[catsmom21]

San Francisco considers ban on sale of all pets, including fish -

San Francisco's Animal Control Commission is recommending that the city ban the sale of all pets, including fish, largely to fight a glut of abandoned animals at shelters and rescue centers, the Los Angeles Times reports.

another story on it

Pet-sales ban: San Francisco considers banning the sale of all pets — even goldfish - latimes.com

The premise being that this will stop impulse pet buying, which will save lives, because fewer animals will be dumped on the street or in shelters.

What do you think about this?

Since I loathe pet shops that sell live animals (most of which come from mills and other unethical breeding practices) I kind of like it. Banning fish seems a little extreme, but I'd sure like to see the sale of kittens and puppies stopped.

[foxywench]

sale of puppies and kittens and even small animals and exotic birds through pet shops yes...banning fish sales though? that seems a tad ridiculous!
finding fish breeders is incredibly difficult and with many species almost impossible...

but this wont do anything to stop irresponsible breeding on the pet level in private homes. because there not going to report or register anyway

and it will HURT responsbible breeders who do 'follow the rules" in other words the people you want to support will be forced to stop and the byb's and mills will "fill the gap.
not to mention people will simply go to a neighboring town or buy out of state...

[chiroptera]

I will not spend a penny in any store that sells dogs or cats. (I don't feel the same about fish, hamsters, lizards, etc....although to be honest I'm not a fan of keeping wild/exotic animals or birds as pets; I think it's unfair ty the animals.)

However...a blanket ban of ALL animals is silly. There are legitimate reasons to purchase purebred or purpose-bred (working or sport or hunting) dogs, for instance, and as long as both breeders and purchasers follow breed club guidelines for being ethical about it, then the progeny of such animals rarely if ever end up in shelters or in any way part of the "overpopulation problem."

I heartily support legislation that goes after anyone who breeds dogs (or cats) like a cash crop and nothing more.

Laws like this won't and don't make a difference. The problem isn't so much over-breeding. The problem is retention - adult animals get dumped at shelters all the time. Cute puppies and kittens, not so much. They are a commodity, sold to people who regard animals as cute "fur kids", or acquired for free on craigslist, etc.

The problem is that too many people don't tend to keep the cute baby animals they bought, for many reasons - the solution is to get people to keep those animals (dogs and cats, primarily) for life. Look at the craigslist pet section; it's utterly sickening how quickly people give away animals when they become inconvenient.

Good lord, do these animal-rightists not think? "Why fish? Why not fish?" (Quote from the article from on of the authors of the proposal.) Well then, why not bugs? Fleas? Mosquito larvae? Flies? Rattlesnakes? Brown recluse and black widow spiders?

[subject2change]

I agree with just about every word of chiroptera's post. This is just a proposal. Hopefully they'll tweak it into a good piece of legislation.

[katzenfreund]

When we kill millions every year in "shelters" or what I call them "killing institutions"... there is NO need whatsoever to sell the same type of animal in "pet stores". Shelters are overflowing with cats, dogs, bunnies, ferrets etc. etc. etc. People are dumping at record numbers. I would welcome legislation to stop the sale of those types of animals.... until none of them are killed simply because homes can't be found.

[catsmom21]

Originally Posted by katzenfreund

When we kill millions every year in "shelters" or what I call them "killing institutions"... there is NO need whatsoever to sell the same type of animal in "pet stores". Shelters are overflowing with cats, dogs, bunnies, ferrets etc. etc. etc. People are dumping at record numbers. I would welcome legislation to stop the sale of those types of animals.... until none of them are killed simply because homes can't be found.

Thank you. My feelings exactly, but you said it much better.

[california-jewel]

Originally Posted by catsmom21

Thank you. My feelings exactly, but you said it much better.

I too believe every word you have said. Thank you because KILLING INSTITUTIONS they are. I agree. Something really needs to be done.

[california-jewel]

Originally Posted by chiroptera

I will not spend a penny in any store that sells dogs or cats. (I don't feel the same about fish, hamsters, lizards, etc....although to be honest I'm not a fan of keeping wild/exotic animals or birds as pets; I think it's unfair ty the animals.)

However...a blanket ban of ALL animals is silly. There are legitimate reasons to purchase purebred or purpose-bred (working or sport or hunting) dogs, for instance, and as long as both breeders and purchasers follow breed club guidelines for being ethical about it, then the progeny of such animals rarely if ever end up in shelters or in any way part of the "overpopulation problem."

I heartily support legislation that goes after anyone who breeds dogs (or cats) like a cash crop and nothing more.

Laws like this won't and don't make a difference. The problem isn't so much over-breeding. The problem is retention - adult animals get dumped at shelters all the time. Cute puppies and kittens, not so much. They are a commodity, sold to people who regard animals as cute "fur kids", or acquired for free on craigslist, etc.

The problem is that too many people don't tend to keep the cute baby animals they bought, for many reasons - the solution is to get people to keep those animals (dogs and cats, primarily) for life. Look at the craigslist pet section; it's utterly sickening how quickly people give away animals when they become inconvenient.

Good lord, do these animal-rightists not think? "Why fish? Why not fish?" (Quote from the article from on of the authors of the proposal.) Well then, why not bugs? Fleas? Mosquito larvae? Flies? Rattlesnakes? Brown recluse and black widow spiders?

Thank you, not one person can say it as good as you have. You have touched on every point on this subject. Not one thing you said does not make sense, you have made so much sense, when seeing it as you have written it, makes one realize, something is needed. Something has to be changed, but where do we begin.

For my life personally our pets, our here to stay with us, until they depart. They are my family, my little loves. I could not possibly treat a animal any different then the way i would treat my children, but that is me.

Animals do not have a voice, the innocence of them, is taken in such a cruel manner.