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jurisdictions in the world — in the US, Canada, Australia, UK and Spain — have passed bans and Strong Restrictions on retail sales of puppies, kittens and sometimes rabbits, ferrets, pot-bellied pigs and other animals.

ordinances in 2016

ordinances in 2022

ordinances in 2023

Yearly Detail Graph ↓
Dog face emoji Bans Restrictions Cat Face emoji

public Interactive Map of International Bans & Restrictions

Hover over state, province, country for quick stats. Click for details.
World Map

alarm Most Recent of bans

West Allis, Wisconsin

Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Clinton, New Jersey

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Henderson, Nevada

Littleton, Colorado

Montvale, New Jersey

Bayfield, Colorado

Hillsdale, NJ

Lennox, Massachusetts

my_location Google Map of International Bans & Restrictions

Countrywide Bans State Ban City Ban County Ban Strong restrictions. Active Puppy Store At Time of Ban Passage Grandfathering Rabbit Sales Bans Ferret Bans Pot-Bellied Pig Bans Other Animals State Prohibitions Reversed Bans Failed Lawsuits
Countries
States
Cities
Counties
Restriction
Stores
G'fathered
Rabbits
Ferrets
Pigs
Others
Banned
Reversed
Lawsuits

layers Other Map Categories & Layers info_outline

Resolutions and Statements of Support Resolutions of Support
  1. New York State Attorney General
  2. Macomb Cnty, Michigan
  3. Camden Cnty, New Jersey: 15 incorporated jurisdictions
  4. Middlesex Cnty, New Jersey: incorporated jurisdictions
  5. Ocean Cnty, New Jersey: incorporated jurisdictions
  6. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  7. Monmouth Cnty, New Jersey: incorporated jurisdictions
  8. Mercer Cnty, New Jersey: 11 incorporated jurisdictions
  9. Deptford, New Jersey: Resolution encourages local and state authorities to pass ban. assignment
  10. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  11. Passaic Cnty, New Jersey: incorporated jurisdictions
  12. Bergen Cnty, New Jersey: incorporated jurisdictions
  13. Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK, 1/20assignment

See map layer "Resolutions of support"↑ for details and links.

Lawsuits Against Bans Have Failed. Bans Upheld

Jurisdictions and activists have won in federal courts : times :

San Diego puppy store owner David Salinas sued each individual member of the City Council, activists and organizations including Companion Animal Protection Society and Humane Society of the US which helped write the ordinance. Judge dismissed the charges for all but the City of San Diego. A month later, Mr. Salinas dropped the suit against the city.

Cook Cnty suit was dismissed twice by a federal judge: First in May and again with new arguments in August. Cook Cnty, 2:2.

Embattled NJ puppy store chain owner (and owner of a MO puppy mill) Vincent LoSacco dropped his suit against the borough of Emerson, NJ, 7/2016.

  1. San Diego, California
    • Aug 2014, judge dismissed most charges.
    • Sep 2014, plaintiff dropped suit.
  2. East Providence, Rhode Island - Mar 2015, dismissed.
  3. Cook Cnty, Illinois - May 2015, dismissed.
  4. Sunrise, Florida - Jun 2015, ban upheld.
  5. Phoenix, Florida - Jul 2015, ban upheld.
  6. Cook Cnty, Illinois - Aug 2015, appeal dismissed.
  7. New York, New York - Oct 2015, dismissed. [ Strong restrictions ]
  8. Chicago, Illinois - Nov 2015, dismissed.
  9. East Providence, Rhode Island - Dec 2015, appeal dismissed.
  10. Palm Beach Gardens, Florida - Dec 2015, dismissed under summary judgement.
  11. Emerson, New Jersey - Jul 2016, store owner dropped suit against borough.
  12. Sarasota, Florida - Jun 2017, Petland loses final appeal to keep selling despite county ban.
  13. Chicago, Illinois - Sep 2017, Series of federal court rulings – the latest upholding a Chicago anti-puppy-mill law – affirm state, local efforts against animal cruelty.
  14. Maryland - Aug 2019, Maryland pet stores sue to block state ban on dog, cat sales.
    Judge Upholds Maryland Ban on Pet Stores' Sale of Cats, Dogs
    A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit that challenged Maryland’s newly enacted ban on the sale of dogs and cats by retail pet stores

See map layer "Failed Legal Challenges"↑ for details and links.
Read Lawsuits Brief↓ under Summaries

Breeding and "Lemon" Consumer Protection Laws Breeding Bans Suits Against Stores Not comprehensive, includes those we've seen in and around ban ordinances.
  • 17 Breeding bansBreeding Bans
  • 21 Consumer protection states (so-called "lemon laws")Consumer Protections

See map layers "Local Animal Breeding Bans"↑ and "Consumer Protection States"↑ for details and links.

    Lawsuits Against Stores Suits Against Stores
  1. Petland, Novi, Michigan, breach of contract and alleged multiple violations of the Consumer Protection Act, 3/2018.
    Novi Petland sued for allegedly selling diseased and sick puppies A Novi pet shop owner has been sued by 16 people alleging he sells sick and diseased animals. Randy Horowitz, owner and operator of Petland, located inside Twelve Oaks Mall, has been sued amid allegations that he knowingly sold puppies that suffered from genetic defects, had infections as well as highly contagious and deadly diseases between 2012 and 2016.

    Update 3/2019: Petland Novi has a 3rd lawsuit against them now lodged in civil court. For the latest news on these matters, see the Puppy Mill Awareness Southeast Michigan blog
  2. Petland, Henderson, Nevada, Criminal neglect, 19 counts, 12/2017.
    Henderson Petland fined thousands for sick dog, overcrowding violations The owner is now facing criminal charges and has been fined more than $12,000. Animal Control officers said the store failed to follow laws designed to protect people from buying unhealthy pets.
  3. Petland Pet Store National Chain, Atlanta, Georgia, 7/2017.
    Animal Legal Defense Fund Files Nationwide Racketeering Class Action Lawsuit Against Petland
  4. Petlands Kennesaw & Sarasota, FL 11/15.
    I guess now that it is on public record I can officially announce we ARE taking legal action against Petland and the owners of Petland Kennesaw and Petland Sarasota, Lamar and Brad Parker. Video: Shut Down Petland in Sarasota, FL Facebook post.
  5. Mount Clemens, Michigan, 8/2015.
    Puppy buyers seek to close Mount Clemens pet store
    A law firm on Monday will seek a permanent injunction in Macomb County Circuit Court in an attempt to bar a Mount Clemens pet store from selling allegedly sick animals.
    Jennifer Measel of Farmington Hills-based Haas & Goldstein, P.C. wants a judge to issue a cease-and-desist order to prevent the operators of Little Dogz from the further sale of any animals.
    “We want to be sure they can no longer sell pets to the public,” Measel said.
    Thirty-one plaintiffs are now included in the lawsuit that was filed in March seeking monetary damages for multiple violations of the Consumer Protection Act after purchasing puppies that were allegedly defective, suffering from infections or highly contagious diseases.
  6. Class-Action v. Barkworks, Southern CA, 9/2014, expanded.
    Class-Action Encouragement: Barkworks’ Case Brings Puppy Mills Into Focus, 11/2015
    Barkworks, a pet-store chain in four Southern California counties. In October, ALDF broadly expanded its lawsuit against Barkworks, initially filed in Orange County in September 2014 on behalf of a handful of individual plaintiffs, by adding class-action allegations, thus filing on behalf of a broad class of misled purchasers of the chain's puppies.
  7. Furry Babies' Pet Store Faces Lawsuit for Allegedly Selling Unhealthy Puppy Mill Puppies", 3/13.
    Original posting from 1/2013, “Furry Babies” Pet Store Faces Lawsuit for Allegedly Selling Unhealthy Puppy Mill Puppies and latest update, 6/2016.
    Good news for consumers and dogs: an Illinois court has ruled that a lawsuit alleging that a Chicago-area pet store chain that sold sick puppy mill puppies can proceed to trial, rejecting the pet store’s second attempt to have the case dismissed.

See map layer "Lawsuits Against Stores"↑ for details and links.
Read Lawsuits Brief↓ under Summaries

event Total Bans By Year

A cylindrical bar graph showing how many bans per year: up to 2006=6, 2009=1, 2010=6, 2011=4, 2012=13, 2013=15, 2015=40, 2016=102, 2017=66, 2018=41, 2019=46, 2020=33, 2021=35, 2022=3

stars Milestones

Date Locale Milestone
07/22/1952 North Bay Villages, FL First Keeping dogs for commercial purposes prohibited ordinance. Municipal code
12/12/2002 Flagler Beach, FL First known ban of all animal breeding and sales
10/10/2006 Albuquerque, NM First dog and cat store ban targeting an overpopulation challenge
04/15/2009 S Lake Tahoe, CA First activist-based puppy store ban creates benchmark civil code language; sparks a movement.
See Yearly Detail Graph ↑
11/30/2012 New Westminster, BC Retails sales ban include rabbits, hares and pikas
09/30/2014 San Diego, CA Lawsuit v. City + activists: most charges dismissed. Stores owner David Salinas dropped suit. See Other Map Categories
12/31/2014 US & Canada Number of bans doubles from previous year from to
12/31/2016 US & Canada Leap of ban passages: in California, in Florida and in New Jersey. in total for 2016
10/13/2017 California, US World's first statewide ban passed in US
12/01/2017 Victoria, Australia First statewide ban in Australia passed
07/01/2018 Victoria, Australia First statewide ban in Australia in effect
01/01/2019 California, US First statewide ban in US in effect
05/13/2019 England, UK First countrywide ban law laid in England
05/17/2019 Wales, UK Countrywide ban law proposal comments closed
06/17/2019 US/Canada Rabbit sales bans reach 40, 10% increase in 3 months. See blog post Rabbit Sales Bans on the RiseRabbit Sales Ban
08/18/2019 N Myrtle Beach, S Carolina • First ban in South Carolina.
• 1st new state in 9 months.
• 26th US state with at least 1 ban: majority of US states reached.
• 33 states, provinces or countries with bans worldwide.
• See blog post RED-LETTER DAY!
09/01/2019 National City, CA First local ban to strengthen statewide ban for loopholes. See blog Salinas simply won't go away
09/18/2019 Scotland, UK Third COUNTRYWIDE ban begins legislation process. See blog Scotland Announces Plans for 3rd Countrywide ban
08/27/2019 Breckenridge, CO Blog Breckenridge, CO, declares stores a “public nuisance”
11/20/2019 Dillon, CO Blog Average bans per year just bumped to 33
11/20/2019 Dillon, CO Blog First year since 2016 where bans will be higher than previous year
12/10/2019 Metuchen, NJ Blog As Many Bans As There Are Days in the Year
01/01/2020 Maryland, US Second US statewide ban, Maryland's, in effect pending lawsuit outcome
01/12/2020 Maine, US Third US statewide ban made law: 4th in the world. Blog Maine's Convoluted Path to Statewide Ban
03/05/2020 Hillsborough, Florida PMF.US article, Hillsborough County passed a ban in ’17, but allowed 3 stores. Today they said, “Shut them all down!”
04/06/2020 England, UK First countrywide ban in effect
05/22/2020 Wisconsin, USA 28th US state with a local ban, 35th state/province in the world. 56% of US states have local or statewide bans
See blog post 28th US State With Local Ban - 35th Worldwide: Welcome Wisconsin!
06/24/2020 Western Australia Fifth statewide ban in the world, 2nd statewide ban in Australia
08/12/2020 Reno, Nevada 7 year battle saw the closing of 2 stores by public pressure before ordinance passed
10/12/2020 State of Maine Sixth global statewide ban in effect, 3rd in US
3/2020-? Worldwide SARS-CoV2 pandemic slows passage of bans as jurisdictions turn their attention to health and economic devastation
5/15/2021 State of Idaho First local ban in the 29th US state, 36th state/province in the world. First state to be added in the past year, since June 2, 2020
6/22/2021 Orange Country, Florida County gives 1 year amortization to 7 pet stores. Ban includes rabbits
7/27/2021 Midwest City, Oklahoma 38th state or province in the world, 30th state in the US. 60% of US states have passed at least one local ban. 421 bans worldwide, 397 bans US. 4th ban of sale of all animals.
8/12/2021 Fauquier County, Virginia 39th state or province in the world, 31st state in the US. 62% of US states have passed at least one local ban. 422 bans worldwide, 398 bans US. Virginia has a statewide and 1 local strong restriction
10/20/2021 Elizabethtown, Kentucky 40th state or province in the world, 32nd state in the US. 64% of US states have passed at least one local ban. 430 bans worldwide, 406 bans US
8/12/2021 Fauquier County, Virginia 39th state or province in the world, 33nd state in the US. 62% of US states have passed at least one local ban. 422 bans worldwide, 398 bans US. Virginia has a statewide and 1 local strong restriction
12/01/2021 Bloomington, Indiana 6th ban in the heart of puppy mill territory includes 1 store. Effective 1/1/23
01/01/2022 Houston, Texas City bans puppy stores including 5 operating stores with 1 year to change to humane
7/01/2022 Orange County, Florida One year amortization of ban on 7 working stores at time of passage—6/22/2021—expires. Ban includes rabbits
7/22/2022 Fayetteville, Arkansas First in state. Bans in 33 US states, 66%. 38 states/provinces worldwide and one country
8/16/2022 Bend, Oregon First in state. Bans in 34 US states, 68%. 39 states/provinces worldwide and one country
1/1/2023 Houston, Texas One year amortization of ban on 5 working stores at time of passage (1/19/2022) expires
1/10/2023 Washington, D.C. Ban includes mammals, amphibians, arachnids, birds, and reptiles 360
02/09/2023 Spain, EU Pet Stores Must Sell From Tightly Licensed Breeders

list DETAILS Ocean wave emoji

public Worldwide: jurisdictions in states or provinces

have passed retail pet sale bans or strong restrictions

Bans on Continents
  • Cities
  • Counties
  • Statewide
  • Countrywide
Strong Restrictions
  • Cities
  • Counties
  • Statewide
States/Provinces/Countries have passed:
  • local bans in states/provinces [ in ]
  • statewide bans in countries [ in ]
  • countrywide ban [ in ]
  • states with statewide bans had previously passed
    local bans [ in ]
  • strong restrictions in states [ in ]
  • states/provinces have passed both
    bans and restrictions
    [ ]

account_balance Breakdown by Country

5 countries on continents

US flag UNITED STATES
city, county and statewide bans
and restrictions in states.
bans in states Jurisdictions
cities
0 counties
00 statewide
Percentage of states with at least 1 ban
|
|
|
|
|

0
25%
50%
75%
100%
strong restrictions in states Jurisdictions
00 cities
00 counties
00 statewide
Canada flag CANADA
city bans & restrictions in provinces.
bans in provinces Jurisdictions
cities
00 strong restriction in city Jurisdictions
Percentage of provinces with at least 1 ban
|
|
|
|
|

0
25%
50%
75%
100%
Spain flag Spain
1 countrywide ban
Australian flag AUSTRALIA
statewide bans.
bans in states Jurisdictions
statewide
00 counties
00 statewide
Percentage of states with at least 1 ban
|
|
|
|
|

0
25%
50%
75%
100%
UK flag United Kingdom
00 countrywide ban Jurisdictions

location_city Jurisdictions

BANS

US flag US states & DC have passed bans
statewide bans. also passed strong restrictions.

Jurisdiction names link directly to municipal code or state law
= Had store(s)
assignment = Article, originating ordinance. Hover for details.
Light blue font under ▸Jurisdictions is a county

Help? Jurisdiction Details in our info screen. info_outline

  1. AL flag Alabama
    Jurisdictions
    1. Huntsville 11/18assignment
    2. Athens 1/19
    3. Guntersville 7/19
    4. Anniston 8/19
    5. Albertville 8/19
    6. Tuscaloosa 9/19
    7. Boaz 9/19assignment
    8. Jasper 9/19
    9. Florence 5/20 assignment
    10. Muscle Shoals 8/20
    11. Madison 12/20 assignment
    12. Opelika 11/21 assignment
    13. Pratville 1/23
  2. Arizona
    Jurisdictions Bans nullified by state law.assignment
    1. Phoenixassignment 12/13
    2. Tempeassignment 2/16
    We count these cities for passing bans. Why↓
  3. AR flag Arkansas
    Jurisdictions
    1. Fayetteville 7/22assignment
  4. CA flag California
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban 10/13/17
    1. S Lake Tahoe 4/09
    2. W Hollywood 2/10
    3. Hermosa Bch 3/10
    4. Turlock 5/10
    5. Glendale 8/11
    6. Irvine 10/11
    7. Dana Point 1/12
    8. Chula Vista 3/12
    9. Laguna Bch 5/12
    10. Aliso Viejo 5/12
    11. Huntington Bch 6/12
    12. Los Angeles 10/12assignmentRabbit sales ban
    13. Burbank 2/13
    14. Rancho Mirage 2/13Rabbit Sales Ban
    15. San Diego 7/13Rabbit Sales Ban
    16. Ventura Cnty 12/13Rabbit Sales Ban
    17. Chino Hills 10/14
    18. Oceanside 1/15
    19. Long Bch 3/15Rabbit sales ban
    20. Garden Grove 4/15assignment
    21. Encinitas 6/15assignmentassignment
    22. Beverly Hills 7/15assignmentRabbit sales ban
    23. Vista 9/15assignment
    24. Palm Springs 9/15assignment
    25. San Marcos 1/16Rabbit Sales Ban
    26. Cathedral City 1/16
    27. Truckee 2/16
    28. La Quinta 3/16
    29. Indio 4/16
    30. Carlsbad 5/16
    31. Colton 6/16
    32. Solana Bch 6/16Rabbit Sales Ban
    33. San Francisco 2/17Rabbit sales ban
    34. Sacramento 5/17
    35. S Pasadena 5/17Rabbit sales ban
    36. Del Mar 6/17Rabbit sales ban
    37. Statewide ban 10/17assignmentassignmentRabbit sales ban
    38. National City 9/19assignmentRabbit sales ban
  5. CO flag Colorado
    Jurisdictions Fountain 5/11assignment
    1. Berthoud 6/19assignment
    2. Breckenridge 9/19assignmentassignment
    3. Frisco 11/19assignmentassignment
    4. Dillon 11/19assignment
    5. Eagle 12/19 assignment
    6. Fairplay 1/20assignment
    7. Alma 1/20
    8. Silverthorne 3/20 assignment
    9. Vail 4/21
    10. Superior 9/21
    11. Minturn 11/21assignment
    12. Mancos 8/23
    13. Aurora 8/23
    14. Johnstown 11/23
    15. Bayfield 1/24
    16. Littleton 2/24
  6. Florida
    Jurisdictions
    1. N Bay Vllge 7/1952
    2. Opa-Locka 5/1955
    3. Lauderdale Lakes 4/1963
    4. Flagler Bch 12/2002360
    5. Coral Gables 09/05
    6. Lake Worth Bch 2/11
    7. Hallandale Bch 4/12
    8. Margate 10/13assignment
    9. Pinecrest 10/13
    10. Palmetto Bay 12/13
    11. Coconut Creek 1/14
    12. Wellington 1/14
    13. Surfside 2/14360
    14. Aventura 3/14
    15. Wilton Manors 3/14
    16. Greenacres 4/14
    17. N Lauderdale 4/14assignment
    18. Bay Hrbr Islds 4/14
    19. Pompano Bch 5/14
    20. Bal Hrbr Vlge 5/14
    21. Sunny Isles Bch 5/14
    22. Miami Bch 5/14assignment
    23. N Miami Bchassignment 5/14
    24. Dania Bch 6/14
    25. Palm Bch Grdns 7/14
    26. Juno Bch 8/14
    27. Cutler Bay 8/14assignment
    28. N Palm Bch 8/14
    29. Hypoluxo 9/14
    30. Jupiter 10/14
    31. Homestead 10/14assignment
    32. Tamarac 12/14
    33. Palm Bch 1/15
    34. N Miami 4/15assignment
    35. Lauderhill 4/15
    36. Fernandina Bch 7/15
    37. Jacksonville Bch 8/15assignment
    38. Deerfield Bch 11/15assignment
    39. W Melbourne 11/15assignment
    40. Casselberry 11/15assignment
    41. Neptune Bch 1/16
    42. Sarasota Cnty 1/16
    43. S Miami 1/16
    44. Delray Bch 3/16assignment
    45. Hollywood 6/16assignmentassignment
    46. St. Petersburg 7/16assignment
    47. Key West 8/16 Rabbit Sales Ban Ferret Sales Ban Guinea Pig Sales Ban
    48. Miramar 8/16
    49. Palm Bch Cnty 9/16Grandfathering
    50. Safety Hrbr 11/16
    51. Holmes Bch 3/17assignment
    52. Hillsborough Cnty 5/17assignmentGrandfathering
    53. Fort Lauderdale 6/17assignment
    54. DeSoto Cnty 7/17Rabbit Sales Ban
    55. Oakland Park 12/17assignment
    56. Seminole Cnty 2/18assignmentassignment
    57. Atlantic Bch 2/18
    58. Lake Cnty 5/18assignment
    59. Sanford 7/18
    60. Dunedin 7/18
    61. Royal Palm Bch 9/18assignment
    62. Mount Dora 1/19assignment
    63. Indian Hrbr Bch 01/19assignmentassignmentRabbit Sales BanFerret Sales BanGuinea Pig Sales Ban
    64. Marion Cnty 5/19Grandfathering
    65. Indian Rvr Cnty 6/19assignment
    66. Oviedo, 9/19assignment
    67. Osceola Cnty, 12/19Grandfathering
    68. Hillsborough Cnty 3/20assignment
    69. St. Lucie Cnty 5/20
    70. Nassau Cnty 7/20Rabbit sales ban
    71. Pasco Cnty 9/20assignment
    72. Ponce Inlet, 12/20Rabbit sales banassignment
    73. Port St. Lucie, 1/21Rabbit sales banassignment
    74. Orange Cnty 7/21Rabbit sales banassignment
    75. Manatee Cnty 7/21assignment
    76. Belleview 11/21
    77. Clay Cty 5/22
    78. Martin Cty 5/22
    79. Pinellas Cty 5/22
    80. Volusia Cty 6/22
    We count Miami and Largo as a strong restriction. Why↓
  7. GA flag Georgia
    Jurisdictions
    1. Canton 3/17
    2. Holly Springs 5/17
    3. Waleska 5/17
    4. Woodstock 6/17
    5. Senoia 11/17
    6. Sandy Springs 11/17
    7. Ball Ground 1/18
    8. Centerville 1/18
    9. Atlanta 11/18
    10. Fulton Cnty 1/19
    11. Cherokee Cntyassignment 8/19
    12. Forsyth Cty 6/22
    13. Hall Cty 5/23
    14. Gainsville 8/23
  8. ID flag Idaho
    Jurisdictions
    1. Boise 5/21
    2. Ammon 4/23
    3. Idaho Falls 4/23
  9. IL flag Illinois
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban 8/27/21
    1. Waukegan 6/12
    2. Chicago 3/14Rabbit sales ban
    3. Cook Cnty 5/15Rabbit sales ban
    4. Warrenville 1/16assignment
    5. Crest Hill 10/17 assignment assignment assignment assignment assignment Rabbit sales ban
    6. Kankakee Cnty 5/18
    7. Vernon Hills 2/19Rabbit Sales Ban
    8. Downers Grove 2/19Rabbit sales ban
    9. W Chicago 5/19
    10. Buffalo Grove 6/19Rabbit Sales Ban
    11. Lisle 7/19assignment
    12. Springfield 10/19assignmentassignmentassignment
    13. Rock Island 12/19assignment
    14. Naperville 1/20assignment
    15. Algonquin 3/20assignmentRabbit Sales Ban
    16. Evanston 4/20Rabbit Sales Ban
    17. Willowbrook 4/20Rabbit Sales Ban
    18. Carpentersville 07/20
    19. Freeport 10/20
    20. DuPage Cnty 10/20assignment
    21. Oak Forest 1/21assignment
    22. N Aurora 5/21
    23. Statewide ban 8/21
  10. IN flag Indiana
    Jurisdictions
    1. St. Joseph 4/17assignment
    2. Columbus 4/21Rabbit Sales Ban
    3. Dyer 9/21assignment
    4. Highland 9/21
    5. Crown Point 11/21 assignment
    6. Bloomington 12/21assignmentassignment
    7. Whiting 1/22
    8. Munster 1/22
    9. Schererville 3/22
    10. Lake Station 3/22
    11. East Chicago 4/22
    12. Carmel 6/22assignment
    13. Cedar Lake 9/22
    14. Indianapolis 2/23
    15. Valparaiso 2/23Grandfathering
    16. Porter Cty 6/23
    17. Tippecanoe Cty 9/23
    18. Lafayette 10/23
    19. W. Lafayette 10/23
  11. IA flag Iowa
    Jurisdictions
    1. Fraser 10/17
    2. Stuart 1/18
    3. Boone 3/18assignment
  12. KY flag Kentucky
    Jurisdictions
    1. Elizabethtown 10/21assignmentassignment
    2. Radcliffe 9/22
    3. Louisville 9/23
  13. ME flag Maine
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban 1/12/20
    1. Portland 9/16
    2. Bar Hrbr 12/16
    3. Statewide ban 01/20Grandfatheringassignment
  14. MD flag Maryland
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban 4/24/18
    1. Montgomery Cnty 2/15assignment
    2. Statewide ban 4/18assignment
  15. MA flag Massachusetts
    Jurisdictions
    1. Boston 3/16assignmentRabbit sales ban
    2. Stoneham 5/17
    3. Cambridge 8/17360Rabbit sales ban
    4. Pittsfield 2/20assignmentRabbit sales ban
    5. Marshfield 11/20Rabbit sales ban
    6. North Adams 3/21assignmentRabbit sales ban
    7. Springfield 4/21assignmentRabbit sales ban
    8. Plymouth 11/21
    9. Plymouth 4/22
    10. Attleboro 5/22
    11. N. Andover 5/23Rabbit Sales BanGuinea Pig Sales Ban
    12. Brookline 11/23
    13. Lennox 11/23
  16. MI flag Michigan
    Jurisdictions
    1. Eastpointe 9/15Rabbit sales ban
    2. New Baltimore 11/15Rabbit sales ban
    3. Fraser 12/15Rabbit sales ban
    4. Royal Oak 06/19Rabbit Sales BanFerret Sales Ban
    5. St Clair ShoresRabbit Sales Ban 02/22
    6. Woodhaven 3/23
    7. Ann Arbor 6/23
    8. Berkley 8/23Grandfathering
    9. Ferndale 11/23
  17. MN flag Minnesota
    Jurisdictions
    1. Roseville 3/17
    2. Eden Prairie 5/18
    3. St. Paul 12/18
    4. Carver 3/20assignment
    5. Cloquet 5/21Rabbit Sales Ban
    6. Minneapolis 8/23
    7. Coon Rapids 3/24
  18. NV flag Nevada
    Jurisdictions Las Vegas 1/16
    ↑Council reversed 11/17
    1. N Las Vegas 12/16assignmentRabbit sales banPot-bellied pigs
    2. Mesquite 5/16Pig sales ban
    3. Reno 7/20assignmentassignment
    4. Clark Cnty 12/22assignmentRabbit sales banPot-bellied pigs
    5. Henderson 3/24
    We do not count Las Vegas in our ban total. Why↓
  19. OK flag Oklahoma
    Jurisdictions
    1. Midwest City 7/21360
  20. NJ flag New Jersey
    Jurisdictions
    1. Brick 2/16
    2. Manasquan 9/12
    3. Pt Pleasant Bch 10/12Rabbit sales ban
    4. Hoboken 8/13
    5. Oceanport 8/13
    6. N Brunswick 10/13assignment
    7. Randolph 9/14
    8. Camden Cnty 9/15assignment
    9. Audubon 10/15
    10. Voorhees Tnship 10/15
    11. Brooklawn 10/15
    12. Cherry Hill 10/15
    13. Waterford 10/15
    14. Merchantville 11/15assignment
    15. Laurel Springs 12/15
    16. Oaklyn 12/15assignment
    17. Somerdale 11/15
    18. Haddon Hghts 12/15
    19. Mercer Cnty 11/15
    20. Deptford 12/15
    21. Runnemede 12/15
    22. Magnolia 12/15
    23. Gloucester 12/15
    24. Glassboro 12/15
    25. Bellmawr 12/15
    26. Monmouth Cnty 1/16assignment
    27. Ocean Cnty 2/16
    28. Berlin 2/16
    29. Clementon 3/16
    30. Middlesex Cnty 3/16
    31. Pine Hill 3/16
    32. Winslow 3/16assignment
    33. Haddon 3/16
    34. Jackson 3/16
    35. Collingswood 4/16
    36. Audubon Park 4/16assignment
    37. Mt Ephraim 4/16assignment
    38. Barrington 4/16
    39. Berlin 4/16
    40. E Brunswick 4/16
    41. Gloucester City 4/16
    42. Chesilhurst 5/16
    43. Greenwich (Glstr) 5/16
    44. Passaic Cnty 5/16
    45. W Deptford 5/16assignment
    46. Pennsauken 5/16
    47. Mantua 5/16
    48. Gibbsboro 6/16
    49. Beverly 6/16
    50. Little Ferry 6/16
    51. Hi-Nella 6/16
    52. Bergen Cnty 6/16
    53. Wyckoff 6/16
    54. Lindenwold 6/16
    55. Bordentown 6/16
    56. Hackensack 6/16
    57. Mt Holly 7/16
    58. Camden 7/16
    59. Pitman 7/16
    60. Maywood 7/16
    61. E Rutherford 7/16
    62. Clayton 7/16
    63. Burlington Cnty 7/16
    64. Glen Rock 7/16
    65. Woodcliff Lk 8/16assignment
    66. Saddle Brook 8/16assignment
    67. Woodlynne 8/16
    68. Washington Tnsp 8/16
      ↑Council override of mayoral vetoassignment
    69. Morris Cnty 8/16
    70. Uppr Saddle Rvr 9/16assignment
    71. Eatontown 9/16assignment
    72. Swedesboro 9/16
    73. Hamilton 9/16
    74. Fairview 9/16
    75. Ridgefield 9/16
    76. Wallington 9/16
    77. New Milford 9/16
    78. Fanwood 10/16
    79. Ridgewood 10/16
    80. Edgewater 10/16
    81. Woodbury Hts 10/16
    82. Marlboro 10/16
    83. Fair Lawn 10/16
    84. Pine Valley 10/16
    85. Ocean (Mnmth) 10/16
    86. N Arlington 11/16
    87. Watchung 11/16
    88. Frenchtown 12/16
    89. Palisades Park 12/16
    90. Union Bch 1/17
    91. Cliffside Park 2/17
    92. Statford 2/17
    93. Burlington City 2/17
    94. Bradley Bch 2/17
    95. Haddonfield 2/17
    96. Bound Brook 3/17
    97. Livingston 3/17
    98. Franklin 3/17
    99. Manalapan 4/17
    100. Scotch Plains 4/17
    101. Lodi 4/17
    102. Secaucus 4/17
    103. E Newark 4/17
    104. Roselle Park 5/17
    105. Harrison 5/17
    106. Brielle 5/17
    107. Matawan 6/17
    108. Caldwell 6/17
    109. Maple Shade 6/17
    110. N Plainfield 6/17assignment
    111. Asbury Park 6/17
    112. Leonia 7/17
    113. Hopewell 7/17
    114. Nutley 10/17
    115. Cranford 10/17
    116. Moorestown 10/17
    117. Rahway 11/17
    118. Lawrence 2/18
    119. Holmdel 2/18
    120. Barnegat 2/18assignment
    121. Westfield 4/18
    122. Garwood 6/18
    123. Palmyra 4/1assignment
    124. Linden 6/18
    125. Teaneck 9/18
    126. S Orange 11/18
    127. Wall 12/18
    128. Medford Lakes 2/19
    129. Tinton Falls 3/19
    130. Carteret 3/19
    131. Madison 5/19
    132. Summit 9/19
    133. Victory Gardens 9/19
    134. S Amboy 10/19
    135. Highland Park 11/19
    136. Maplewood 11/19
    137. Metuchen 12/19
    138. Sayreville 12/19
    139. Roselle 3/20
    140. Robbinsville 12/20Grandfathering
    141. Tenafly 10/22
    142. Clifton 10/22
    143. Montclair 12/15
    144. Kinnelon 5/23
    145. Mahwah 6/23
    146. Monroe Twnsp 10/23
    147. Hillsdale 10/23
    148. Montdale 11/23
    149. Clinton 11/23
    PMFUS counts all counties which include bans in their resolutions of support though lack the authority over businesses locally. Why.↓
  21. NM flag New Mexico
    Jurisdictions
    1. Albuquerque 6/06
    2. Bernalillo Cnty 2/13
    3. Rio Rancho 4/17
  22. NY flag New York
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban 11/15/22 eff 1/24
    1. Mamaroneck 2/16assignment
    2. Mount Pleasant 2/16&9/19assignmentassignment
    3. Harrison 7/16
    4. Yorktown 8/16
    5. Rye Brook 8/16
    6. Port Chester 10/16
    7. New Rochelle 9/17
    8. Riverhead 10/21assignmentassignmentRabbit sales ban
    9. Statewide ban 11/22, eff 1/24assignmentRabbit sales ban
  23. OH flag Ohio
    Jurisdictions Bans nullified by state law.
    1. Toledo 12/13
    Grove City 3/16
    ↑Council reversed 1/17
    We count Toledo but not Grove City. Why↓
  24. OR flag Oregon
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban Grandfathered 9/23. Existing stores grandfathered until 9/28.
    1. 8/22
    2. Beaverton 2/23
    3. Scappoose 2/23
    4. Curry 7/23
    5. Statewide ban 9/23assignment
  25. PA flag Pennsylvania
    Jurisdictions
    1. Pittsburgh 12/15Rabbit sales banassignment
    2. Philadelphia 4/16assignment
    3. Wilkinsburg 10/17Rabbit sales ban
    4. Sharpsburg 4/18Rabbit sales ban
    5. Bellevue 6/19assignmentassignmentRabbit Sales Ban
    6. Allentown 5/22
    7. Easton 5/23
    8. Forks 7/23
    9. Bethlehem 10/23
    10. Doylestown 3/24
  26. RI flag Rhode Island
    Jurisdictions
    1. E Providence 6/14assignment
    2. Warwick 6/17
    3. W Warwick 2/18Grandfathering
    4. Providence 7/18
    5. Scituate 2/18assignmentGrandfathering
    6. Smithfield 1/20assignment
  27. SC flag South Carolina
    Jurisdictions
    1. N Myrtle Bch 8/19assignmentassignment
    2. Dorchester 6/20 assignment
    3. Horry 11/21 assignmentassignment
  28. TN flag Tennessee
    Jurisdictions
    1. Nashville 5/18assignment
    2. Franklin 12/1assignment
    3. Smyrna 3/23
  29. TX flag Texas
    Jurisdictions
    1. El Paso 10/10
    2. Austin 12/10assignmentassignment
    3. Ft. Worth 6/1assignment
    4. The Colony 1/20assignmentassignment
    5. Waco 1/20
    6. San Antonio 10/20assignment
    7. Euless 4/21assignment
    8. College Station 6/21assignment
    9. Sherman 9/21
    10. Houston 1/22assignmentassignment
    11. Bryan 3/22
    12. Dallas 5/22assignment
    13. Pasadena 10/22
    14. New Braunfels 10/22
    15. Corpus Christi 2/23
    16. San Marcos 3/23
    17. Wylie 3/23
    18. Grand Prairie 5/23Grandfathered
  30. UT flag Utah
    Jurisdictions
    1. Salt Lake Cnty 10/15Rabbit sales ban
    2. Millcreek 10/15Rabbit Sales Ban
    3. Copperton 1/17Rabbit sales ban
    4. Emigration Canyon 4/17Rabbit sales ban
    5. White City 7/17assignmentRabbit sales ban
    6. Magna 10/17assignmentRabbit sales ban
    7. Kearns 12/17Rabbit sales ban
    8. Sandy 5/18assignmentRabbit sales ban
    9. Midvale 5/18assignmentRabbit sales ban
    10. Murray 8/18assignmentRabbit Sales Ban
    11. Salt Lake City 11/18Rabbit sales ban
    12. Kaysville 10/21assignmentassignment
    13. Davis Cnty 5/23
  31. VA flag Virginia
    Jurisdictions
    1. Fauquier Cnty 8/21assignment
  32. WA flag Washington
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban 4/21
    1. Bainbridge Isld 6/17
    2. Bremerton 9/17
    3. Poulsbo 2/18assignment
    4. Gig Hrbr 5/19Rabbit Sales Ban
    5. Kitsap Cnty 7/19assignment
    6. Port Orchard 10/19
    7. Olympia 2/20assignment
    8. Lacey 1/21
    9. Tumwater 2/21 assignment
    10. Statewide ban 4/21Grandfatheredassignment
  33. DC flag Washington, DC
    Jurisdictions
    1. D.C. 12/22 360
  34. WI flag Wisconsin
    Jurisdictions
    1. Whitewater 5/20assignment
    2. Appleton 4/21assignmentassignment
    3. Fort Atkinson 5/21assignment
    4. Beloit 5/22
    5. Wauwatosa 5/22
    6. Waukesha 6/22
    7. Pewaukee 9/22
    8. La Crosse 9/22
    9. Sun Prairie 10/22
    10. Wassau 1/23
    11. Delavan 5/23
    12. West Allis 4/24
  35. WY flag Wyoming
    Jurisdictions
    1. Rock Springs 4/18 Rabbit sales ban

Canada flag Canadian provinces passed bans
also passed strong restrictions

  1. BC British Columbia
    Jurisdictions
    1. Richmond 11/10
    2. New Westminster 11/12Rabbit Sales Ban
    3. Vancouver 6/17Rabbit Sales Ban
    4. Delta 10/17Rabbit Sales Ban
    5. Surrey 3/18Rabbit Sales Ban By-Law
    6. Burnaby 6/18assignment
    7. Victoria, 3/22
  2. ON flag Ontario
    Jurisdictions
    1. Mississauga 7/12
    2. Toronto 2/13assignment
    3. Kingston 8/13Rabbit sales ban
    4. Vaughan 4/14assignment
    5. Waterloo 8/14
    6. Ottawa 3/16assignment
    7. Oakville 3/16assignment
    8. Richmond Hill 6/16Rabbit Sales Ban
    9. Cambridge 10/16assignment
    10. Chatham-Kent 4/17
    11. London 12/17assignmentRabbit Sales Ban
  3. QB flag Quebec
    Jurisdictions
    1. Rosemont-La Petite Patrie 12/11
    2. Hudson 9/14
    3. Beaconsfield 12/15assignment
    4. Montreal 08/18

Australian flag. Australian states passed bans
statewide bans = Had store(s)

  1. VC flag Victoria
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban 12/14/17
    1. Victoria 12/17
  2. Western Australia flag Western Australia
    Jurisdictions state ban Statewide ban 6/24/20
    1. Western Australia 6/24/2020 assignment

UK flag United Kingdom countrywide ban
Mandated 1/2019, effective 1/2020

  1. England/UK flag England
    Summary

    The government has confirmed it will be banning third party sales of puppies and kittens, Animal Welfare Minister David Rutley announced today (23 December 2018).

    The decision was taken following a public consultation, from which there was over 95 per cent support for a ban. It will help bring to an end the terrible welfare conditions found in puppy farming and solve a range of existing animal welfare issues.

    Gov.uk: "Ban of third party sales of puppies and kittens, known as ‘Lucy’s Law’, confirmed"

    England's countrywide ban, the first in the world, will take effect 6 April 2020.

    Transitional provision: existing licences for selling animals as pets

    3. A licence granted under the 2018 Regulations before 6th April 2020 authorising the activity described in paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to those Regulations is to be treated, in relation to the sale of any animal on or after that date, as subject to the licence condition set out in paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 3 to the 2018 Regulations as amended by these Regulations assignment

    The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019

  2. Wales flag Wales
    Summary

    Pending

    No timetable yet for Lucy's Law in Wales, but "it will happen"

    This is a major piece of work, and I know how many campaigners are certainly very concerned about that because my inbox shows me that - both as an AM and as the Minister.... What I want to make sure is, I've said we will bring in a Lucy's Law - I'm not in a position at the moment to give you the timetable, but I certainly hope to do so within the next couple of months.

    —Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths

    Senedd Home, January 29, 2020

    Minister says Lucy’s Law will come to Wales

    A Welsh minister has promised that Lucy’s Law will be coming to the Principality but the timetable has yet to be confirmed.

    At questions for the to the Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths, Assembly Members Vikki Howells and Alun Davies both asked for updates on proposals to introduce Lucy’s Law in Wales.

    Lucy’s Law, a ban on the third party sales of puppies, will be introduced in England in April. The minister said that a statement on animal health was due in February.

    Our Dogs Newsletter, Wales, 2.6.20

    Welsh Parliament Meets on Lucy's Law, 1/2020

    Commitment made to bring Lucy's Law but not before Spring.

    Wales unites behind the Lucy's Law campaign to end its shaming puppy farming trade. "Let's try to beat the English to it," said Eluned Morgan, the Labour Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales.

    The Welsh government launched a 12 week consultation on banning third-party puppy and kitten sales with the aim of protecting the animals’ welfare, ending 17 May 2019.

    A Summary of Responses document has been published, 18 July 2019, on this Welsh government page.

    Third party sale of puppies and kittens to be banned in Wales

    See blog post, Wales Publishes Responses to Proposed Dog & Cat 3rd Party Sales Ban.

    Law Wales

  3. Scotland flag Scotland
    Summary

    Pending

    New law to BAN puppy farming in Scotland confirmed at 'historic' meeting 9/18/19.

    Next step: a typically three month consultation period asking for Scottish citizen and organizations' comments. Will be available on the Scotland.gov site.

  4. UK flag for Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
    Summary

    Pending

    Members of Belfast City Council have called on Stormont to ban the sale of puppies and kittens from unregistered breeders.

    Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn forwarded a motion that the council demands Northern Ireland adopts 'Lucy's Law', which begins later this year in England, meaning that members of the public can only buy from registered breeders.

    After passing, the council will now write to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to call for preparatory work to allow for Lucy's Law to be legislated for here.

    Mr Flynn said: "Puppy farming is a callous, inhumane and cruel industry, which seeks to make a quick profit out of the misery of animals.

    Ban callous unlicensed puppy farms from selling pets, Stormont urged, 1/2020

    Belfast call for puppy and kitten farming BAN after Lucy's Law victory, 8/2019

Spain flag Spain

  1. Spain countrywide ban Ferret Sales Ban
Passed 2/9/2023
RESTRICTIONS

US flag US states with local or statewide restrictions
of these also passed bans

  1. Arizona
    Jurisdictions
    1. Statewide 6/14
  2. Connecticut flag Connecticut
    Jurisdictions
    1. Statewide 5/16
  3. FL flag Florida
    Jurisdictions
    1. Parkland 11/10
    2. Sunrise Cnty 4/13
      ↑Allows local hobby breeders
    3. Plantation 8/15
    4. Coral Springs 9/15
    5. Miami 7/17
      ↑Allows local hobby breeders
    6. Largo 9/21Grandfathering Current stores grandfathered under strong restrictions: breeder must be USDA licensed with no violations for 2 years. Stores may be sold under same name and location. More ↓
  4. IL flag Illinois
    Jurisdictions
    1. Mundelein 11/16
    2. Statewide 11/15
  5. Louisiana flag Louisiana
    Jurisdictions
    1. Statewide 6/16
  6. NJ flag New Jersey
    Jurisdictions
    1. Statewide 1/15
    2. Pt Pleasant 8/12
    3. Emerson 6/16
    4. Park Ridge 7/16
  7. New York
    Jurisdictions
    1. Suffolk Cnty 6/14
    2. New York City 12/14Rabbit Sales Ban
  8. Ohio
    Jurisdictions
    1. Statewide 3/17
  9. VA flag Virginia
    Jurisdictions
    1. Statewide 3/15
    2. Virginia Bch 3/16

Canada flag Canadian province with local restriction
Province has passed bans

  1. ON flag Ontario
    Jurisdictions
    1. Welland 11/14

Resources

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Arizona activists aren't deterred by the statewide prohibition on local puppy store bans. Larger…

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email Something we're missing? Email us with updates. ⇾

subject SUMMARIES

BansMap of Bans
Sunrise emoji

Throughout the world, jurisdictions [US: , Canada: , AUS: , UK: ] have passed a ban on the sales of puppies, kittens and sometimes rabbits, ferrets, pigs and other animals in retail stores unless procured from accredited shelters or rescues, also known as "adopt-only" ordinances, including the entire states of California and Maryland in the US; Victoria, Australia; and England, UK.

A Note About New Jersey Bans

PMF.US counts all New Jersey counties which include bans in their resolutions of support, though they lack authority over businesses locally. Without the , the ban count is .

assignment Resolution 2015-550, Mercer County, New Jersey

§Restrictions on the Sale of Animals
¶ 1A. A pet shop may only offer for sale those dogs and cats that the pet shop has obtained from or displays in cooperation with:
a). An animal care facility; or
b). An animal rescue organization
[The ordinance] discourages and, in fact, prevents the sale of animals brought to our community under the most horrific circumstances that no community should ever condone.

—Jeff Nash, Camden Cnty, New Jersey, Board Member, 9/2015

A Note About Miami and Largo, Florida

Miami flag

Miami passed an ordinance on 7/27/17 that limits the sourcing of dogs and cats in retail stores, but allows for local backyard breeders to provide "products" to retail stores. This regulation is similar to one of the earliest strong restrictions tallied, in Sunrise County, Florida.

Since we know that breed-club breeders [e.g., Labrador Breeders of America] are under licensing restrictions to not sell to pet stores, which most of them wouldn’t do anyway, backyard breeders will be allowed to provide stores with pets: a puppy and kitten glut could ensue, stores might increase and a local pet mill problem could proliferate.

As of 9/2019, a search for puppy stores in Miami returns 3 brick-and-mortar results which, sadly, bears this out.

Largo passed an ordinance on 9/7/21, grandfathering in a Petland and at least one sole proprietor puppy store. The stores could potentially continue to sell dogs and cats in perpetuum as they can be inherited by family members or sold if new owners use the same name and location.

While there is a ban on new puppy store licenses being issued and current stores must follow strong restrictions on the sales of dogs from USDA licensed breeders with no violation in the previous 2 years, there is no provision on how to enact or fund the restriction and many a puppy will slip through this wide-open crack. Ergo, this is not a complete ban on the sale of dogs and cats in retail stores.

We, therefore, have relegated these close-but-no-cigar ordinances to a strong restriction rather than a full ban.

🐾

US States Without A Local Ban []

Indicated on our World Map ↑ as white or yellow (restrictions only) states.

By Region

West
Midwest
South
Northeast
= strong statewide restriction
Strong RestrictionsStrong Restrictions.

Strong restrictions include ordinances that require pet stores to post breeder information on the cages of pets for sale and do not allow pets from mills that have had a USDA inspection violation in the past 2-5 years, variously. These are next to impossible to enforce, allow for business as usual and are dependent on consumers and watch dog organizations to report violations.

On the upside, when strong restrictions are proven to be repeatedly violated, it leaves a governing council or legislature no choice but to implement a total ban as is the case with the state of Maryland which passed restrictions in May 2016 and a full ban in April 2018.

If the jurisdictions with strong restrictions [US: , Canada: ] that are causing puppy stores to close or change to humane are included, the number of international jurisdictions with pet sales bans or strong restrictions is .

Bans With Stores Active Puppy StoresActive Puppy Stores

Heart with stars emoji Jurisdictions cite the reasons for the ordinance as humanitarian/compassionate in nature since animals in puppy and kitten stores are virtually all sourced from large scale breeding operations, a.k.a. "puppy mills." Also frequently cited are issues of fraud as animals sold as pure-bred are sometimes not and animals born from sickly animals in pet mills can cost consumers in veterinarian and training bills. As costs rise, animals are all too frequently turned over to local, tax payer-funded shelters or sold online.

By our count, at least bans have passed injurisdictions that had at least one operating store in them, the majority of which were/are effective immediately.

Noted on our my_locationGoogle Interactive Map with a red puppy head icon for cities and red location marker for counties.

Grandfathering Grandfathering

Grandfathering a store, or stores, occurs when a ban is passed that only affects new licensing. Current store(s) may continue, often with strict provisions, such as the store cannot be sold even to a relative. Some allow for inheritance, but most prohibit transference. Of course with convoluted business licensing applications, follow-up can be difficult making grandfathering a loophole that is best closed by not opening it in the first place.

Some jurisdictions give a grace period to stores, called amortization, before they have to comply, lasting anywhere from 20 to 30 days to 18 months. Downers Grove, IL, graces a store until its lease is up. Some require immediate compliance. State bans do not grandfather, though the ban is often effective a year or more after passage.

Many grandfathered stores have closed. In that case, we do not indicate a store had been grandfathered, such as Hoboken, NJ. In Seminole County, FL., a grandfathering clause was writtten, but no stores existed. Likewise, in Indian River County, FL grandfathering was written in, but strict enough to have the single puppy store close during ban deliberation when the writing was on the wall.

Noted on our my_locationGoogle Interactive Map with a dark blue puppy head.

Rabbits, Ferrets, PBPs Rabbit Sales Bans Ferret Sales Bans Pot-Bellied Pig Bans

Any animal found for sale in retail pet stores that aren't specifically from an adoption agency or rescue group are most-likely sourced from the same kind of reprehensible conditions as puppy and kitten mills, where profits are of greater concern than the animals' well-being.

jurisdictions name rabbits in their bans of retail sales including the state of California. Rabbit Sales Bans

name ferrets Ferrets

name pot-belled pigs Pigs

Other Animal Sales Bans Other Animals

Other Animals

Number of times ordinances name these animals in retail sales bans:

  • long-lived birds Others
  • large reptiles
  • certain chicks
  • certain turtles
  • guinea pigs Others
  • hares
  • pikas
  • arachnids

jurisdictions include a sales ban on all animals: 360

  1. Flagler Beach, Florida, 12/2002 § 5-17. - Prohibited acts.
    (f) Breeding or sale of animals. It shall be unlawful for any person to breed or sell animals, or dispose of such animals for any commercial gain or other commercial purpose within the city. Municipal code.
  2. Surfside, Florida, 2/2014 § 90-41. - Regulated uses.
    (d)(26) Provided that no animals including without limitation dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, turtles, gerbils, hamsters, cows, horses, sheep, and other domestic animals or livestock shall be sold on the premises. Municipal code.
  3. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 8/2017 § 6.20.020 - Prohibition on Retail Sales.
    A. A pet shop may offer for sale only those arachnids, birds, mammals, amphibians, or reptiles that the pet shop has obtained from or displays in cooperation with:
    1.An animal care facility, as defined in section 6.20.010 of this chapter; or
    2.An animal rescue organization, as defined in section 6.20.010 of this chapter; or
    3.An animal sold or displayed for agricultural uses; or
    4.Dead animals sold or displayed as breeder animals. Municipal code.
  4. Midwest City, Oklahoma, 7/2021 § 6 - A new ordinance in the Midwest City Municipal Code
    Chapter 8 Animals and Fowl, Article XI, Commercial Animal Establishments, Section 8-204, Restrictions on Pet Shops, Groom Shops and Auctions; is hereby enacted to read as follows:

    No pet shop, grooming shop or auctions shall sell or offer to sell any animal from a Commercial Animal Establishment, except for the sale or offer to sell animals from an Animal Care Facility or an Animal Rescue Organization.

    Ordinance

  5. Washington, D.C. 1/2023 § B24-0560 - Animal Care and Control Omnibus Amendment Act of 2021
    To amend Chapter 3 of Title 25-J of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to prohibit a pet store operator from selling mammals, amphibians, arachnids, birds, or reptiles in a pet store

    Legislation

Lisle, Illinois, 10/2018 3-22-2: PROHIBITION OF THE RETAIL SALE OF ANIMALS:
A retailer may not offer for sale any animal. (Ord. 2018-4790, 10-15-2018)

Prohibition of all animals sales ban rescinded to included dogs and cats only, 7/2019. Municipal code.

Activists and elected officials argue that most animals found in stores are produced by the same pet mill animal suffering paradigm as puppy, kitten and rabbit mills.
pig bird reptile chick Turtle Pika Hare
LawsuitsFailed Lawsuits

Against Jurisdictions

To date, : (12 federal, 2 local) court lawsuits against jurisdictions have failed (including 4 appeals and 2 withdrawals) andall bans have been upheld.The lawsuits were brought by store owners and large-scale breeder support organizations.

The 14th lawsuit—against the State of Maryland, the first against a state—was lodged September 2019 and thrown out by a judge in 2/2020.

Details…. ↑

Against Puppy Stores

known lawsuits are currently being brought against puppy stores and national chains selling puppies, kittens and other animals sourced from pet mills.

Details…. ↑ Thumbs up emoji

Against Activists

At least 1 lawsuit brought by store owners against activists has failed, not including the judge's dismissal of charges in San Diego brought by multiple stores-owner David Salinas against activists, non-profits and individual city council members. See Chicago pet store owners' defamation lawsuit tossed vs puppy mill activist; judge says 'no malice'

09/23/17: Series of federal court rulings – the latest upholding a Chicago anti-puppy-mill law – affirm state, local efforts against animal cruelty. Humane Society of the United States

11/16/16: Petland sues Sarasota Co. over controversial 'puppy mill' ordinance .

1/23/17: "The injunction was denied by the court therefore after this Friday (the 27th of January) Petland Sarasota MUST obey the new law and STOP all sales of cats and dogs." —FB post.

6/19/17: "The Appeal Court denied Petland's injunction. This means the court has officially established that Petland should abide by the law that passed last year and came into affect in January of this year. They can not file to appeal this issue again." —FB post.

Ban Prohibitions and Reversals State Prohibitions Local officials reversed ban

Prohibitions of Bans State Prohibitions of Local Bans.

State laws prohibit local bans.

Poop

We include 2 Arizona and 1 Ohio jurisdictions because our count is of bans that have passed, including those made unenforceable by legislative (state) act.


Phoenix ban passed 12/2013
Tempe ban passed 2/2016

… Before the state legislature prohibited puppy store bans.

Likewise Ohio:

Toledo ban passed 12/2013
Grove City ban passed 3/2016 [City Council reversed ban].

Details and jurisdiction information:  Arizona ↑ Ohio ↑

Arizona

In May 2016, the Arizona legislature enacted a law prohibiting local communities from ending animal suffering by passing retail store restriction and ban ordinances, nullifying the 2 local bans that had been passed in Phoenix (12/13) and Tempe (02/16).

The ordinances passed in the two cities are still written into local municipal code, they just can't be enforced because of state law. If the state law is ever changed or removed, the bans would become immediately enforceable.

Tucson, Arizona, was on the eve of passing a ban when the state law came into effect. The city Council held passage of the ban until state law is lifted. Immediate passage of a ban in Tucson is expected if and when the state prohibition of bans is ended. See blog post Landslide of Statewide Bans if OR, MA, PA, ME, & NY Pass Pending Bills

Ohio

In December 2016, Ohio followed suit, nullifying two local bans in Toledo (12/13) and Grove City (03/16).

After the state prohibitions on bans, Grove City reversed its ban through an ordinance. Should state law be lifted, there would be no ban in place in Grover City. Toledo's is still in effect, though not enforceable.

Both state laws created statewide strong restrictions on all stores, though those measures are ineffective.

See the Strong Restrictions summary ↑ for details.

We count all bans that were passed by community activists and regulatory bodies, therefore the state prohibitions have not altered our count of bans. Our count of bans passed includes the 3 bans passed in Arizona and Ohio

Failed Statewide Prohibitions delete_forever

times states have attempted to pass prohibitions on local bans, all failing:
  1. Tennessee, 2017
    Bill takes aim at local retail pet sales policies, Nashville Post, 3/2019.
  2. Illinois, 2017
    Cities Are Fighting Back Against Puppy Mills – But Some States Won’t Let Them, ALDF, 4/2018
  3. Michigan, 2018
    Legislature passed two such bills in their house and senate but Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed on 28 December 2018.
  4. Florida, 2018
    A Florida House bill could make it legal to sell puppy mill dogs statewide, even if local ordinances ban it, Tampa Bay Times, 2/2018. Defeated, ASPCA, 3/2018.
  5. Georgia, 2018
    Cities Are Fighting Back Against Puppy Mills – But Some States Won’t Let Them, ALDF, 4/2018
  6. Tennessee, 2019
    Bill takes aim at local retail pet sales policies, Nashville Post, 3/2019.

Reversals Local officials reversed ban

1). We have removed from our count the Las Vegas, Nevada, ban passed in January 2016. The city council REVERSED their ban in November 2017.

2). Likewise, as noted just above, we do not count the Grove City, Ohio, ban as the City REVERSED their ban by ordinance in January 2017, citing state law's nullification of their ban.

So far, only jurisdictions have made this mistake, noted on our my_location Google Interactive Map ↑ with a black puppy head icon Local officials reversed ban

Resolutions of SupportSupport

cities, counties and state departments have issued statements and resolutions of support toencourage other jurisdictionsto pass bans. Details ↑ ….

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