the average person who wants a non-problem pet will now have to drive out to farm country and get one from an unregulated kennel. Screw LA anyway.
jdgalt at February 6, 2016 12:47 PM
It may be worse in LA but the crazy rules aren't limited to LA. Spent several months trying to get a dog for my Mother last year.
I attempted to do the shelter route first. Forms that make taking out a mortgage simple. Home inspections, finance checks, references, can't be a gift and the idea of crossing state lines right out. I had friends who volunteer with adoptions try to help, they admitted it was a crazy system, where people would be denied and never be told why. So any kind of discrimination was possible, and all for a pet that probably had various problems with it.
Joe J at February 11, 2016 10:43 PM
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